Synopses & Reviews
A spider is a and#8220;never-tangling dangling spinner / knitting angles, trapping dinner.and#8221; A tree frog proposes, and#8220;Marry me. Please marry meand#8230; / Pick me now. / Make me your choice. / Iand#8217;m one great frog / with one strong voice.and#8221; VanDerwater lets the denizens of the forest speak for themselves in twenty-six lighthearted, easy-to-read poems. As she observes, and#8220;Silence in Forest / never lasts long. / Melody / is everywhere / mixing in / with piney air. / Forest has a song.and#8221; The graceful, appealing watercolor illustrations perfectly suit these charming poems that invite young readers into the woodland world at every season.
Review
The delightful use of language plays on the senses as it creates word pictures that are sure to entertain....A celebration of thses mighty living things and the people who love them.
School Library Journal, Starred
The original poems in this lovely, simple collection celebrate every aspect of trees in a variety of poetic forms including free verse, rhyme, and haiku....Kiesler's warm oil paintings beautifully complement the poems, making for a totally satisfying experience that is sure to be a favorite.
Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
Review
'The delightful use of language plays on the senses as it creates word pictures that are sure to entertain....A celebration of thses mighty living things and the people who love them.'
Review
"Moving gracefully through the seasons, newcomer VanDerwater shares a girl's experience of what the forest has to offer."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"The imagery is fresh and original; it's accessible, too. Watercolor images of each poem's subject add to the appeal."
and#8212;Kirkus
"Dip into this appealing collection for an introduction to early nature studies or poetry writing, or for generating some well-deserved enthusiasm for a stroll in the great outdoors."
and#8212;Booklist
"The verses are approachable for readers and vivid for readaloud listeners, so this is a title with a broad spread of possible use. Even if there's no nearby forest, just have the kids close their eyes, listen to the poetry, and imagine that there is."
and#8212;Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"The book is an inviting tour for those who enjoy observing the natural world through poetry."
and#8212;School Library Journal
Synopsis
This tree across the stream is a trickier bridge than it might seem... The author of The Great From Race and Other Poems has created a collection of short poems that celebrate trees and the amazing variety of ways they touch our lives. Deceptively simple verses reveal what trees think about and what they say to one another, as well as how they look and all the things they do for us. Humor and an unerring ear for the sounds of language make these poems an irresistible read-aloud; the luminous oil paintings evoke a country setting and the children who enjoy it through the year.
Synopsis
26 short, lighthearted poems about the forest and its animals, plants, and seasonal changes, beautifully and accurately illustrated in watercolor.
About the Author
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is a poet whose work has appeared in several magazines and children. Forest Has a Song is her first book. A writing teacher and journalist as well as a poet, Amy has a master of arts in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. She taught fifth grade and directed a summer writing program for many years. She currently works in schools throughout the United States, teaching teachers about writing workshops, studying literature, and conferring with students. She lives on a farm in Holland, New York, with her husband, their three children, lots of animals, and plenty of books.
Robbin Gourley is an artistandnbsp;and art director as well as an author and illustratorandnbsp;of cookbooks and picture books. She divides her time betweenandnbsp;rural Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, New York.