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Poetry for Young People
Robert Frost
"In an attractive large-size volume...25 poems to introduce Robert Frost to young people. The selections are arranged by the seasons, and Sorensen's handsome watercolor illustrations capture the feel of the New England landscape without in any way trying to provide literal images for the poetry. There's an excellent biographical essay, and at the bottom of each page, Schmidt provides a brief note on some of the possible ways to read the lines....These nature poems show that poetry holds feelings and ideas that everyone can understand."--Booklist. "...superb; the poems introduced in a tone that is informative but not pedantic."--PW. "...satisfies in every way."--SLJ. "Include[s] both well-known favorites and those less often read or quoted. 'Mending Wall,' 'Birches,' 'The Road Not Taken' are essential Frost and all are here."--Quill & Quire. ". . . thoughtfully compiled and brilliantly illustrated."--Buzz Weekly. 48 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 10.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
28 people are currently reading
866 people want to read
About the author
Robert Frost
1,039 books5,044 followersFlinty, 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."
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."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
January 9, 2017
I thought Poetry for Young People was an alright book, although the poems didn't really interest me. I liked how the book was about seasons, and nature, but overall I think the poems weren't really that good. I really liked the pictures that were in the book, I feel like the pictures go really well with what the poems are saying/trying to say. I think this book was okay but the poems weren't that interesting.
August 31, 2012
Robert Frost, one of my most favorite poets of all time, wrote many wonderful, moving, inspirational poems I have ever stumbled upon. Reading them again, after not being exposed to them since I was a child, was a great nostalgia trip for me. I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this book. So many great poems! Not to mention the famous one "The Road Not Taken." If you ever took an English class, chances are you came across this poem and it is so amazing! Of course there are other great poems in here as well. Like, "The Tuft of Flowers," "Going for Water," and "Out, Out--" In fact, all the poems are worth reading. Even the ones that I didn't enjoy as much. If you are a fan of poetry or Frost, definitely pick this up!
This book even has footnotes by the editor that helps you understand the poems a lot better. Schmidt did a fantastic job in trying to describe what Frost was feeling or going through to better assist the reader in truly grasping what the poem is trying to portray. Another thing I enjoyed about this book were the illustrations. Henri Sorensen's art was brought to life by Frost's poems and vice versa. The landscapes, the mix and matches of colors, the imagery... it was all too beautiful. My words just fall flat compare to the beauty that is Sorensen's work.
As I said, pick this book up. Even if you are not a child anymore, I think you could benefit from reading this. Poetry it a great way to exercise the mind. Especially if that poetry belongs to Frost. The artwork and the footnotes in this particular volume just enhances the experience. You will not be disappointed. I know I am glad I read this book after so many years! I will be encouraging my best friend to read this, that's for sure~ <3
This book even has footnotes by the editor that helps you understand the poems a lot better. Schmidt did a fantastic job in trying to describe what Frost was feeling or going through to better assist the reader in truly grasping what the poem is trying to portray. Another thing I enjoyed about this book were the illustrations. Henri Sorensen's art was brought to life by Frost's poems and vice versa. The landscapes, the mix and matches of colors, the imagery... it was all too beautiful. My words just fall flat compare to the beauty that is Sorensen's work.
As I said, pick this book up. Even if you are not a child anymore, I think you could benefit from reading this. Poetry it a great way to exercise the mind. Especially if that poetry belongs to Frost. The artwork and the footnotes in this particular volume just enhances the experience. You will not be disappointed. I know I am glad I read this book after so many years! I will be encouraging my best friend to read this, that's for sure~ <3
May 5, 2020
Wonderful selections of Robert Frost poems. The art was a lovely addition. I also appreciated the explanations of what the poems were about or a little history behind them.
November 10, 2025
I read this book a few months ago for some story-writing research on Robert Frost, and it was a bonus that it was edited by one of my favourite authors. I'm running a liiiiittle slow on my book challenge so I'm putting it on now XD.
April 15, 2013
Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost is a book that has a compilation of some of Robert Frost’s most famous poems. I really enjoyed the way that the author arranged Frost’s poems by different seasons. I also thought that the illustrations were beautiful and added so much to the story. Robert Frost’s poems are classics, and I think that they would be very beneficial for students to read. I think that they would be appropriate for slightly older children, because some of the older English may be a little bit hard for young children to understand. I do believe that young children would enjoy to hear to poems in a read aloud setting though, and I think it would be good to introduce them to this type of literature at an early age so that they can develop an appreciation for it. I think that this book would be great just for broadening students’ vocabulary skills, as well as their appreciation for different types of poetry. I’m not sure that I would make my students write this type of poetry if they did not want to because if can be sort of difficult.
October 15, 2023
I have never been a huge fan of poetry. I really enjoy being out in nature, so I decided to read this book of poetry for young people. I liked some of the poems more than others, and I was glad the book included the short introduction about Robert Frost’s life. It is definitely a story of determination, because his poems were first rejected in the United States, but he went on to win four Pulitzer Prizes and he was selected to read a poem at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy!
The illustrations made me relate to the poems in a way that I don’t think I would have without them. There are also thought-provoking notes after each poem, which tells you what Robert Frost was trying to portray which helped me to understand them more. My favorites were Good Hours and The Last Word of a Bluebird.
If you are like me and not necessarily a fan of poetry, but want to branch out a little bit, I highly recommend this book!
The illustrations made me relate to the poems in a way that I don’t think I would have without them. There are also thought-provoking notes after each poem, which tells you what Robert Frost was trying to portray which helped me to understand them more. My favorites were Good Hours and The Last Word of a Bluebird.
If you are like me and not necessarily a fan of poetry, but want to branch out a little bit, I highly recommend this book!
June 17, 2022
This book has a nice selection of Frost poems. Beautifully illustrated. Each poem has a short explanation to help the reader understand the poem’s theme. The poems are arranged by season making it a lovely book to read throughout the year.
November 1, 2023
Wonderful collection. Ready with my y6 ambleside student and all children.
November 17, 2023
Love this poetry series for spending time with different poets.
January 1, 2022
That was a pleasant read.
I don't think it quite qualifies as a picture book, or as a children's book, despite having pictures and despite being written for 'young people.' The pictures don't tell a story, they just set scenes, and the poems aren't intended for children, it's just a smaller selection of poems intended for adults and somehow the lack of numbers means it's good for children?
Not that these are bad for children, because they aren't. Not that poetry isn't good for children, because that isn't true either. But some poems are great for children, take Dr. Seuss for instance, or Mother Goose rhymes, and some just aren't. They are too long, or they are too deep. Most of these in here are too long and too deep. There are some that have children in them, but they are not looking at the world through the eyes of a child, they are looking at the world through the contemplation of an adult: someone who finds meaning in symbols, and thinks about the implications of actions. That is not a very good description of a child. Children aren't great at thinking through implications. How can they be? That part of the brain hasn't developed yet.
So, I liked the poems. There were only two that I had read before: The road less traveled by, which is one of my favorites, and the Mending Wall, which is one I had to analyze as a high-schooler. The rest were new to me and there were two or three that I quite liked because of the images they evoked. I liked the poems, I just don't think that this book is successful in its marketing to 'young people'.
Story: Poetry
Art: Poetic, you know art that is partly realistic and partly idealist, used more to evoke memory than to accurately portray something.
Price: $14.95
I don't think it quite qualifies as a picture book, or as a children's book, despite having pictures and despite being written for 'young people.' The pictures don't tell a story, they just set scenes, and the poems aren't intended for children, it's just a smaller selection of poems intended for adults and somehow the lack of numbers means it's good for children?
Not that these are bad for children, because they aren't. Not that poetry isn't good for children, because that isn't true either. But some poems are great for children, take Dr. Seuss for instance, or Mother Goose rhymes, and some just aren't. They are too long, or they are too deep. Most of these in here are too long and too deep. There are some that have children in them, but they are not looking at the world through the eyes of a child, they are looking at the world through the contemplation of an adult: someone who finds meaning in symbols, and thinks about the implications of actions. That is not a very good description of a child. Children aren't great at thinking through implications. How can they be? That part of the brain hasn't developed yet.
So, I liked the poems. There were only two that I had read before: The road less traveled by, which is one of my favorites, and the Mending Wall, which is one I had to analyze as a high-schooler. The rest were new to me and there were two or three that I quite liked because of the images they evoked. I liked the poems, I just don't think that this book is successful in its marketing to 'young people'.
Story: Poetry
Art: Poetic, you know art that is partly realistic and partly idealist, used more to evoke memory than to accurately portray something.
Price: $14.95
December 4, 2018
Reading Level- 5.1
Guided Reading Level- 6.5
This book contains numerous poems from Robert Frost about the seasons of the year. The poem I chose is the famous "The Road Not Taken," which details the journey of taking the path less traveled.
This book belongs to the poetry genre. Robert Frost is a famous poet who uses descriptive words and rhythmic flow to tells stories through poetry.
Writing Trait:
Sentence Fluency- This poem contains superb sentence fluency. Frost was deliberate in choosing words that create rhythmic flow and effective sentences. Each stanza contains lines that follow a specific rhyming pattern (lines 1, 3, and 4 rhyme and lines 2 and 5 rhyme). The use of rhythmic flow allows for the sentences to be read and spoken in a very natural and fluent manner.
Classroom Integration/Mentor Text:
This poem can be used as a mentor text in a sixth grade classroom. When studying poetry, the teacher should read "The Road Not Taken" to the class. The class should then hold a grand discussion about the components of the poem, the sentence fluency, the use of rhyme, and the hidden meaning behind the words. Students' attention should also be brought to the organization of stanzas and sentence length, which aid in the sentence fluency. Students should be asked to create their own poems. During the creation of original poems, students should use "The Road Not Taken" as a mentor in organization, presentation, sentence fluency, ideas, and voice. Students can use a few or all of these writing traits in their own poems, but should look at "The Road Not Taken" as a guide for examples of the correct usage of these traits.
Guided Reading Level- 6.5
This book contains numerous poems from Robert Frost about the seasons of the year. The poem I chose is the famous "The Road Not Taken," which details the journey of taking the path less traveled.
This book belongs to the poetry genre. Robert Frost is a famous poet who uses descriptive words and rhythmic flow to tells stories through poetry.
Writing Trait:
Sentence Fluency- This poem contains superb sentence fluency. Frost was deliberate in choosing words that create rhythmic flow and effective sentences. Each stanza contains lines that follow a specific rhyming pattern (lines 1, 3, and 4 rhyme and lines 2 and 5 rhyme). The use of rhythmic flow allows for the sentences to be read and spoken in a very natural and fluent manner.
Classroom Integration/Mentor Text:
This poem can be used as a mentor text in a sixth grade classroom. When studying poetry, the teacher should read "The Road Not Taken" to the class. The class should then hold a grand discussion about the components of the poem, the sentence fluency, the use of rhyme, and the hidden meaning behind the words. Students' attention should also be brought to the organization of stanzas and sentence length, which aid in the sentence fluency. Students should be asked to create their own poems. During the creation of original poems, students should use "The Road Not Taken" as a mentor in organization, presentation, sentence fluency, ideas, and voice. Students can use a few or all of these writing traits in their own poems, but should look at "The Road Not Taken" as a guide for examples of the correct usage of these traits.
February 24, 2019
A solid selection of Robert Frost poems split into four sections: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Frost mostly writes in a simplistic style about simple things in nature and life, definitely no purple prose about philosophical pondering (like the second part of the sentence I just wrote). But these poems have a strong undercurrent that make them very touching/profound/beautiful. It’s a kind of clear and simple beauty that is hard for writers to develop and maybe not easy for all readers to appreciate. But I really enjoyed reading these seasonal poems and look forward to reading more of Frost’s work.
I actually haven’t read much pure poetry like poetry collections before, excluding novels written in verse. I think this is a really good starting place for people who want to try out poetry since the language/meaning (also Gary D. Schmidt shares some of his thoughts on the poems in a brief paragraph below each poem!) is not as obscure or ambiguous as some other types of poetry. Plus, most of the poems are 1-2 pages maximum, which makes it a quick and enjoyable read.
I actually haven’t read much pure poetry like poetry collections before, excluding novels written in verse. I think this is a really good starting place for people who want to try out poetry since the language/meaning (also Gary D. Schmidt shares some of his thoughts on the poems in a brief paragraph below each poem!) is not as obscure or ambiguous as some other types of poetry. Plus, most of the poems are 1-2 pages maximum, which makes it a quick and enjoyable read.
August 15, 2017
A charming introduction for kids to meet the poet Robert Frost and his poetry. It includes information about Frost's life that is a good introduction. The collection of his poetry includes some of his well known poems. The poems have been chosen for children ages 8 to 14 years. The illustrator has done an outstanding job of bringing the poems to life with his colors and drawings. The poems have definitions of words on the same page as the poem is on.
This is a fantastic book. I wish I had this book of poetry to read when I was a child. I think it's a great introduction of Frost's poetry for any age. Don't miss out!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
This is a fantastic book. I wish I had this book of poetry to read when I was a child. I think it's a great introduction of Frost's poetry for any age. Don't miss out!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
July 6, 2022
This collection of Robert Frost poems is organized into four seasons and is illustrated with beautiful artwork that depicts nature in each of its seasonal elements. The poems are some of Frost's most easily recognized and included my personal favorites, "The Road Not Taken" and "A Girl's Garden". Each poem is followed by a note from the editor that explains what the poem is about, and gives little directions for what to listen for as you read the poem. The book also includes a biography of Robert Frost, and is well worth the read before you read the poems.
If I were to use this book in my classroom, I could use it for the obvious poetry units or author biographies, or maybe as a science lesson about changing seasons, to tie in content area literacy elements.
If I were to use this book in my classroom, I could use it for the obvious poetry units or author biographies, or maybe as a science lesson about changing seasons, to tie in content area literacy elements.
April 12, 2018
I wasn't sure if I would like this setting of these poems. But I loved it. The watercolors really fit with the feel of the poetry, and the extra text was small and unobtrusive, and sometimes gave historical content I appreciated. I skipped reading one especially sad poem with my kids because I just wasn't feeling it that day (farmhand death), but very much enjoyed everything else. These poems are relatively short, and I feel like the nature theme running through them really does make them accessible to all ages. My favorite was "In Hardwood Groves."
April 26, 2018
Lovely poetry. I admired and studied the structure, reading most poems over and over again. Robert Frost's story of the struggling writer being rejected many times before recognition then popularity in a boom after is not an uncommon one. It takes perseverance to keep going when rejected so many times, but had he stopped we would not have the joy of his art. "The Road Not Taken" was one I enjoyed particularly. I enjoyed the paired line rhyme structure in "A Late Walk" I must say I would love a discussion of "Out, Out-"
July 5, 2019
Robert Frost was a poet my Grandmother used to first expose me to poetry, to teach me to read. I have a fondness & a soft spot for Robert Frost because of her, along with many other classic poets. This is a great book for exposing children to classic poetry. These poems are arranged by season & the illutrations are stunning. They add to the poetry beautifully. This is a book that I feel needs to be in my classroom, no matter the age group.
April 10, 2020
This is another wonderful introduction to one of America’s most noted poets. It begins with a 3 page introduction to and background of Frost. Poems are sorted according to the four seasons and each includes an explanation of what the poem is trying to convey. My favorite being Mending Wall about two landowners walking on their respective sides of the rock wall which divides their properties and making necessary repairs. Beautiful illustrations!
March 6, 2021
Some of my favorite poems from this collection: In Hardwood Grove (simile of dead leaves in autumn to a leather glove), Wind and Window flower (a love story of the wind and the window flower), Birches ("I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree.... toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more/But dipped its top and set me down again"). Robert Frost is the master of painting scenery with hidden meaning of life through his poems.
December 28, 2022
This book is "just right" for new poetry readers. It includes a 3 page biography of Frost, about 25 poems organized by season, and one or two sentences that help the reader comprehend and appreciate the poem. Frost's poetry is inspired by his time living in New England in the first half of the twentieth century, and his poems help the reader understand the life of those living off the land during that time.
March 25, 2019
Poetry
This collection of Robert Frost's poems is organized by season and is easily accessible, making it appropriate for many levels of readers. There is a thorough introduction of Robert Frost and each page contains a few sentences contributed by the author to help readers fully engage in the poems.
Second through Sixth Grade
This collection of Robert Frost's poems is organized by season and is easily accessible, making it appropriate for many levels of readers. There is a thorough introduction of Robert Frost and each page contains a few sentences contributed by the author to help readers fully engage in the poems.
Second through Sixth Grade
April 17, 2019
This is a gorgeous book for older elementary level children to instruct on poetry or for children who are poetry lovers. Each poem is based in appreciating nature and organized by season. It is a very well structured anthology with gorgeous illustrations that amaze you to look through because how delicate and lifelike they appear.
June 16, 2019
This a great series of poems, split up into the different seasons of the year. The beautiful language captures the beauty of nature and its surroundings. This would be great for children as an introduction of the techniques involved in writing poetry, accompanied with nice illustrations.
This could be used with both older and younger children.
This could be used with both older and younger children.
Want to read
March 3, 2021"Poetry for Young People" is a wonderful book that includes 25 amazing poems by Robert Frost. All illustrate different emotions and visuals. It is a very great introduction to the world of poetry. The book allows for the reader to be fully engulfed in words and feelings and engage all of their sense while reading.
Lexile-N/A
guided level-GR Level Z
Grade-6
Lexile-N/A
guided level-GR Level Z
Grade-6
Read
April 29, 2021Use all your senses—not just your eyes—when you read Robert Frost’s remarkable poems. Your own world will quickly melt away as Frost draws you into winter wonderlands, forests, and fields. More than twenty-five of the Pulitzer-Prize winner’s best-loved poems are included, along with stunning illustrations, in this introduction to the work of one of America’s greatest poets.
Lexile Level: NPL
Lexile Level: NPL
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2025
I like to read Frost's popular poems to my classes. Sometimes just read, sometimes discuss, sometimes annotate and analyse. This one covers all four seasons and includes popular ones like The Road Not Taken, October, and After Apple-Picking. I liked getting to read some of his lesser-known poems. Very enjoyable to take time during the seasons to read this one.
August 15, 2017
Excellent introduction to the works of Robert Frost to be explored with young children.
A book for all seasons, poems to imprint the heart and know for always. I appreciate the short intentional descriptions at the end of each poem. Well done with beautiful illustrations.
A book for all seasons, poems to imprint the heart and know for always. I appreciate the short intentional descriptions at the end of each poem. Well done with beautiful illustrations.
September 7, 2017
Amazing introduction to Robert frosts life, packed with information about him and his family. Fun book with great illustrations, and short informative descriptions at the end of each poem. I can't wait to read the next poetry for young people book!
February 13, 2018
We enjoyed this collection. The paintings were nice, and I liked the seasonal themes. I was very surprised to discover that Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening was not included. It is one of my favorites!
July 24, 2018
I read this to the children. We all enjoyed it alright. The illustrations are pretty and the poetry gives a great sense of place. There is a page of biography at the start and little notes at the bottoms of each poem.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews