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Walt Whitman: Words For America (Hardcover)
by Barbara Kerley , Brian Selznick (Illustrator)
| Category:
Award-winning books, Walt Whitman, Biography, Ages 9-12, Children's books |
| Market price: ¥ 178.00
MSL price:
¥ 168.00
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Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
This writing could give you a voice, and achieve the greatest aspiration - to capture the true spirit of America. |
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Author: Barbara Kerley , Brian Selznick (Illustrator)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pub. in: October, 2004
ISBN: 0439357918
Pages: 56
Measurements: 12.2 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BC00162
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- Awards & Credential -
A winner of Robert F. Sibert Honor
A winner of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books |
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- MSL Picks -
"There was never any more inception than there is now,
Nor any more youth or age than there is now;
And will never be any more perfection than there is now,
Nor any more heaven or hell than there is now."
-One passage from Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" from Leaves of Grass
In Walt Whitman: Words for America, Barbara Kerley begins with a wonderful portrayal of the poet's younger years that will provoke questions about the lives of kids in that era.
"At age 12, he began work as a printer's apprentice, learning to typeset newspaper articles. He saw the boxes of letters as a great mystery, waiting to unfold. Awkwardly, he held the compositor's stick, eager to see the words form -letter by letter -beneath his inky fingers." "Within two years he was setting articles that he himself had written. After the newspaper was printed, his heart thumped 'double beat' as he smoothed it open and admired his work. Even when he wasn't working, Walt surrounded himself with words. He listened to famous speakers and joined a debating society. He attended plays, appreciating a fine performance 'in every... cell' of his head and heart."
Walt Whitman lived a life of a "rough", or an everyman, and his poetry reflected his very special common uniqueness. Going against prescribed form of the time, Whitman fashioned himself a style of poetry unto itself, brash, fresh, untamed. Such words can be used to describe this stunning, and I mean absolutely stunning, children's book on the life of Walt Whitman, by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick. It manages to capture the beautiful essence of the man, while explaining to children in an easy to understand manner. The life of Walt comes alive, from his childhood to the very last years of his life, and the text is peppered with awesome quotes from some of his most famous poems. Particularly amazing is how Kerley describes Walt's selfless love of the Civil War soldiers whom he tended in Washington DC hospitals. His actions during this time show the depth of feeling he had for these poor boys, and children will respond with their innate sense of empathy towards Walt. The text is amazing, and the pictures equal it. Selznick has illustrated Walt in all stages of his life; from child to the wizened old man we've all come to associate with him. Selznick's pictures are honest and endearing, again, those that relate to Walt's caring of the soldiers. It is helpful for the youth to hear the voices of these people: Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, and now Walt Whitman, not only to instill a sense of pride with the country that they live, but also the sense of pride within themselves. This book will serve as a benchmark for these books in years to come. The book is Robert F. Sibert Honor Book and winner of New York Times Best Illustrated Books.
Target readers:
Kids aged 9-12
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Brian Selznick's first book, The Houdini Box, was published while he was selling books and arranging windows at Eeyore's Books for Children in Manhattan. The book won the Texas Bluebonnet Award and the Rhode Island Children's Book Award. Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride was an ALA Notable Children's Book as well as a Book Sense Honor Book.
Among his most recent books are The Meanest Doll in the World, The Dulcimer Boy, and When Marian Sang. The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins was named a Caldecott Honor Book in 2002.
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Did you know that poet Walt Whitman was also a Civil War nurse? Devastated by his country dividing and compelled to service by his brother's war injury, Walt nursed all soldiers-Union & Confederate, black & white. By getting to know them through many intense and affecting experiences, he began to see a greater life purpose: His writing could give these men a voice, & in turn, achieve his greatest aspiration-to capture the true spirit of America. Dramatic, powerful, & deeply moving, this consummate portrait of Whitman will inspire readers to pick up their pens & open their hearts to humanity.
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Herschel Greenberg, USA
<2006-12-20 00:00>
I am doing my Masters Project on the life of Walt Whitman during the Civil War. Though this book does not add anything new to my project, I am including it in my Bibliography because it is a book I think everyone should read. Yes, it is a children's book, but it accurately portrays the life of Whitman from the time he was a child to the time of his death. I particularly like the section about the Civil War and I know that the author has all the facts correct. What makes this book such a great reading experience is the accompanying art work on each page. The art is exceptional and adds to the reading experience. Whether you are a child or an adult with a passing interest in Whitman, this book should be on the top of your reading list. My favorite page is the one directly after the Civil War spread. It contains the portraits of Civil War soldiers. What makes this special is that each picture is based on an actual photo of real people, and the one portrait in color is really Whitman's brother George (I am using the same picture in my Masters Project). Each painting of the portrait really captures the expression of the soldiers. My other favorite painting is the close up of Whitman's face as an old man at the end of the book. The sparkle in his eye captures the sparkle in the man's entire life. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend. You should look at it as an experience - it is not a complete biography of America's famous poet, but an interactive experience between the important events in his life and the paintings that convey meaning and significance. I am very happy I came across this book, and I think everyone who buys and reads this book will also be impressed. |
E. R. Bird, USA
<2006-12-20 00:00>
The Barbara Kerly/Brian Selznick combination becomes more powerful each time it occurs. First of all, if you haven't gone out and viewed their Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins then you should do so immediately. Do not halt for man, angel, or beast. Just get out there, grab yourself a copy, and thank the high heavens that you did so before reaching the end of your brief span upon this globe. After having read that book (and you will be glad you did) you'll be ready to fully appreciate this author/illustrator duo's latest exploration into another fabulous human being's life. Our dear gay American poet Walt Whitman is their most recent subject and he is rendered here in full glorious life. Spotted with his poetry, his beliefs, and his incredible life, Walt Whitman: Words for America offers an answer to any kid who wonders why the heck they should study some old dead white guy from more than 100 years ago. A stirring answer at that. Aside from the circular picture of Walt standing with a cocky fist on his hip, your first image in this book of the man displays him at the tender age of 12. Working carefully as a typesetter for a newspaper (comparisons to Ben Franklin seem obvious at this point); Walt began his career as a poet with a job that put him into direct messy contact with all kinds of letters and words. In addition to creating his own newspaper at 19, Walt read fantastical stories for his own amusement. You see him as a young man rushing through the streets of Manhattan fully clothed and along the beaches of Long Island buck naked (tastefully, of course). As Walt grew, his concern for fellow human beings, including the slaves of the South, did as well. He published "Leaves of Grass", traveled the country, then became involved with the War Between the States. It's the Civil War that takes up most of Walt's life in this book. Whether he was tending to those wounded in battle, debating his own feelings towards President Lincoln, or collapsing from the exhaustion of working too darn hard, the book follows Whitman hither and thither. By the end Whitman truly became the poet of the people, giving the world poems that have remained deeply embedded in the human psyche, whether we know it or not. As with their previous collaboration, Kerly and Selznick follow up their book with a long and extended section of additional facts about Mr. Whitman. They talk about how they become interested in the project, where their research took them, and how they feel about the man. They offer addition info on his life (preferring not to mention the whole homosexual aspect, I guess), Lincoln's life, and what Walt's life was like after the war. They also include eight poems, some complete and some just important snippets. It makes for a truly comprehensive picture book, I can tell you. The book itself, however, is a visual delight. There are some truly gutsy moves being made within its pages. At one point you see only a bright blue sky containing a yellow sun and fast moving clouds containing the words, "Whoever you are now I place my hand upon you that you be my poem". At another point Selznick takes the photographs of the wounded holding slates and puts a word from a Whitman poem on each and every one. I was pleased to note that the authentic daguerreotypes that Selznick has reproduced here include black as well as white soldiers (something not every illustrator would think to include). Finally, in a truly cute move, Selznick just barely includes the two oranges and paper crane he found at Whitman's grave in the picture of the same. As picture biographies go, this one is wordy but worth it. Kerley knows how to write an exciting tale and Whitman makes for a remarkably exciting personality. He's one of those heroes you aren't ashamed to call as such. A wonderful addition for anyone whose juvenile Whitman section seems a bit lacking. |
DSK, USA
<2006-12-20 00:00>
This is a beautiful book about the life of Walt Whitman. Brian Selznick's illustrations and Barbara Kerley's story work wonderfully together to tell us about the life of one of our greatest poets. Mr. Selznick won Caldecott honors for their last collaboration, The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. Don't be surprised if this book brings him his long deserved Caldecott medal. |
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