Literary Books

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams

Jen Bryant

Amazon Price: $11.56 List Price: $17.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $11.56

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Educational -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Richie's Picks: A RIVER OF WORDS 5 out of 5 stars.
17 of 17 people found this review helpful.

William Carlos Williams is one of those dead American poets about whom I have always had vague-yet-positive sentiments. I believe that some short-time high school girlfriend admired him a lot. I think that I've also seen him listed as an influence on the back of some musician's record sleeve, or perhaps he is mentioned in a young adult novel. And I am confident that I have briefly encountered his work both in a class (undoubtedly, amidst some anthology of poems) and amongst the reading comprehension questions on some long-forgotten standardized test.

And so, as the result of some influence or other stored in the recesses of my brain, I react positively to the name William Carlos Williams and was thus pleased to discover last night that the UPS guy had delivered a copy of A RIVER OF WORDS, a picturebook biography of the poet.

I was even more pleased by the true story I found within the book.

"But when the other boys went inside,
Willie stayed outside..."

William Carlos Williams was not one to text message, play video games, or hang out in the mall. (Not that those diversions existed during his lifetime, but you know what I mean.) Instead, he was one of those kids who wandered in the woods, using his senses to absorb details of the world, and then pouring out his visions into poems.

Of course, writing poetry is oftentimes just slightly more lucrative than is writing Richie's Picks, so Williams's mom persuaded him to become a family doctor. And the wonderful thing is that he became friends with some brilliant and artsy students at the university, which helped him to not lose sight of his first love -- poetry -- when he grew up and subsequently went around doctoring:

"On his prescription pads, he scribbled a few lines
whenever and wherever he could.
In those precious times,
the rhythm of the river he had rested beside
as a child seemed to guide him. Like the water
that sometimes ran slow, smooth, and steady,
and other times came rushing in a hurried flood,
Willie's lines flowed across the page."

I love how the book's illustrations are filled with words, as if Willie could see lines of poetry splashing in the river or scrolling down the side of a patient's house. Written in verse, the text throughout is brief in word count yet full of the essence of the poet's life. A two-page timeline follows the story, while bits and pieces of his poems decorate the endpages

In the same way that I was influenced as a child by THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS JEFFERSON -- the book that taught me how one can seem to always be doing ten different things at the same time -- A RIVER OF WORDS will be an empowering revelation to creative young adolescents who are beginning to toy with ideas of what they might do in their lives when they grow up.

Editorial Review:

In this picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, Bryant's engaging prose and Sweet's stunning mixed-media illustrations celebrate the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet. Full color.

My Letter to the World and Other Poems (Visions in Poetry) (Visions in Poetry)

Emily Dickinson

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 By: Kids Can Press, Ltd. Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $9.93

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Poetry -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Because you will not stop for this book, it will kindly stop for you. 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The great children's collections of Emily Dickinson's poems... I'm sure they exist. They'd have to. We're talking about one of the greatest (THE greatest?) American poets to put pen to paper. It would be patently ridiculous if there weren't a couple collections for kids out there. A quick search of my library's catalog and I see things like Poems for Youth which collected seventy-eight of her poems alongside illustrations, published in 1996. Or there was A Brighter Garden with illustrations by Tasha Tudor, which came out in 1990 with Philomel. Still, when all is said and done the Dickinson poetry section of my children's room looks a bit spare. And maybe it takes something a little shorter like My Letter to the World and Other Poems, produced by Kids Can Press's Visions in Poetry series to capture children's attention. A slim volume of a mere seven poems, this introduction to Emily Dickinson will lure in new fans with the woman's innate sense of mystery. Accompanied by illustrator Isabelle Arsenault's signature style, this book that will offer children an Emily finally worth getting to know.

The seven poems in this book include Dickinson's best-known work. "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" snuggles up alongside "Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me-" And from the first gessoed page that sports the titular opening poem to the well-known " `Hope' is a thing with feathers" found at the end, the book invokes Dickinson's life. Arsenault's mixed media works in watercolors, paints, inks, newsprint, photographs, you name it. But rather than give the book a crazed slapdash appearance, the images are cool and collected. They work seamlessly with the poetry, offering sparing jolts of color whenever you least expect it. This is not your standard Dickinson fare, a fact which gives you all the more reason to purchase it for a kid you know pronto.

Recently I saw the actor Simon Callow perform Shakespeare's sonnets in a newly established order that told a kind of story. If a person had half a mind to, they could certainly do the same kind of performance with Dickinson's poetry as well. In fact, as I was reading My Letter to the World I tried to ascertain if the editors and illustrator were consciously attempting that kind of storyline. The transition between "I cannot live with you" to " `Hope' is a thing with feathers," suggests at a kind of continuity, but that may just lie within the brain of the reader. I guess that one of the things I appreciated about this book was that if you were looking for some kind of a tale (and I'd say a large percentage of your child readers will be) then you could probably find one here. If, however, you found such a notion unpleasant then you could simply say that these poems were placed together due to a pleasing continuity and not some grossly forced narrative. However you chose to look at it, I'm just grateful that they ended with the "hope" poem. Maybe you think that was a given, but considering the subject matter of the previous poems, it makes sense to end on a mildly lighter note.

Americans love outsider art. I think it appeals to our sense of art as something spontaneous and wild, growing up in unconventional areas. To call Dickinson "outsider" because she wrote primarily (though not exclusively) for herself may sound like a bit of a stretch but it's not wholly inaccurate. In fact, the real problem may come in considering her not outsider enough. There is a danger inherent in any Dickinson collection for kids; the possibility that the editors will present her as twee. This is not a cutesy writer. Sure, she wrote little poems that begin with sentences like, "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" with their misleadingly sweet overtones. A little delving, though, and you begin to see how dark even Dickinson's lightest work was. That's where Isabelle Arsenault comes in.

Now this Visions in Poetry series produced by Kids Can Press has been pairing hip, alternative, and generally magnificent artists alongside classic poems for a couple years now. It's hard to forget Joe Morse's inner city Casey at the Bat or the stunning take on Owl and the Pussycat, The attempted by Stephane Jorisch. That the producers of this series selected Ms. Arsenault, an artist of the adult persuasion, is notable. Arsenault's style is by turns bleak and thoughtful, stunning and contemplative. Her previous children's book, Mr. Gauguin's Heart was released in the United States just last year as her children's debut. So what I found I admired most about her work on this book was her rejection of the sentimental. I am not saying that her style precludes emotion, but rather that she clearly "gets" Dickinson. Somehow this artist and this author belong together. See if you don't agree.

At the end of each Visions in Poetry title there is a lengthy biography of both the poet and the illustrator. Sometimes when it comes to the latter you can find yourself wondering just how much of the information there was provided by the artist and how much was extrapolated by the editors. For example, in the case of Ms. Arsenault there is a great deal of attention paid to her visual symbolism and references. I did not know that Dickinson was prone to wearing a lot of white, but Arsenault makes certain to include all pictures of Emily in this book in dresses of that color. But then there are sentences like, "The twin-towered cathedral and ominous shadow in `There's a certain Slant of light,' eerily suggestive of the events of 9/11," that give me pause. I guess I can read that interpretation into the work if I want to, but was that the artist's real intent? The editor certainly thinks so but on this and other notes I should like a little additional confirmation, please.

When Poetry Month rolls around my library will be swamped with kids holding up their school assignments. Some of them will be assigned Emily Dickinson, or maybe just one of her poems. How satisfying it will be to hand then My Letter to the World. Oh sure, they'll probably wrinkle their noses at the odd professionalism of the packaging. A smyth sewn caseboard? Puh-leeze. But after some trial and error they will see how engrossing, or at the very least stimulating, this Arsenault/Dickinson combo can be. I can't claim that My Letter to the World will convert your reluctant readers into poetry-popping addicts, but at the very least it won't turn them off the woman. And who knows? Maybe they'll even find themselves reading and rereading a line here and there, just to taste the flavor of it. A great new addition to the Visions in Poetry series and an artist worth keeping an eye on.

Editorial Review:

Visions in Poetry is an innovative and award-winning series of classic poems reinterpreted for today's readers by outstanding contemporary artists in distinctively beautiful editions. This is My Letter to the World and Other Poems by Emily Dickinson is brilliantly illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. The artist's interpretation displays a rich understanding of Dickinson's poetry, which is known for its economy, unexpected imagery and hauntingly personal point of view.Arsenault has created a subtle meditation on Dickinson's life and its intersection with her verse. In the dream-like illustrations, the poet - sometimes serene, often sad and always enigmatic - is an omnipresent figure in her ghostly white dress. Dickinson's 'letters,' the words she left to the world, have found their ideal visual complement.

My Life in Dog Years

Gary Paulsen

Amazon Price: $6.50 List Price: $6.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Yearling Amazon Marketplace: 78 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Dogs -> Nonfiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 60 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Dog Stories 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A good book for people of all ages who love dogs. Although, like many of Gary Paulsen's books it is geared toward teens, this is a quick read for anyone. Laughs and tears throughout!

Great 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Book arrived promptly and in the condition as advtised, actually it was better than I expected.

Great read 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Owning Sibs and other breeds over the years I laughed till I had tears reading about Caesar. What a great read. Not that I recommend it for the bathroom reading but that is the only place my hubby will read. I walked past the door one day and he was laughing hysterically. I just knocked on the dog and asked "Caesar?" He replied "Lived that one before!"
After having lived with so many characters over the years it is easy to see that they really are true stories. If you have a dog lover in your life this should be in their stocking.
-S
Redwood Siberians

Editorial Review:

Gary Paulsen has owned dozens of unforgettable and amazing dogs. In each chapter he tells the story of one special dog, among them Snowball, the puppy he owned as a boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting companion; Dirk, the grim protector; and Josh, one of the remarkable border collies working on Paulsen's ranch today. Pen-and-ink illustrations by Ruth Wright Paulsen.

Boy: Tales of Childhood

Roald Dahl

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Puffin Amazon Marketplace: 69 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( D ) -> Dahl, Roald

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 141 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Funny book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This hilarious book from Roald Dahl that tells about the funny things that he had done throughout his life. People who enjoy other books Dahl wrote will laugh on this one. For instance, Roald and his friends put a dead rat into a jar of Gobstoppers. IF you read the book, you should read more of Roald Dahl's adventures. I will recommend this book to people who like nonfiction and funny stories because it has both great and funny story.

Fun, easy read... 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

My 15 year old brother-in-law enjoyed reading this book with me. I enjoyed it myself!!

I've lost track of how often I've read this book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I adore reading and devour about 3-4 books a month, and I can safely say this is my favorite book of all time. I first read Boy when I was around 8. Now, nearly twenty years later, I still have that same copy. The cover is hanging on by a thread and the binding is in sad shape, but it sums up how I feel about the book: I have read it to death. No one tells a story or turns a phrase quite like Dahl. His descriptions of homemade Norwegian ice cream alone make the book worth reading! While not recommended for very young children due to some disturbing images (corporal punishment at school, a scary trip to the dentist), anyone who loves vivid, memorable, hilarious memoirs should read this book...over and over again!

Editorial Review:

In Boy, Roald Dahl recounts his days as a child growing up in England. From his years as a prankster at boarding school to his envious position as a chocolate tester for Cadbury's, Roald Dahl's boyhood was as full of excitement and the unexpected as are his world-famous, best-selling books. Packed with anecdotes— some funny, some painful, all interesting— this is a book that's sure to please.

Beatrix Potter: A Journal (Potter)

Beatrix Potter

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. By: Warne Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $3.96

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An enchanting must-have keepsake for Beatrix Potter fans! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

'Beatrix Potter: A Journal" is a beautifully bound keepsake that Beatirx Potter fans will cherish for years to come. It is presented in the form of a journal or rather an album, and basically contains journal entries dating back to when Beatrix was 16 years old and had begun discovering wonderful things that helped her evolve into the creative writer and creator of Peter Rabbit and friends.

The journal is beautifully put together - there are old family pictures, reproductions of Beatrix's original sketches and drawings, personal documents [e.g. Beatrix's old report card] - what a delight to peruse these treasures. The journal entries themselves make for absorbing reading - though they are in cursive form and younger reders may need help with deciphering what is written. There are reproductions of letters to family and friends,delightful illustrations throughout the journal. Of interest is information as to how certain characters in The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Friends was inspired by real-life people, such as the character of Farmer McGregor.

There are many lift-the-flap features in this journal that makes it even more of a treat - there's an envelope containing a reproduction of the letter which contains the story of Peter Rabbit complete with illustrations, a map of the beautiful Lake District, a paper version of the game of Peter Rabbit, and the prize jewel in this journal - right at the end of the journal, embedded into it, is a little book "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"! One would not know it, for it is concealed so well - and indeed a delight to peruse.

I can't recommend this highly enough. I am a life-long fan of Beatrix Potter and my three-year old daughter is following in my footsteps. It is such a treat to be able to share this book with her!

Editorial Review:

This lavish, illustrated journal describes Beatrix Potter’s life as a young woman in Victorian England as she struggles to achieve independence and to find artistic success and romantic love. Using witty, observant commentary taken from Beatrix’s own diaries, the journal features a wealth of watercolor paintings, sketches, photographs, letters and period memorabilia to recreate the world in which she lived.

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography (Little House)

William Anderson

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Collins Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $3.31

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> History & Historical Fiction -> United States -> 1900s

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography (Little House) 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This paperback was great reading. It answered a lot of questions that I had and also filled in a lot of gaps. It made me wish that I was around when Laura was alive so that I could have written her a 'fan' letter. Remarkable woman as was her whole family. I now watch the DVD series with new eyes and more interest (if that was possible).

Laura Ingalls Wilder 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book was purchased for my 10 year old daughter's book report. It was perfect for her age provided lots of good details for her report.

Good Biography 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book was very well written. It fills in some of the gaps the stories leave out. This author has an easy to read style of writing. For anyone reading about Laura, this is a great read.

Editorial Review:

From her pioneer days on the prairie to her golden years with her husband, Almanzo, and their daughter, Rose, Laura Ingalls Wilder has become a friend to all who have read about her adventures. This behind-the-scenes account chronicles the real events in Laura's life that inspired her to write her stories and also describes her life after the last Little House book ends.

How to Write Your Life Story

Ralph Fletcher

Amazon Price: $5.99 List Price: $5.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Collins Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $2.10

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( F ) -> Fletcher, Ralph

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fletcher pulls another gem from his ditch! 5 out of 5 stars.
19 of 19 people found this review helpful.

Excellent resource written for young students. I teach fifth graders and read to them regularly from Fletcher's other books... A Writer's Notebook in particular. How To Write Your Life Story brings the task of memoir to their fingertips -- makes it feel doable, important, and exciting. Fletcher cites two of my favorite authors of other resources: Katherine Bomer and Barry Lane, whom my students know well by the time we finish our inquiry into memoir. Many examples of writing from Fletcher, and other 4 - 7 grade students enrich this book and bring it home. Great for read aloud, introducing mini-lessons, or even as a class reading book if you can swing a whole set. Any teacher who investigates memoir or autobiography with young students should have this book in the classroom.

Editorial Review:

Lies About Writing Your Life Story

• You have to be a famous celebrity.
• You must have an amazing life.
• You can't write your life story until you're old and gray.
• Nobody will read it, so what's the point?

Woodsong

Gary Paulsen

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Aladdin Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $2.63

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Dogs -> Nonfiction
Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Action & Adventure
Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Biographies -> Literary

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 90 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

One of Paulsens best! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Woodsong
By
Gary Paulsen

Woodsong is a story about the author's adventure in Alaska. He writes
about running dogs and racing in the Iditarod.
This story begins in Anchorage, Alaska in the 1980s. Paulsen runs the
dogs which means hitching a dog team to a sled and taking them for a
run.
One time while running the dogs, they saw a glowing light in the
woods. It seemed to be person walking in the dark with a lantern.
Paulsen also thought it was a ghost. It turned out to be a dead tree
with a glowing mushroom on it. He walked up to it and hit his head on
the dead tree. He felt the glowing light and realized it was a glowing
mushroom.
On another adventure, he was running his dogs in a snow storm. Paulsen
was headed for the edge of a cliff. He told the dog team to go straight
and straight would take them off the edge of the cliff. Paulsen did not
know because he was in a snow storm and he could not see. The dogs
knew they were about to go off the cliff. They tried to turn away but
Paulsen told them to go off the edge. They flew right off the edge of
the cliff. The sled and some of the dogs fell on him. He had a broken
rib. He got the dogs and the sled off of him and got the sled in to
shape. He got on the sled and the dogs knew the way and pulled him home.
The last part of the book is about the Iditarod race. The Iditarod
is an annual dog sled race in Alaska, where mushers and teams of dogs
cover about 1,150 miles in eight to fifteen days. Paulsen had a long
and hard race but he finished in about thirteen days.
I would recommend this book to someone who is a adventure seeker.
I liked it because it was a true story.

Editorial Review:

A LIFE AS EXCITING AS FICTION

Gary Paulsen, three-time Newbery Honor author, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod -- the grueling, 1,180-mile dogsled race -- hallucinating from lack of sleep, but he determined to finish.

Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his award-winning writing.

A School Library Journal Best Book

A Booklist Editors' Choice

West from Home: Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, San Francisco, 1915

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Amazon Price: $5.99 List Price: $5.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperTrophy Amazon Marketplace: 126 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( W ) -> Wilder, Laura Ingalls

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

West from Home 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Laura Ingalls Wilders makes a trip by train to visit her daughter, Rose, in 1915 in San Francisco. It was during the 1915 World's Fair. Laura visited for two months and wrote interesting, detailed letters back home to Almanzo about what she saw and did.
Some of her descriptions were captivating in their detail. The book fills in gaps and answers questions about the years following the events of the Little House books. The reader meets Rose, the daughter, as an adult, and begins to learn about her amazing life as a successful writer.
It was during this visit that Rose begins to help Laura learn how to better write for publication, such as how to block-out a story.
The reader gets an insight into Rose's fierce loyalty and sense of responsibiity to her parents.

Editorial Review:

"It is like a fairyland." So Laura Ingalls Wilder described her 1915 voyage to San Francisco to visit her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Laura's husband, Almanzo, was unable to leave their Missouri farm and it is her faithful letters home, vividly describing every detail of her journey, that have been gathered here. Includes 24 pages of exciting photographs and completely redesigned jacket art.

Laura's Album: A Remembrance Scrapbook of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House)

William Anderson

Amazon Price: $14.95 List Price: $21.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperCollins Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $8.19

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Arts & Literature -> Authors
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good Reading 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I love Laura Ingalls Wilder and her works. This book tells more about the real person and the real family. Very interesting. I feel like I know her,though reading this book.

Editorial Review:

Though best known as the author of the Little House books, Laura Ingalls Wilder led a full, rich life that spanned almost a century of American history. All through her life Laura saved mementos of her past, including early writings, letters, drawings, and photographs, which have been lovingly preserved in private and public collections across the country.

Now, for the first time ever, these photographs, writings, and memorabilia have been gathered together in one incredible volume by noted Little House historian William Anderson. Each gorgeous page of LAURA'S ALBUM is a doorway into the private world of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and offers a unique glimpse of what her life was like. Here is the fascinating true story of this remarkable pioneer woman's life as well as an unforgettable tale of our own American past.