My selection is "A Child's Introduction to Poetry" written by Michael Driscoll and illustrated by Meredith Hamilton.
Driscoll's anthology is a two-part collection. Part one, The Rhymes and Their Reasons, provides examples of twelve poetic forms -- nonsense verse, limerick, ballad, haiku, and free verse to name a few. Part two, Rulers of Rhyme, Legends of the Lyric and Superstars of the Spoken Word, introduces twenty one poets from Homer, William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost to Carl Sandburg, Lanston Hughes, Octavio Paz and Maya Angelou.
The tone is lively and humorous and it is clear that Driscoll is eager to share his joy in word-play with his readers. The writing is clear and the information is educational without losing a sense of fun. An accompanying CD provides readers with an opportunity to enjoy the music of the spoken word by following the cues to the sixty-four tracks containing the verses that are read aloud.
Hamilton's light-hearted watercolors bring a quirky sense of fun and whimsy to each page turn.
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