An anthology of universal poems focusing on the human experience--emotions, perceptions, and understandings--as expressed by poets of diverse heritage and reflected in illustrations featuring people of all ages and backgrounds.
Amazing, your face. Amazing.
Whatever we feel-whether happy or sad, excited or wishful, proud or lonely-our faces mirror our emotions. In this contemporary yet timeless collection, sixteen evocative poems are brought to life in diverse and detailed faces that reveal the universal feelings we all share. Girls and boys, women and men invite us to experience their world, understand their lives, and find the connections that bring us together.
Poet Lee Bennett Hopkins gathers these insightful works from an impressive array of authors, including Joseph Bruchac, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Nikki Grimes, Pat Mora, Carole Boston Weatherford, Janet S. Wong, Jane Yolen, and more. Glowing illustrations created by Chris Soentpiet infuse the verses with atmosphere and exquisite settings. Readers of all ages will want to feast their eyes on these captivating poems and pictures again and again.
About the Author :
Lee Bennett Hopkins, acclaimed poet and writer, created numerous poetry anthologies for young readers. He received the 2009 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, which honors his body of work, and three poetry awards have been established in his name to recognize the best in poetry for children and young adults. Hopkins's books have won many honors, including ALA Notable Children's Books, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, Children's Choices, American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, Christopher Award, and New York Public Library Best Children's Books. Lee Bennett Hopkins passed away in 2019. His website is maintained in his memory: leebennetthopkins.com.
Chris Soentpiet is the illustrator of several highly praised picture books. He has won many awards for his work, including the NAACP Image Award, Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Gold Medal, ALA Notable Books, IRA Children's Book of the Year, Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Parents' Choice Award, and Notable Books for a Global Society. Soentpiet has also received a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators, an honor bestowed on an artist by fellow illustrators. He lives in Flushing, New York, with his wife and their children.
Review :
* "The focus of this excellent collection of disparate poems is not strictly faces but people... a fitting celebration of Americans in all their diversity." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This appealing package of poetry and ideas will be enjoyed by children, parents, and teachers. There are many bits to savor, and the underlying theme is so well executed that it could easily stimulate interest in finding more people in poems." -- School Library Journal
"Soentpiet's light-filled portraits and charming crowd scenes bring the characters and settings to life... The watercolor illustrations also provide a strong sense of continuity even as they showcase individuals from a variety of cultures. Undeniably attractive." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Illustrated with large, handsome watercolor portraits, the 16 poems in this anthology celebrate the rich diversity of American kids--what makes each one special and the connections between them... A great collection for sharing at home and in the classroom." -- Booklist
Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education
Great Lakes Great Books Award - Michigan Reading Association
Texas Bluebonnet Award Shortlist - Texas Library Association (TLA)
United Women in Faith Reading Program - United Methodist Women
