Call Me Marianne by Jen Bryant, pictures by David A. Johnson, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2006A boy goes to the zoo and meets poet Marianne Moore. While they observe the animals, she tells him what it is a poet does, and encourages him to try writing poetry himself. A fictional story that is true in its details about a real poet.
Cool Melons—Turn to Frogs!: The Life and Poems of Issa story and haiku translations by Matthew Gollub, illustrations by Kazuko G. Stone, calligraphy by Keiko Smith, Lee & Low Books, Inc., 1998The life story of Japanese haiku poet, Issa, accompanied by thirty of his poems. In a life marked with sorrow and loss, Issa finds solace in nature and poetry. His ability to see and share eventually makes him one of Japan’s most famous poets. The author’s notes in the back of this book offer more information about Issa’s poetry, calligraphy, and the art of haiku.
The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss by Kathleen Krull, paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, Random House, 2004How Ted Geisel discovered that the awkward, fun-loving boy who loved to doodle and write and fool around had something wonderful to share with the world just by being himself.
Carl Sandburg: Adventures of a Poet
by Penelope Niven, with poems and prose by Carl Sandburg, illustrated by Marc Nadel, Harcourt Inc., 2003Sandburg was a dreamer, a traveler, a soldier in the Spanish-American war, a newspaper journalist, a gatherer or folk songs, a family man, a poet, writer and historian. This book presents his life to children in categories, covering the wide variety of jobs he had and things he did. Each two-page spread is devoted to a category, with biographical information on one side and an illustration and piece of Sandburg’s poetry or prose on the other side. The carefully-researched watercolor and ink illustrations are full of his personal possessions and images from his home.
The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sís, Scholastic Press, 2010A touching, beautifully-written, fictionalized account of Pablo Neruda as a child. Neftali is full of dreams and words, even though his father, , even though his father, who doesn’t understand, wants to drive it all out of him. An ALA Notable Children's Book.
Emily Dickinson’s Letters to the World story and pictures by Jeanette Winter, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002This little book provides a colorful and inviting introduction to Emily Dickinson’s poems. It begins with a brief introduction to her life told from the perspective of her sister, Lavinia, as she goes through Emily’s things after her death and discovers her sister’s poems. “This is my letter to the World” serves as an opening to the main body of the book, a gathering of twenty one of Emily’s poems (or parts of them, in some cases). Bright illustrations surround each poem, complimenting the language nicely.
Jazz Age Poet: A Story about Langston Hughes (A Creative Minds Biography) by Veda Boyd Jones, illustrations by Barbara Kiwak, Millbrook Press, 2006
Mr. Ferlinghetti’s Poem story and woodcuts by David Frampton, original poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2006A brief introduction to the poet is followed by the text of his poem, “Fortune has its cookies to give out,” accompanied by David Frampton’s vibrant woodcut illustrations. The Artist’s Note at the back of the book gives more detailed background about both the author and the context of the poem.
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams
by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2008This is a wonderful introduction to a man who found peace in writing poetry, even while he maintained a career as a family doctor for forty-plus years. It covers his childhood, the development of his personal style of writing, his friendships with Ezra Pound, H. D. and Charles DeMuth and his busy years of working as a doctor in Rutherford, New Jersey. Melissa Sweet’s collage-illustrations are rich with snippets of poetry, watercolor paintings and pieces of old books, and augment Jen Bryant’s text beautifully.
Words of Promise: A Story about James Weldon Johnson (A Creative Minds Biography)
