River of Words: Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things - Hardcover

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9781571316851: River of Words: Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 157131685X ISBN 13: 9781571316851

Publisher: Milkweed Editions, 2008

The California-based River of Words (ROW) has gained fame as an important nonprofit that trains teachers, park naturalists, grassroots groups, and others to incorporate observation-based nature exploration and the arts into young people’s lives. One of the group’s most important annual projects is to take the youth pulse from the United States and 22 other countries, by asking for writing on water and nature. This anthology collects the best of that writing, with accompanying artwork. Divided into nine geographical areas (California, Pacific Northwest, Inland West, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest, Mid Atlantic, South, and International), the book presents writers from ages six to 18. In poems such as I Love My Dog,” Seasons in Our Watershed,” History of a Cornfield,” and Swamp Shack,” River of Words exhibits diverse voices, as well as some bilingual poems. A remarkable confluence of K-12 curriculum, children’s literature, environmentalism, and poetry, this thoughtful book, in the words of Pulitzer Prize winning poet Gary Snyder, gives us pleasure and hope.”

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From Booklist:

The nonprofit organization River of Words encourages children to learn about the environment by studying local watersheds. In addition to curriculum guides, the organization sponsors an international poetry and art contest. Introduced with thought-provoking words by organization founders Pamela Michael and poet Robert Hass, this inspiring volume collects poetry and art contest entries by students, from preschoolers to teens, who record experiences in the natural world. As in Naomi Shihab Nye’s collection of student work, Salting the Ocean (2000), the poems represent a wide range of sophistication and polish. Teachers and students alike will marvel at many of the direct, powerful entries that convey with deep sincerity the sense of self a child finds in the wilderness: “The river also talked. / She wanted me to know / that my name / was important,” writes a five-year-old. Like the poetry, the occasional artwork will move and inspire many readers to explore and find connection with their own patches of earth. Grades 4-12. --Gillian Engberg

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5–8—River of Words is an organization that holds an art and poetry contest each year for children and teens. Winners of the competition over the past 12 years make up this substantial volume. The theme of the contest is "Watersheds," and most of the 250-plus poems deal with water in nature. Many different forms are represented, though the vast majority are free verse. The poets range in age from 5 to 18, and although the quality and sophistication of the selections varies with the age of the authors, the poems are honest expressions of the young peoples' ideas and emotions. The book is illustrated with a few full-color reproductions of pictures that were done by children who also took part in the competition. The artwork ranges in style from picturesque to abstract and is on the whole appealing and vibrant. This is a great anthology to inspire young poets to express themselves freely.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
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