Edited by Frances Schoonmaker
Illustrated by Lucy Corvino
"I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed . . ."
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote some of the most beloved children's poems in the world. Most of them appeared in a classic book called A Child's Garden of Verses, and now you'll find them here gloriously illustrated.
Stevenson transforms a bed cover into a magical land, a shadow into a close friend, and a basket into a pirate ship. He writes about how hard it is to have to go to bed when it's still light outside and how great it is to go high up on a swing.
With its imaginative word images, classic poems, marvelous illustrations, and helpful commentary, the Poetry for Young People series reveals to children the pleasure and magic of verse.
"A short introductory biography . . . gives an insightful glimpse into [Robert Louis Stevenson’s] life and how it influenced his poems. Illustrations convey the poetic notion of a romantic childhood memory, with pink-cheeked children. Muted colors, rich with warm golden accents among the dominant green tone, are a peaceful accompaniment to the poems." —School Library Journal.
"These poems . . . are colorfully illustrated and notable for their detailed brushstrokes of gentle colors. They interpret the verse in a style that is fanciful without looking too juvenile for a middle-grade audience. Younger children will find the poems and illustrations to their liking as well." —Booklist
"How do you like to go up in a swing, up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing ever a child can do!"
A collection of 32 poems, colorfully illustrated.
Hardcover, 8½"x 10", 48 pages