CCBC-Net Archives
New Poetry Books
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 04:52:00 -0500
What a marvelous assortment of poetry, collections, and commendations contributed to the CCBC-Net community during the past week or so. Thank you to everyone who stepped forward to share such fine poems and books!
Poetry seems to be having a renaissance in the U.S.A. When did this begin? Speculation continues. Things to which one can point include Bill Moyers's fine TV series "The Language of Life," also available as a book by the same title. It includes a chapter about Naomi Shihab Nye. MTV's mid?s production "Poetry USA" is also a book. These productions mirrored some of the growing interest in and visibility of Poetry. The publicity engendered by National Poetry Month has stimulated much visibility and activity for all ages. Now "National Youth Poetry Week" is observed; it's this week, which is also National Library Week. We could go on: Poetry slams, Poets in Schools, articles and bibliographies in national and regional journals, etc.
I've noticed a few more new poetry books for children and young adults this spring than I think we usually see - or is it that I've become more observant? Both, probably. Some of the new books are brand new, attractive editions of old favorites, and they happen to be by winners of the NCTE Poetry Award: 1) "Children of Long Ago: Poems by Lessie Jones Little" with an introduction by her daughter Eloise Greenfield and illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist (Lee & Low Books, 2000); and 2) "Knock at a Star" by X. J. Kennedy (Little, Brown, 2000: hardcover & pbk).
I've already referred to "The Basket Counts" (Simon & Schuster, 2000) by NCTE Award poet Arnold Adoff. Adoff's other new poetry book just published this spring was mentioned earlier this month. It's "Touch the Poem" with pictures by Lisa Desimini (Blue Sky Press / Scholastic, 2000). Adoff writes within the title poem that each poem is "a gentle touch," but the emotional and visual impact of this stunning volume is more than gentle. You've never seen a book like this before.
"Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices" by Paul Fleischman with illustrations by Beppe Giacobbe (Candlewick, 2000) offers an inviting challenge for everyone who enjoys "A Joyful Noise" and "I Am Phoenix" both of which are poems for two voices - and for everyone who might be new to Paul Fleischman as a poet. It's highly visual and has the appearance of a picture book.
For her new bilingual (English/Spanish) paperback volume "My Own True Name: New and Selected Poems for Young Adults" (Pinata Books / Arte Publico Press, 2000) poet Pat Mora tapped her earlier published body of work to select poems with young adult readers in mind - and there are new poems published here for the first time, as well..
Janet Wong's "Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams" is illustrated by Julie Paschkis (McElderry Books / Simon & Schuster, 2000), If Wong's name and poems are not already familiar to many, this volume for young children might remedy that!
Liz Rosenberg has established herself in my mind as one of the exciting anthologists being published today. Her new volume
"Light-Gathering Poems" (Henry Holt, 2000) is a companion to
"Earth-Shattering Poems" but as she writes in her introduction, this collection took on a life of its own. The poems span centuries and generations, bringing the works of Emily Dickinson and Mary Oliver, Rumi and Gary Soto, William Safford and Jane Kenyon - and many others
- to the attention of today's adolescents.
Further thoughts about the NCTE Award winners and their poetry? about observing National Poetry Month? about one of your favorite poems to share with someone young - or otherwise? about an anthology you particularly admire?
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center
(http//:www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) A Library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin Madison
Received on Fri 14 Apr 2000 04:52:00 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 04:52:00 -0500
What a marvelous assortment of poetry, collections, and commendations contributed to the CCBC-Net community during the past week or so. Thank you to everyone who stepped forward to share such fine poems and books!
Poetry seems to be having a renaissance in the U.S.A. When did this begin? Speculation continues. Things to which one can point include Bill Moyers's fine TV series "The Language of Life," also available as a book by the same title. It includes a chapter about Naomi Shihab Nye. MTV's mid?s production "Poetry USA" is also a book. These productions mirrored some of the growing interest in and visibility of Poetry. The publicity engendered by National Poetry Month has stimulated much visibility and activity for all ages. Now "National Youth Poetry Week" is observed; it's this week, which is also National Library Week. We could go on: Poetry slams, Poets in Schools, articles and bibliographies in national and regional journals, etc.
I've noticed a few more new poetry books for children and young adults this spring than I think we usually see - or is it that I've become more observant? Both, probably. Some of the new books are brand new, attractive editions of old favorites, and they happen to be by winners of the NCTE Poetry Award: 1) "Children of Long Ago: Poems by Lessie Jones Little" with an introduction by her daughter Eloise Greenfield and illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist (Lee & Low Books, 2000); and 2) "Knock at a Star" by X. J. Kennedy (Little, Brown, 2000: hardcover & pbk).
I've already referred to "The Basket Counts" (Simon & Schuster, 2000) by NCTE Award poet Arnold Adoff. Adoff's other new poetry book just published this spring was mentioned earlier this month. It's "Touch the Poem" with pictures by Lisa Desimini (Blue Sky Press / Scholastic, 2000). Adoff writes within the title poem that each poem is "a gentle touch," but the emotional and visual impact of this stunning volume is more than gentle. You've never seen a book like this before.
"Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices" by Paul Fleischman with illustrations by Beppe Giacobbe (Candlewick, 2000) offers an inviting challenge for everyone who enjoys "A Joyful Noise" and "I Am Phoenix" both of which are poems for two voices - and for everyone who might be new to Paul Fleischman as a poet. It's highly visual and has the appearance of a picture book.
For her new bilingual (English/Spanish) paperback volume "My Own True Name: New and Selected Poems for Young Adults" (Pinata Books / Arte Publico Press, 2000) poet Pat Mora tapped her earlier published body of work to select poems with young adult readers in mind - and there are new poems published here for the first time, as well..
Janet Wong's "Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams" is illustrated by Julie Paschkis (McElderry Books / Simon & Schuster, 2000), If Wong's name and poems are not already familiar to many, this volume for young children might remedy that!
Liz Rosenberg has established herself in my mind as one of the exciting anthologists being published today. Her new volume
"Light-Gathering Poems" (Henry Holt, 2000) is a companion to
"Earth-Shattering Poems" but as she writes in her introduction, this collection took on a life of its own. The poems span centuries and generations, bringing the works of Emily Dickinson and Mary Oliver, Rumi and Gary Soto, William Safford and Jane Kenyon - and many others
- to the attention of today's adolescents.
Further thoughts about the NCTE Award winners and their poetry? about observing National Poetry Month? about one of your favorite poems to share with someone young - or otherwise? about an anthology you particularly admire?
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center
(http//:www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) A Library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin Madison
Received on Fri 14 Apr 2000 04:52:00 AM CDT
