A Swinger of Birches

by Robert Frost, Peter Koeppen (Illustrator), Clifton Fadiman (Introduction)

Includes poems about birds, trees, flowers, people and land for young people with full colour, full page illustrations. This title is suitable for ages 4-8.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Flinty, moody, plainspoken and deep, Robert Frost was one of America's most popular 20th-century poets. Frost was farming in Derry, New Hampshire when, at the age of 38, he sold the farm, uprooted his family and moved to England, where he devoted himself to his poetry. His first two books of verse, A Boy's Will (1913) and North of Boston (1914), were immediate successes. In 1915 he returned to the United States and continued to write while living in New Hampshire and then Vermont. His pastoral images of apple trees and stone fences -- along with his solitary, man-of-few-words poetic voice -- helped define the modern image of rural New England. Frost's poems include "Mending Wall" ("Good fences make good neighbors"), "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" ("Whose woods these are I think I know"), and perhaps his most famous work, "The Road Not Taken" ("Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- / I took the one less traveled by"). Frost was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times: in 1924, 1931, 1937 and 1943. He also served as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" from 1958-59; that position was renamed as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry (or simply Poet Laureate) in 1986.

Frost recited his poem "The Gift Outright" at the 1961 inauguration of John F. Kennedy... Frost attended both Dartmouth College and Harvard, but did not graduate from either school... Frost preferred traditional rhyme and meter in poetry; his famous dismissal of free verse was, "I'd just as soon play tennis with the net down."

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick day's read of a smattering of Frost's best loved poems, each accompanied by a colorful illustration, depicting Frost's world, the birches, animals, woods, seasons, and the iconic stone walls of New England. The book is subtitled "Poems of Robert Frost for Young People" and would be a lovely introduction to Frost's poetry for all ages.

[manuela borba · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’d like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over”

[Anderson]

This book has beautiful illustrations and wonderful poems. The poems address many aspects of nature. I could see this being used not only in a poetry unit, but it could also be used to read alongside a science class when learning about the ecosystem and geology.

[Bookwyrmgyrl]

A favorite book of poems by Robert Frosts, illustrated to especially appeal to children.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The poetry is great for kids, but the illustrations are not worthy.

[Mary Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably prefer Frost to most poets, but I think poetry as a whole just isn't my thing.

[Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite. On the surface, a boy rides down birches, and that's fun

[Maryanne]

Liked and will keep this book!!