I want to get this picture book for every poet I know! It's PERFECT!
I could easily see incorporating this into a start of the year lesson on writing poetry. You could talk to the students about being like Frederick and observing everything in detail, then finding intense and vivid ways to share what you'r observed. Work on that and, Ouila!, you have poetry.
Google "frederick leo lionni lesson plans" and you get a lot of hits to sift through.
We have it at the college library for the early childhood education program students. It's lovely, really and truly.