Poetry for Young People: American Poetry

by John Hollander (Editor), Sally Wern Comport (Illustrator)

Overview

“I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear...” —Walt Whitman

American Poetry offers a collection of 26 verses by our finest poets, all with their unique perspective on the land they loved and accompanied by remarkable paintings that enhance the meaning of the words. Here, beautifully illustrated, are such unforgettable works as Robert Frost's pensive “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Ralph Waldo Emerson's powerful “Concord Hymn,” Langston Hughes’ majestic “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” Carl Sandburg’s “Jazz Fantasia,” and Maya Angelou’s “Harlem Hopscotch.” Of course, some poems are just sheer fun—especially the beloved ode to our national pastime, “Casey at the Bat.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402705175
Publisher:	Sterling
Publication date:	03/28/2004
Series:	Poetry for Young People Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	8.86(w) x 10.34(h) x 0.45(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Table of Contents

	Introduction	4
	I Hear America Singing	8
	American Names	10
	Indian Names	12
	A Navajo Blanket	14
	Concord Hymn	15
	Old Ironsides	16
	Defence of Fort McHenry	18
	The New Colossus	20
	Anecdote of the Jar	22
	Portrait VIII	23
	O Captain! My Captain!	24
	The Negro Speaks of Rivers	27
	To an American Painter Departing for Europe	28
	Casey at the Bat	30
	The House on the Hill	34
	Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening	35
	The Great Figure	36
	Amherst Train	38
	The Engine	39
	Virginia	40
	On the Mississippi	41
	Harlem Hopscotch	42
	Jazz Fantasia	43
	America for Me	44
	America	45
	The Rockets That Reached Saturn	46
	Index	48

Editorial Reviews

An addition to the Poetry for Young People series, American Poetry, edited by John Hollander, illus. by Sally Wern Comport, contains such vaunted poetic standards as "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman, "Old Ironsides" by Oliver Wendell Holmes and "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes, among many others. Each poem is introduced with a brief child-friendly explanation of the piece's context or a bit about the poet, and a glossary of difficult words. Smudgy, colorful pastel illustrations convey America's diverse landscapes and people. (May) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 4 Up-Almost all of the 26 poems collected here are familiar classics, such as Walt Whitman's "I Hear America Singing" and Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." The introduction explains why each selection was chosen. Each poem is preceded by an introductory paragraph that suggests the poet's motivation for writing it. Potentially unfamiliar words are defined at the end of the entry. Most of the poets are from the 19th and early 20th centuries and are Caucasian; Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou are notable exceptions. The poems paint a varied, but predominantly rosy picture. They are not arranged by theme or chronology, but merely offer different snapshots of the American experience. Comport uses a variety of media and styles to reflect the tone of the poems. Milton Meltzer's Hour of Freedom (Boyds Mills, 2003) contains a more liberal mix of poets from diverse cultural backgrounds and poems that include a critical portrayal of American culture, but it has less visual appeal. Because of its colorful art, this book is an inviting choice for collections needing accessible American poetry.-Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal