One Hundred Years of Poetry for Children - Softcover

Harrison, Michael; Stuart-Clark, Christopher

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192763504 ISBN 13: 9780192763501

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2007

Synopsis

This is a reflective and beautifully put-together anthology of poems to stimulate the emotions, whether evoking the comforting silence of true friendship, the thrill of sea tempests in the night, the power of hunger, or the joy of the first stirrings of love. Divided into seven themed sections (mystery, animals, childhood, people, scene, war, and love), it includes many classics by authors such as Walter de la Mare, G.K. Chesterton, Dylan Thomas, Ogden Nash, Michael Rosen, Eleanor Farjeon, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, E.E. Cummings, Roger McGough, and Philip Larkin.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Harrison and Christopher Stuart-Clark are the editiors of several anthologies of poetry, including The Oxford Treasury of Time Poems, The Oxford Book of Story Poems, and The Oxford Treasury of World Stories.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-An outstanding collection. Instead of presenting more of the same literal, singsong poems for children, the editors mine the works of the last century to provide readers with a thematically arranged book of verse that they will be able to read and understand now, but will also think about for many years to come. Although most of the poems in this sophisticated collection will be accessible to youngsters, many of them weren't actually written for children, such as T. S. Eliot's "Preludes," Sylvia Plath's "Dialogue between Ghost and Priest," and Philip Larkin's "An Arundel Tomb." The compilers do not shy away from death or unhappiness. For example, under the section entitled "Childhood," they offer the usual poems describing idealized memories but also include Berlie Doherty's "Playgrounds," a lament about being alone, and Barrie Wade's "Truth," about how words can be the most painful thing of all. The careful selection of writers both well and lesser known allows more traditional poems, such as Alfred Noyes's "The Highwayman," to rest under the heading of "Love" alongside Adrian Henri's terrific fractured fairy tale, "Any prince to any princess." There is a British slant to the selections, so some children may need help sorting out unfamiliar words. Those who put in the effort will find it satisfying to uncover the richness and music of these verses. This book could be used as a classroom text sure to spark discussion, but could also be read with gratifying results by young people discovering poetry on their own.
Carrie Schadle, Beginning with Children School, New York City
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0192763504
• ISBN 13: 9780192763501
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192