Pre-spring's first rumble of thunder today calls me to make good on my promise to share great books in my blog this year.
A perfect first "share" is SHARING THE SEASONS, a glorious hot-off-the-press collection by renowned poet/anthologist Lee Bennet Hopkins, illustrated by Caldecott madalist David Diaz (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010).
Each season is introduced with a literary quote and a new, original poem by Hopkins, and presented with a dozen poems by classic and contemporary voices alike, including Carl Sandburg, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, J. Patrick Lewis, April Halprin Wayland, Joseph Bruchac, Marilyn Singer, and Prince Redcloud, just to name a few.
Diaz's mixed-media illustrations pulsate on the pages. In his batik-like fashion, the artist has saturated the images in color without overwhelming the text. The viewer can't help but find hidden delights on every spread. (And I dare you not to feel a catch in your stomach when taking in the ferris wheel and fireworks accompanying Hopkins's opening "Summer" poem....)
Today I'm enjoying this delicious poetry and art while the weather outside brings "one wild raid of rain" (Rebecca Kai Dotlich, "Summer Storm's Plea"). This is a book to savor in any season, and, definitely, to share!
A perfect first "share" is SHARING THE SEASONS, a glorious hot-off-the-press collection by renowned poet/anthologist Lee Bennet Hopkins, illustrated by Caldecott madalist David Diaz (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010).
Each season is introduced with a literary quote and a new, original poem by Hopkins, and presented with a dozen poems by classic and contemporary voices alike, including Carl Sandburg, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, J. Patrick Lewis, April Halprin Wayland, Joseph Bruchac, Marilyn Singer, and Prince Redcloud, just to name a few.
Diaz's mixed-media illustrations pulsate on the pages. In his batik-like fashion, the artist has saturated the images in color without overwhelming the text. The viewer can't help but find hidden delights on every spread. (And I dare you not to feel a catch in your stomach when taking in the ferris wheel and fireworks accompanying Hopkins's opening "Summer" poem....)
Today I'm enjoying this delicious poetry and art while the weather outside brings "one wild raid of rain" (Rebecca Kai Dotlich, "Summer Storm's Plea"). This is a book to savor in any season, and, definitely, to share!