Poetry for Kids: Walt Whitman Edited by Karen Karbiener

A 2018 Notable Poetry Book for Children-- National Council of Teachers of English

Publisher Marketing:

A 2018 Notable Poetry Book for Children (National Council of Teachers of English)

 

Introduce your children to the beautiful words of classic American poet, Walt Whitman. Poetry for Kids: Walt Whitman makes the work engaging and easy to understand.

 

Walt Whitman is considered by many to be one of the most prolific poets in American history. What better time to introduce your children to the written word than now?

 

This collection of thirty-five of Walt's best works has been carefully curated for kids. Each piece of work is lovingly illustrated, and are both presented and explained by New York University professor Karen Karbenier, PhD, a primary authority Whitman's poetry.

 

Walt Whitman includes enlightening commentary for each poem, definitions of key words, and a foreword by the expert so that kids, or even parents new to poems, will understand.

 

Starting off with "I Hear America Singing," the collection includes excerpts from "Song of Myself," "O Captain! My Captain!", poems from Leaves of Grass, and many more thought-provoking, descriptive, and kid-friendly selections.

Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was a celebrated American poet, chiefly known for his controversial and highly original poetry collection Leaves of Grass. Born in 1819 on Long Island, he worked as a journalist, teacher, government clerk, and volunteer nurse during the Civil War. Whitman published his seminal work in 1855 with his own money, soon becoming one of the world's most popular and influential poets. After suffering a stroke in 1873 he retired to Camden, New Jersey, where he died nineteen years later--just two months after the final edition of Leaves of Grass appeared on sale.

Karen Karbiener is a Whitman scholar at New York University. She has published widely on Whitman's life and work, and edited Leaves of Grass: First and Death-bed Editions for Barnes & Noble Classics. She is a recognized public scholar and has been featured in radio, television, and online programs, authored two audio books on Whitman's cultural legacy, and hosts New York City's annual "Song of Myself" Marathon. She lives in New York City.

Freelance illustrator and fine artist Kate Evans has worked for many high-profile clients, including Random House, HarperCollins, V and A Magazine, The Guardian, and National Geographic. Her illustrations have been published in many countries around the world.Combining delicate line drawings with watercolor washes, Kate produces images that reflect the richness of their subject matter. Her illustrations suggest subtle emotional states and have been frequently used by publishers to capture the complexity of particular places and situations.

"Weds top-notch scholarship with visual artistry....affording readers the rare pleasure of seeing Whitman's seemingly endless lines run clear across the page, unenjambed as he intended....this dynamic volume proves a seminal addition to any library."--Kirkus Reviews-- Kirkus Reviews

'Reveals the political and social atmosphere of nineteenth-century America. Whitman's poetry speaks across the decades and seems very pertinent to our world today. His poetry fosters the ideas of equality, tolerance and love for our fellow humans '-- The Guardian Best Books Guide 2017

A 2018 Notable Poetry Book for Children-- National Council of Teachers of English

Target age: 8 to 13

Moondance Press

Pub Date: May 1, 2017

0.6" H x 9.1" L x 8.2" W

48 pages

Hardcover