CENTRAL HEATING

Continuing their series of poetic evocations of the natural world, Singer and So present 19 poems about fire, this time printing in a curving, delicate red font and choosing a powerful red for the illustrations. By combining linocut with wash, So manages both bold and wispy effects, much like fire itself. Singer, who has sung water and earth in the earlier collections, has a sure hand, although somehow these poems are slightly less of a treasure than the others. In “Fire-Bringers,” she posits the power of the person chosen to carry the fire from Stone Age camp to camp; she muses on the “peculiar party” that happens when neighbors gather to watch an old house burn in “Landmark.” Firefighters, fireflies, roasted marshmallows, even a chili pepper get their due. In “Holidays,” she notes with keen insight the connection of holidays to fire: menorahs, luminarias, paper lanterns, fireworks. Its engaging design will surely entice readers to open and read, perhaps in front of their own candle, hearth, or stove. (Poetry. 7-11)