Customer Reviews

Emily Dickinson: Voices in Poetry

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As an adult, I didn't realize how much that I would appreciate this book. I wish that it had been available to me when I was younger. I believe that this book is definitely intended for children between the ages of 9 to 12. I think a child under that age may not understand the full impact of the poetry.

The introduction to this book gave a good synopsis of the life of Emily Dickinson. Also, I liked how some of the poems were mentioned by page number to check out in the book.

Visually, this book was on target. The illustrator was very detailed with the drawings. In one section of the book, Emily Dickinson writes some poems that were riddles. The drawings give you the answer to those riddles.

It was very helpful to find definitions at the bottom of each page for some of the poems that may have had more difficult words. I learned that a frigate was a medium-sized warship with sails and that coursers were graceful, swift horses or runners.

This book supports the ideas of reading and poetry. I will end this review with one of Emily Dickinson's poems, on page 44, to support those ideas:

There is no frigate like a book/ To take us lands away,/ Nor any coursers like a page/ Of prancing poetry/ This traverse may the poorest take/ Without oppress of toll;/ How frugal is the chariot/ That bears a human soul!

In this VOICES IN POETRY title, Berry's biographical sketch of the reclusive 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson is interspersed with some of her poems. Each poem is chosen to illustrate important aspects of her life and character, which are still something of a mystery to this day. Stermer's illustrations effectively complement the tone and subject of both the poems and Berry's own text. For both young people and casual readers, this is a beautiful and useful introduction to Dickinson and her poetry.

All the Poetry For Young People books are wonderful for all ages, for those who "want" to like poetry but just don't know where to start. Each has a biography of the poet, and the poems are guided by illustrations, background info, and helpful word definitions. So much better than opening a huge book of just words... this is such a gentle, approachable introduction!

The selection is excellent and of interest you the young reader. The commentary is quite relevant as are the pictures which accompany it. I find that often now, our young people go all the way through the early grades in school and many of them have never heard of Emily Dickinson,much less read her poetry. This was the sort of stuff my generation and the generation before it grew up on and cut our teeth on. I do not feel I am any worse for the wear. I am fearful that we are bringing up an entire generation (rightfully or wrong, although I feel it is the later) of young folks who will have no appreciation to this great art form and will miss a lot. This book helps. This entire series helps, as a matter of fact and I certainly recommend you add this one and the others to your library. Actually, it is rather fun reading these with the young folk and then talking about them. Not only do you get to enjoy the work your self and perhaps bring back some great memories, but you have the opportunity to interact with your child or student. It is actually rather surprising what some of the kids come up with. I read these to my grandchildren and to the kids in my classes at school. For the most part, when I really get to discussing the work with them, they enjoy it. Recommend this one highly.

The book "Poetry for Young People Emily Dickinson" edited by Frances Schoonmaker Bolin and illustrated by Chi Chung is a wonderful book for the beginning poet or any person who likes poetry. It has good background information in the beginning of the book telling a little bit about Emily Dickinson and her life. I also liked the way any hard words in each poem are listed below each poem with their definitions.

There are also good illustrations for everyone of the poems. The pictures were well drawn and positioned through-out the book with each poem.

There were many good poems in the book but I really liked the one. The one poem which I liked very much is "The pedigree of honey Does not concern the bee - A clover, any time to him is aristocracy."

I would strongly recommend this book to other children between the ages of 9 and 13 years.

By: Brandon Ortiz

February 12,2006

This is a great collection of some of Emily Dickinson's most famous poems, and I love the paintings taken; they fit the poems so well. Great little collection.

what this little book does very nicely is make great poetry very accessible. The format is designed with 'young' people in mind, however I left my copy on a shelf during a recent family gathering and it was my 40 year old daughter who picked it up and without referring to her own children picked out her favourite poem.

This is a book for everyone, if you don't already know, Emily Dickinson is one of the explorers of human nature, and every other form of nature.

Finally, my favourite poem is Revery.

Poetry for Young People by Emily Dickinson is a wonderful book for young readers. Although I do not usually read poetry books I truly enjoyed Dickinson's poems. A lot of the poems in this book are very short but they are also very interesting. All of these poems are unique and very clever. Reading some of her poems is about the same as looking at a picture of what she is describing because she illustrates things so vividly and with so much imagery. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry.

How many of Emily Dickinson's legacy of over three- thousand poems must the reader need experience, to feel that he has truly understood and appreciated her?

Perhaps the greatest enthusiasts, and too scholars of Dickinson want all.

But I suspect for most readers ten or twelve poems are world enough.

A Sampler

Because I could not stop for Death/

Success is counted sweetest/

Exulation is the going of the inland soul to sea

This is my Letter to the world

My Life closed twice before its close/

I love to see it lap the miles

Is it ten or perhaps twenty of her poems which are so memorable, which seem to demand of us that we make them part of ourselves?

Even a small collection like this one gives us the strength of the essence.

And what a pleasure to actually carry it around in one's pocket, and then stop and open and read with great delight a small surprising masterpiece.