Hope Is the Thing with Feathers (Petite Poems)

by Emily Dickinson, Tatyana Feeney (Illustrator)

Overview

Discover the joy of poetry in this simple introduction to Emily Dickinson, celebrating the power of hope perched within and the promise of sunnier days.

Emily Dickinson’s beloved poem “Hope is the thing with feathers” takes flight in Tatyana Feeney’s beautifully illustrated adaptation, reminding us that hope is always there when we need it, never asking for anything in return. Originally written in 1861, this enduring poem is now accessible to future generations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781951836948
Publisher:	Abrams Appleseed
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Series:	Petite Poems
Pages:	24
Sales rank:	529,701
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.55(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Tatyana Feeney grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and now lives in Ireland. She spent a lot of her early childhood going to the library and reading books. She is also the illustrator of Theme in Yellow by Carl Sandburg, published by Cameron Kids as part of the Petite Poems series.

Editorial Reviews

"Emily Dickinson's classic is brought to life in vibrant hues...[A]ccessible and easy to follow...[A] suitable choice for National Poetry Month"—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

04/01/2024

PreS-Gr 2—In this new addition to the "Petite Poems" collection, Emily Dickinson's classic is brought to life in vibrant hues. In the beginning, a variety of tiny birds dance across the page, as a young pencil-outlined child collects a dropped feather. The lines of the poem alternate pages, as the child, friends, neighbors, and birds weather rain and wind, but still come out smiling, evoking the spirit of hope explored in the poem. While the vocabulary and language of the poem might be challenging for young readers on their own, Feeney's illustrations are accessible and easy to follow. The full text of the poem as well as a brief bio appear at the end of the book, along with prompts for readers to think about how hope might manifest in their own lives. VERDICT An endearing addition to collections where poetry books are popular, or a suitable choice for National Poetry Month.—Kaitlin Malixi

School Library Journal

2024-02-17
Hope is what we all desire.

In the first stanza of this poem, Dickinson calls hope “the thing with feathers”; she extends the metaphor by referring to hope perching and describes it singing “the tune without the words.” The second stanza leaves no doubt of the poet’s intent; here, she refers to hope as “the little bird.” Children who read or listen to the poem will understand that referent; whether they’ll comprehend the overall poem isn’t clear. Depicting birds and birdhouses, the illustrations won’t leave young readers’ interpretations to chance. Many young people appreciate Dickinson’s poetry, though some readers may find her work abstruse or ethereal. What are we to make of this book? The airy illustrations, created with various printmaking techniques, with added colored pencils later combined digitally, are charming; children viewing them would enjoy frolicking with these kids and birds. The art’s as delicate as Dickinson’s verse, although words such as abash and extremity and phrases such as “sweetest in the gale is heard” and “sore must be the storm” may not be as lucid or meaningful to children as they are to adults. The poem is reprinted in full at book’s end. Characters have skin the white of the page.

Visually appealing but, without adult intervention, likely to leave little ones perplexed. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews