Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry [Hardcover]

Lee Bennett Hopkins (Author, Compiler), Peter M. Fiore (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994 | Age Level: 7 and up

Presenting American history through poetry, Lee Bennett Hopkins offers a unique perspective on each part of the American experience. Filled with wit, color, knowledge, and truth, these selections offer rich detail about the lives and events that have shaped our nation.

Each poet lends a particular voice and vision to the subject. From the founding of this nation, through the Great Depression and the wars we've fought, to the issues of today, these poems echo the emotions of our triumphs and defeats.

Here are all the varied people who make up America -- the different races and their various ways of facing life. Their brave spirit speaks loudly in the special language of poetry. It opens our eyes to see in a new way that which we already knew.

Lee Bennett Hopkins, a renowned anthologist, has chosen with care a collection of poetry, some that readers know and some that they will come to know. Peter M. Fiore's magnificent paintings complement the poetry, offering a human portrait of us as we were and as we are today.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-A handsome volume that is at once a poetical history of the U.S. and an appealing, topical anthology of poems and lyrics. Arranged chronologically by subject, (rather than date written), the over 75 selections reflect the diversity of the various groups that came to the North American shores and helped shape our nation. Hopkins divides the country's past into nine arbitrary eras and presents 5-10 selections as representative of each period or theme. He includes patriotic songs, speeches, and individual anthems by a veritable feast of American poets, such as Walt Whitman, Carl Sandburg, Langston Hughes, and Robert Frost. Well-known contemporary poets and a few new voices also appear. The last four sections-those devoted to this century-seem a bit sketchy compared with the coverage of the more distant past. Unlike the earlier selections, many of which are often found in traditional textbooks, the poems in the latter half of the book address issues and events that are not part of standard elementary curricula. Fiore's bold impressionistic oil paintings, in the form of expansive tableaus and cameo vignettes, provide vivid visuals to go along with the poetic imagery. Overall, this attractive package will be a boon to classrooms from sea to shining sea.
Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-8. Because the format is open and uncrowded, readers may browse this collection with pleasure, note familiar voices such as Frost and Longfellow, and notice how many good pieces there are from Whitman, Hughes, and Sandburg. The text is divided into nine chronological sections, and double-page illustrations set the mood of different periods. These large illustrations are stronger than the greeting-card-like sketches that mingle with the poems. Selections from the earliest historical period are rather traditional, while those from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries show more diversity. Although putting Lincoln's Gettysburg Address into lines of poetry doesn't seem accurate and may confirm a child's sense that poetry is "fancy" while prose is "bare," doing so gives children one more chance to encounter a great piece of American writing. Mary Harris Veeder

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067173315X
• ISBN-13: 978-0671733155
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 10.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #812,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great collection and fun, April 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry (Hardcover)

While this collection was designed with children 9-12 in mind, I have found that adults and older teens really like it too. It has a nice selection of poetry, is readable, is presented in a very attractive way, and is just plain fun to read. I shared my copy of the book with high school juniors, and they loved it.