All the Power Rests with You [Paperback]

Suzanne Stutman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

All the Power Rests with You is a collection of poems written for children who might need the reassurance through the medium of poetry that they are indeed okay and special. Aided by her team of consultants from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work, and public health, Dr. Stutman has written in poetry a creative resource for children.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Dr. Suzanne Stutman in a Professor of English, American Studies, and Women's Studies at Penn State University's Abington College. She is the author of five scholarly texts and three books of poetry: Broken Feather: A Journey to Healing, White Feather: A Journey to Peace, and All the Power Rests with You. Dr. Stutman has written poetry on behalf of several organizations, including The International Health Awareness Network, The National Council of Women of the United States, The International Council of Women, Friends of the Children, The Philadelphia Children's Alliance, Women Organized Against Rape, and Heartbeat, South Africa. Her poems have been read and exhibited at the United Nations and at various locations around the world.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Medical Manor Books (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964826178
• ISBN-13: 978-0964826175
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,357,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars How positive is this!, December 23, 2006

By 

Reader Views "Reviews, by readers, for readers" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All the Power Rests with You (Paperback)

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (12/06)


First glance at the book cover made me smile and I knew that I would be in for a treat. The book cover has a child's crayon drawing of a female with arms wide open and a smile on her face. Any child or adolescent would relate to the cover. However, a person that is child at heart would find the book "All the Power Rests with You" a delight as well as a way to appreciate poetry. This book is a great way to start writing poetry.

Stutman's book begins with a section called "Adventures in Writing Poetry." Here she starts off with a poem titled "My Declaration of Rights" which starts off like this:

I have the
Right
To be happy.
I have the
Right
To be safe.
I have the
Right
To protect and
Keep
Within my control
My own body.

This poem declares all the rights a child has including not being insulted or ridiculed, having the right to dream as well as a right to cherish life. At the end of each part Stutman includes exercises that the reader can participate in. Part 1 asks questions like: What does poetry mean to you? If you've never written a poem before, what made you decide to start? Stutman also adds: I want to write a poem because: [fill in the blank.]
After the exercises the book has many blank pages to write poems in.

Other parts of "All the Power Rests with You" include: Feeling Safe; Feeling Out of Place; Positive Feelings; The Future. Each section includes poems, exercises and blank pages.

My favorite poem is "I am a candle in the light of myself":
I
am
a
candle
in
the
light
of
my
self.
I
falter,
sometimes,
and
it
looks
like
I
am
going
to
sputter
and
die.
...
I
will
add
my
luminosity
to
the
Light
of
the
world.

How positive is this! "All the Power Rests with You," which is actually a workbook in itself, is a wonderful tool for children to go within themselves and bring out feelings in a safe and ingenious way. To me, that is what writing poetry is about.

Received book free of charge

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spring Board to Creativity and Imagination, September 4, 2006

By 

Richard R. Blake (Bridgman, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: All the Power Rests with You (Paperback)

"All the Power Rests With You" is a collection of poems written for children with special needs. The medium of poetry is used as a creative resource for working with adolescents and children. The workbook exercises, journal, or diary encourage imaginative, creative expression that children can use to discover personal acceptance and self realization for themselves. Poetry provides a healing balm and becomes an instrument for exchanging despair in favor of hopefulness and anticipation.

The author has masterfully designed poetry that invites the reader to look within to see themselves. This inward look then stimulates a desire to respond to the feelings generated as the words of the poem take on personal meaning and ownership.

Each chapter provides the reader with their own blank pages for self expressions through poetry, songs, drawings, or other activities, following the model, suggestions and theme of the author. They may respond by expressing feelings of anger, loss, frustrations, or loneliness through their poetry. The exercises may be done alone or in small groups where the children can share their completed works. The exercises are designed in a way that lends itself to interaction.

The author covers an introduction to poetry, themes on feeling safe, feeling out of place, and positive feelings, and looking ahead to the future.

Stutman worked with a team of consultants with expertise in education, counseling, social services, and public health to create this important tool for use with physically abused, neglected and troubled children around the world

Although the book is written to be used by adolescents, parents, caregivers, special education teachers, and children's counselors will all find Suzanne Stutman's new book noteworthy. "All the Power Rests With You" is an excellent resource for immediate implementation or future reference.

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcoming way for children to feel safe and explore the world of poetry., February 4, 2006

By 

Gary H. Cassel "Flamingnet Teen Book Reviews" (Baltimore, MD, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All the Power Rests with You (Paperback)

Suzanne Stutman has developed a book of poetry for abused and traumatized children all over the world. The title clearly states the goal of the book: to give children the power to mend the ragged edges of hurt and create a healing garment of hope. The sections, Adventures in Writing Poetry, Feeling Safe, Feeling out of Place, Positive Feelings, and The Future, offers readers space for their own poetry in the wide margins and blank pages. To be given the opportunity to create poetry right next to the words of a published author is quite an enticement for an emerging writer. The first poem "My Declaration of Right," sets the tone with, I have the right to be happy. I have the right to be safe. The exercises would work well in small groups. Children reading the book alone may appreciate having someone with whom to share the poems and the feelings. This book would find its place in therapy centers, homes and schools. A welcoming way for children to feel safe and explore the world of poetry.

The blank pages invite interaction. Write, draw, make this book your own. A challenge and a delight. The author declares that a portion of the book sales will be donated to child portection agencies. A good book for a good cause; you can't get much better than that!

Reviewed by a student for Flamingnet Book Reviews
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