Poetry For Young People: Robert Frost
Sterling Books
age 8-12
edited by Gary D. Schmidt, illustrated by Henri Sorensen
48 pages
Synopsis from Sterling Books
Whether he’s capturing a cold New England winter or the simple beauty of an old abandoned house, four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Frost creates magic. This stunning celebration of his best-loved work includes over 25 poems, including “Mending Wall,” “Birches” and, of course, “The Road Not Taken.” Henri Sorensen’s gorgeous images perfectly complement each verse.
Sometimes as adults we feel poetry is not for kids, that it is something they’ll be exposed too through English class in high school or that rhyming books are all young kids can handle. Poetry is a great way to illustrate language to describe a feeling or something we see.
The Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost shares some of the writer’s poems describing the beauty and changing nature around him. Just like you would explain to your kids how they can see the seasonal changes – bare branches versus leaves on the trees, singing birds versus quiet still air – The Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost illustrates these seasonal changes through poetry. The book is divided into seasons sharing some of Frost’s nature observational poems.
I like that the editor included a small line or two before each poem to set the tone and describe what Frost was doing or the circumstances for the poem. I think this helps kids (and adults) understand the translation from Frost’s vision to his words. To ensure my kids understood what was being said we would often talk about our interpretation of the poem. Sometimes this would lead to discussing their experiences with nature or the season. The illustrations don’t appeal to me but that’s a personal preference. They seem to suit the poems referenced giving a visual for kids to focus on. There are other poets covered within The Poetry for Young People series depending on the poetry that interests you.
You can find a copy of Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost at your local bookstore or at Sterling Books Books. Visit our Kid’s Books section for other great book recommendations.
Surely, the kids will enjoy reading this book.