Sharing the Seasons: A Book of Poems - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1416902104 ISBN 13: 9781416902102

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010

Synopsis

Combining a diverse selection of classic quotations and forty-eight poems, twelve for each of the four seasons, with the energetic and colorful paintings of a Caldecott Medal winning illustratror, this is the definitive collection of poems about the seasons for children and adults. Spring births a polliwog that becomes a "full frog"; in summer, wildflowers choreograph an extravaganza; autumn's apples are found in generations of people's pockets; and winter's snowfall makes inanimate objects more beautiful than we could ever imagine. In addition to master poets Carl Sandburg, Richard Brautigan, Joseph Bruhac, and Karla Kuskin, twnety-nine of the poems have been especially commissioned by a host of contemporary poets such as Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Joan Bransfield Graham, J. Patrick Lewis, and Marilyn Singer.

The exciting, bold palette of Caldecott Medallist David Diaz brings the seasons to life and asks us to look at the seasons all over again, for the first time.

About this title

About the Author

LEE BENNETT HOPKINS is a distinguished poet, writer, and anthologist whose poetry collections include the highly acclaimed Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry, illustrated by Peter Fiore, and My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States, and America at War, both illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. Mr. Hopkins’s numerous awards include the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for “lasting contributions to children’s literature” and both the Christopher Award and a Golden Kite Honor for his verse novel Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life. He lives in Cape Coral, Florida.

DAVID DIAZ has been an illustrator and graphic designer for more than twenty-five years. His children’s book illustrations have earned him many honors and awards, including the Caldecott Medal for Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. He also illustrated the Newbery Medal winner, The Wanderer by Sharon Creech, The Gospel Cinderella by Joyce Carol Oates, Angel Face by Sarah Weeks, and Little Scarecrow’s Boy by Margaret Wise Brown, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. His bold, stylized work has appeared in editorials for national publications such as The New York Times, Washington Post, Business Week, and The Atlantic Monthly. He lives in Carlsbad, California, and more of his work can be seen at diazicon.com.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* There are plenty of children’s poetry collections that celebrate the seasons; John Updike’s A Child’s Calendar (1965) is just one classic example. What makes this one special is the beautiful combination of accessible verse and Diaz’s radiant artwork. The 48 poems, 12 for each season, include familiar contributions from Carl Sandburg and Karla Kuskin as well as specially commissioned works by well-known contemporary poets for children, including Marilyn Singer, J. Patrick Lewis, and Rebecca Kai Dotlich. Many of the entries personify nature, as in April Halprin Wayland’s whimsical selection that imagines spring flowers showing up for a first day of class: “Let’s go around the room. / Call out your colors.” Others focus on human activities throughout the year and the small, sensory moments that make each season special, from the smell of cold spring air to the cozy crackle of a December fire. In his signature combination of stylized figures and vibrant patterns, Diaz’s remarkable, glowing scenes add depth and meaning to each poem without overwhelming the words. In an image accompanying the anonymous poem “August Heat,” for example, a man rendered in a blurred, fiery silhouette appears to almost melt into the atmosphere. Well suited for use across the curriculum, this handsome title will remind a wide audience of each season’s wonders. Grades 2-5. --Gillian Engberg

About this edition

• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1416902104
• ISBN 13: 9781416902102
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Diaz David