Christmas Presents: Holiday Poetry (I Can Read Book 2) - Hardcover

Hopkins, Lee Bennett

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 006008054X ISBN 13: 9780060080549

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2004

Synopsis

Deck the halls, hang the stockings, and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with this festive book of poetry for beginning readers!

From the excitement of looking for hidden Christmas presents to the solemnity of Midnight Mass, the differing moods and meanings of Christmas are brought to life in these joyful poems, perfectly complemented by the vibrant, rich artwork of illustrator Melanie Hall.

About this title

About the Author:

Lee Bennett Hopkins's poetry anthologies include Marvelous Math, which won a Parents' Choice Gold Award and was a Reading Rainbow selection, and Spectacular Science. The recipient of a Christopher Award and the University of Southern Mississippi's Medallion for "lasting contributions to children's literature," Mr. Hopkins lives in Westchester County, New York, and Cape Coral, Florida.

From Booklist:

K-Gr. 3. Both secular and spiritual experiences of Christmas are represented in this An I Can Read Book poetry anthology. Each of the 12 poems speaks succinctly to a familiar emotion associated with the holiday. Mary Fleming's "Waiting" is about anticipation ("I go on waiting . . and waiting . . . Waiting's the worst / Because Christmas is coming / and I'm ready to BURST"). Hopkins' own "Wonder" deals with reverence ("Wonder. Awe. Joy. / Birth of Him / Baby Boy"). Teachers will find many of the entries useful for demonstrating specific poetic devices. Impressionistic pastels by Hall, who also illustrated Hopkins' Weather: Poems for all Seasons (1994), reflect the generally subdued mood with gentle pinks, blues, and purples rather than traditional holiday reds and greens. Interestingly, although a few of the selections discuss giving gifts, getting them doesn't figure into the equation here; the titular "Christmas Presents" are the poems themselves--along with the ineffable spirit of the season that they capture. Jennifer Mattson
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About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 006008054X
• ISBN 13: 9780060080549
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Hall Melanie