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Imaginary Gardens: American Poetry and Art for Young People
Poems, splendid works of art, and historical photographs are brought together in this beautiful volume for young readers. Selections range from the anonymous "This Little Piggy" to "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur. Charles Sullivan's selections of the best in American art and poetry make this a book to be treasured in every family library. 80 illustrations, including 40 plates in full color.
111 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 6, 2020
Title is from a Marianne Moore poem titled, simply, *Poetry,* and included in the book: "imaginary gardens with real toads in them."
Terrific idea I've seen done only once before, and that collection I did not care for. This is very eclectic, with everything from nursery rhymes to Poe's *The Raven* and art from Mary Cassatt to The Far Side by Gary Larson, from historical photos to Alexander Calder. All stands on its own; only the poems get a brief introduction, in a very general sense, in the beginning.
Not all to my taste, not all seem like they fit or are suitable. But I dunno, maybe 3.5 stars? If it's avl. to you, explore it for yourself.
Terrific idea I've seen done only once before, and that collection I did not care for. This is very eclectic, with everything from nursery rhymes to Poe's *The Raven* and art from Mary Cassatt to The Far Side by Gary Larson, from historical photos to Alexander Calder. All stands on its own; only the poems get a brief introduction, in a very general sense, in the beginning.
Not all to my taste, not all seem like they fit or are suitable. But I dunno, maybe 3.5 stars? If it's avl. to you, explore it for yourself.
March 10, 2020
I loved this book. Beautiful poetry and LOVED the accompanying art.
September 3, 2024
In my poetry era...this collection is so diverse. The language is gorgeous, the illustrations are stunning, everything about it filled my cup.
January 4, 2015
A truly delightful little volume! A nice mix of old and new poems, plus some interesting art.
April 25, 2017
Sullivan, Charles. Imaginary Gardens: American Poetry and Art for Young People. New York: Harry Abrams, 1989
Target audience: 12-18
According to the publisher’s review, this book has poems for “young people of all ages.” From Jane Taylor’s, “Twinkle, twinkle little star/How I wonder what you are!” to Carl Sandburg’s, “Skyscraper” this collection of poems contains classic and contemporary poems by notable and lesser known poets for a wide range of young readers. All poems are beautifully illustrated, some with colorful and skilled artwork, others with realistic photographs such as baseball player Hank Aaron for the poem, Analysis of Baseball. The young children’s poems such as “There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe,” and “This Little Piggy Went to Market,” are cleverly interspersed throughout the collection. There might be some readers who’d prefer delineation for age groups, and I might be one of those readers, but on further thought, that might result in a total disregard of some poems/sections. Because many of the poems such as Poe’s, “The Raven” are very long and complex, I would definitely recommend this book for ages 12-18. Despite the colorful artwork, I do not believe a second or third grader would be overly enthusiastic about reading this anthology. Furthermore, too many of the poems are dated.
Target audience: 12-18
According to the publisher’s review, this book has poems for “young people of all ages.” From Jane Taylor’s, “Twinkle, twinkle little star/How I wonder what you are!” to Carl Sandburg’s, “Skyscraper” this collection of poems contains classic and contemporary poems by notable and lesser known poets for a wide range of young readers. All poems are beautifully illustrated, some with colorful and skilled artwork, others with realistic photographs such as baseball player Hank Aaron for the poem, Analysis of Baseball. The young children’s poems such as “There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe,” and “This Little Piggy Went to Market,” are cleverly interspersed throughout the collection. There might be some readers who’d prefer delineation for age groups, and I might be one of those readers, but on further thought, that might result in a total disregard of some poems/sections. Because many of the poems such as Poe’s, “The Raven” are very long and complex, I would definitely recommend this book for ages 12-18. Despite the colorful artwork, I do not believe a second or third grader would be overly enthusiastic about reading this anthology. Furthermore, too many of the poems are dated.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews