Mother Earth Father Sky: Poems of Our Planet [Hardcover]

Jane Yolen (Author), Jennifer Hewitson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

An anthology of poetry celebrates the natural wonders of our world and details the human responsibility toward preserving the planet, in works by C. S. Lewis, Christina Rossetti, Joseph Langland, William Stafford, and other notable authors.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-A compilation of poetry that sings the praises and laments the faults of the planet and its inhabitants. The first section explores the Earth's many riches, from the lowly cricket and grasshopper to towering trees. The middle section addresses the sorrows of extinction and describes how, in the name of progress, bulldozers have eaten away at the soul and beauty of our world. The last part, which is solemn yet hopeful, brings the collection full circle. Glenn W. Dresbach reminds readers of a key theme in the anthology?"We had such places?cave or tree or hill.../And we are lucky if we keep them still." Readers can find much to think about and appreciate in these pages. Subtle black-and-white scratchboard illustrations provide an appropriate backdrop for the powerful words. Yi Huyn-Bo sums up the feeling of the book quite well in an untitled poem: "When the moon lights the night, it is easier to forget the world's troubles." One hopes that this title can remind us all of this power.?Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WI
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-8. This anthology gathers 40 nature poems, mainly from British and American poets, into three thematic sections: "Celebrate the Earth," "Sacrifice the Earth," and "Save the Earth." Poets represented include Gerard Manley Hopkins, Ogden Nash, Christina Rossetti, and Carl Sandburg as well as a number of contemporary poets. The scratchboard illustrations in gray, black, and white have a compelling sense of movement and flow. Though visually dynamic, the way they stretch across nearly every page and form a background for the poems makes the print rather hard to read. An eclectic collection of verse concerning the beauty, the destruction, and the conservation of the earth. Carolyn Phelan

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (December 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563974142
• ISBN-13: 978-1563974144
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #792,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)