Customer Reviews

Been to Yesterdays: Poem of a Life

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lee Bennett Hopkins, the highly esteemed poet and anthologist, shares his experiences at a difficult and pivotal time in his life through a collection of autobiographical poems. They are beautifully written - simple and full of emotion without sentimentality. The book is recommended for grade 5 and up, but I used it on an ongoing basis with a "street-wise" third grade, many of whom had already endured their share of painful family situations. It helped them open up to their own feelings and to poetry in general. The book includes real photos of his family and of him as a boy, which the kids found fascinating. The fact that he ends it by stating that he will write when he gets older is the icing on the cake: TO/make/this world/a whole lot/brighter when/I/grow up/I'll/be/a writer./I'll write about/some things/I know-/how to bunt/how to throw...a teddy bear/an empty chair.../the love I have inside to share...Yes. /To/make/this world/a whole lot/brighter, when/I grow up/I'll/be/a/writer.

Thank you, Mr. Hopkins...you've done just what you planned.

I am a teacher and run a support group for children whose parents are divorced or divorcing. One day, a 4th grade student brought this book to the group. He said that he found it in his classroom after all of the "good ones" were already taken. He asked if he could share two of the poems. As he read them, the other teacher and I had to hold back tears. This is a phenomenal book that kids who are going through family struggles or changes can relate too. One of the students said, "This boy writes really good poems". We explained to him that the photo on the cover was the author when he was a boy experiencing the feelings of these poems. This is a phenomenal book to keep in a classroom on the chance that some quiet child, who may be struggling with issues at home, could be lucky enough to come across.