Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets

by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, Marjory Wentworth

Out of gratitude for the poet's art form, Newbery Award winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors' hearts sing and their minds wonder.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, African American, Cultural

56 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2017

About the author

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times Bestselling author of 21 books, including The Crossover, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American literature for Children, the Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, The NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and the Passaic Poetry Prize. Kwame writes for children of all ages. His other works include Surf's Up, a picture book; Booked, a middle grade novel; and He Said She Said, a YA novel.

Kwame believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his PAGE TO STAGE Writing and Publishing Program released by Scholastic. A regular speaker at colleges and conferences in the U.S., he also travels the world planting seeds of literary love (Singapore, Brazil, Italy, France, Shanghai, etc.). Recently, Alexander led a delegation of 20 writers and activists to Ghana, where they delivered books, built a library, and provided literacy professional development to 300 teachers, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an International literacy program he co-founded.

Reviews

[Brina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids have accused me of being the most “kid-like” adult they know. They teased me for getting giddy to watch the Sesame Street anniversary special last week and roll their eyes when I quote family favorite children’s books. Sorry, kids, but it’s almost Herschel time. My youngest daughter has been reading on her own for over four years now, and I miss the thrill of looking for picture books in the children’s section of the library to read to her. With exquisite illustrations, kids can imagine the world at their fingertips when being exposed to such books, and so do I. Over the course of 2019, I have read a lot of nonfiction for a challenge and have enjoyed it, but it is tedious and in 2020 I intend to scale back and pick up fiction again, and, needless to say, I am looking forward. Yet, I am determined to finish my 2019 challenge with a bang, and that requires me to pick up children’s books in between the nonfiction in order for me to return to the thrills of reading to read.

Kwame Alexander is an American treasure. He has encouraged adolescent readers to enjoy reading at a time in their lives when they would rather be plugged in 24/7. I have read his poetic stories Booked and Crossover and was mesmerized by them and have Rebound on tap to read next. Alexander is writing for teens so I can only imagine how much his poetry in motion, onomatopoeic style fosters a love of reading in young people. Alexander has given educational workshops and written professional resources about writing; how I would love to have been in attendance at his book readings and workshops. I’m sure by reading his work to myself, I do not do it justice, which speaks to how gifted a talent he is.

When I saw that Alexander had written a poetry book for young readers, I knew it was a must read for me. I enjoy poetry; poems are soothing and help me get through the more tedious books I have going at any time. Alexander along with co-writers Marjory Wentworth and Chris Colderley have written odes to their favorite poets, paying homage to their work. Featured are some of my personal favorites including Sandra Cisneros and Gwendolyn Brooks as well as American icon Robert Frost and Japanese poet Basho, the inventor of the Haiku. My favorite in the collection isn’t any of these but How Billy Collins Writes a Poem, which Wentworth penned reflecting upon Collins’ writing process. Collins was a former Poet Laureate of the United States who has set mundane everyday life to poetry, a style many can appreciate.

Combined with the multimedia artwork of Ekua Holmes, Out of Wonder won the Coretta Scott King Medal for Children’s Literature in 2017. The illustrations are the type I enjoy, vivid expressions that make the words come to life and encourage my kids to call me a kid at heart. Alexander says it best in the preface when he notes that “We hope you use them (poems) as stepping-stones to wonder, leading you to write, to read the works of the poets celebrated in this book, to seek out more about their lives and their work, or to simply read and explore more poetry....We wonder how you will wonder.” Out of Wonder should be on the bookshelves of all elementary school classrooms. Like it’s authors, it is a gem.

5 stars

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m in the minority here because I wasn’t thrilled by this collection so I’ll be as brief as I can. I am a fan of Kwame Alexander, who along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth wrote poems in response to some of their favorite poets, including Maya Angelou, Bashō, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sandra Cisneros, Billy Collins, e.e. cummings, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Chief Dan George, Nikki Giovanni, Terrance Hayes, Langston Hughes, Walter Dean Myers, Pablo Neruda, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mary Oliver, Okot p'Bitek, Rumi, William Carlos Williams, and Judith Wright.

I know and like all those poets, but the book is directed to young children, few of whom will at the present time read the above poets. Some of them wrote poems for children, but none of those poems are included here. Also, the poems written by the authors pale in comparison with their mentor poems. Still, a teacher/parent could create a mentor system for encouraging kids to write their own poetry, which would be a good thing. This book doesn’t do that. Alexander has other collections of poetry with the actual poems from great poets included, of course. That would be a good idea. I like—don’t love—some of the poems in this collection honoring great poets they loved. I see a few echoes of those great poets in these poems. And I like the jazzy artwork.

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

To see this week's children's books, please visit www.readrantrockandroll.com

I fell in love with this book as soon as I started reading the preface as the author explains his life growing up with books. His love for books and poetry influenced him to put together this lovely book of poems to introduce poetry to children.

The poems in the book are written by Kwame Alexander, Chris Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth. The poems included here honor and celebrate twenty poets from the past and present including Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, and Maya Angelou to name a few. The illustrations alone are beautiful and eye-catching. Once you get to the back, each celebrated poet is highlighted with information regarding their lives and works.

In my opinion, this book belongs in every school, every library, and in every home where there are children. It’s worth every penny and I’m happy to have it.

5*****

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most extraordinary poetry picture books I have ever encountered. The poems are incredible but the illustrations! Astonishingly beautiful and powerful! Any teacher, librarian, parent, bookseller or book lover who follows my reviews or who just stumbled across this one-trust me and obtain this title as soon as you can. It will be like no other book in its category you have ever seen.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't really read this book today...I read it months ago when I wrote the teachers' guide! But I heard Kwame Alexander and illustrator Ekua Holmes speak at ALA and got an arc, so now it seems real enough to talk about.

20 poems (written by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth) celebrate the influence of 20 different poets from Rumi to Billy Collins to Emily Dickinson to Langston Hughes to Walter Dean Myers. GORGEOUS illustrations by Ekua Holmes.

You will want this book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

LFL find. So far so lovely. I'm going to have to set aside time to savor these, so I'm glad that I can keep it as long as I want to.
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Done with my first read through. Amazing book. Published for children, but really for anyone, especially those who don't know much poetry besides Amanda Gorman's The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country.

The only quibble I have is that all the contemporary poets celebrated are from the USA, and there are only three from before the 20th century (the back matter reveals). I also wish that there were more authors doing the celebrating, but there were only the three voices we actually heard from. I'd like to think of this as a first attempt; maybe they'll work on a companion book.
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Added to the pile of books to donate it to an organization in Florida that gets banned & diverse books into the hands of children. Florida Freedom to Read: https://www.fftrp.org/. Maybe you can't donate money or books, but you can sign the petition on the website!

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of poems that can be appreciated on their own and used as mentor texts. The illustrations are striking, vivid, and match the tone of each poems. I appreciated the three different ways of honoring/being inspired by the poets being celebrated throughout the book. The only thing missing for me was the original inspiration poem side-by-side, or in the back matter, to show more clearly how the new poems matched up to the inspiration. Because I am not familiar with all of them, it would have been nice to have that resource right in the book.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular.This book will win awards. And it will be deserved.

A much-needed addition to poetry collections for schools and libraries.

[Agnė · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely, inspiring collection of original poems celebrating twenty prominent poets: Maya Angelou, Bashō, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sandra Cisneros, Billy Collins, e.e. cummings, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Chief Dan George, Nikki Giovanni, Terrance Hayes, Langston Hughes, Walter Dean Myers, Pablo Neruda, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mary Oliver, Okot p'Bitek, Rumi, William Carlos Williams, and Judith Wright.

One of my favorite poem celebrates Langston Hughes and is written by Kwame Alexander:

Jazz Jive Jam

On Saturday, my mama sang
a song that sounded blue.
Then Daddy made his trumpet cry --
I guess the rent is due.

'Round midnight came a band of neighbors
swinging soul to soul.
The landlord even cut a rug
and let the good times roll.

They all ate Mama's waffles and
her chicken Cordon Bleu.
Then Daddy passed his hat around,
because the rent is due.

Come Sunday, me and Mama kneeled
while Deacon Willie prayed.
When we got home, my daddy cheered,
"Hooray, the rent's been paid!"

Since I don't read poetry very often and was not familiar with most of the poets celebrated in this picturebook, I appreciate the short poets' bios at the end of the book.

Last but not least, Ekua Holmes's collage illustrations are vibrant and exquisite, and they successfully capture the essence of each poem:

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of Wonder is out of this world!

Alexander's opening Preface sets the stage for this inspiring collection of poetry! Twenty beautiful poems written by Alexander, Colderley, and Wentworth to both honor and highlight the various styles of twenty amazing poets from the past and present and from around the globe. Ekua Holmes illustrations are just as distinguished as the poems themselves.

A collection sure to inspire exploration in reading new poets, writing & wonder!!!

[K2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read for the praises of Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, Walter Dean Myers, and Langston Hughes.. I really enjoyed three of the poems and learning about some of the other poets. Quick and Enjoyable read.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book for poetry writing with kids. Mentor texts upon mentor texts.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply inspiring! There's nothing like reading a good poem to stir the writer inside, especially when they are inspired by other amazing poets.

[Sophie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

So beautiful! Highly recommend!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 simply because I wanted even more. Complemented with colorful and meaningful collage on paper illustrations, this collection of 20 poems is divided into three different sections. The three poets responsible for the book take turns crafting poems that offer tributes in different ways to poets they found influential in some way. Some such as Basho and Rumi are long gone, but their verses live on, thanks to those who still love their words and want to keep them alive. Others such as Billy Collins and Terrance Hayes are still writing and performing their work for modern audiences. In one section, the poets fashion poems emulating the style and rhythms of their predecessors while in the other two sections, they try to incorporate some of the feelings and themes expressed by the poets in their own new work. Finally, in the third section, they express their gratitude to these influential men and women. This is a well-conceived idea and one that is handled beautifully here. Honestly, the final poems often took my breath away, and if I hadn't glanced at the author's name, there were often moments in which I could have sworn that someone had unearthed a new poem by Robert Frost, Nikki Giovanni, Naomi Shihab Nye or William Carlos Williams. Teachers will certainly want to add this to their classroom poetry collection where it can serve as an exemplar for writing and poetry but also as inspiration for lessons on how to write a poem just like someone they and/or their students admire. I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this piece of work, but I left it feeling quite impressed and ready to write some lines of my own.

[Lex’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

[REVIEW]

I’ve read a lot of poems, thanks to my high school senior English class and poetry classes in college. In that time, I’ve read many poems about nature, love, nostalgia, etc. But this was unlike any poetry I’d ever read. All twenty poem were inspired by twenty of the most iconic poets including (but not limited to) Maya Angelou, e.e. Cummings, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes. I haven’t read all of these poets and their works, but I definitely want to now! When did come to poets I’ve read before, such as Maya Angelou and e.e. Cummings, I thought Alexander, Colderley, and Holmes did a fantastic job capturing the writing style and themes that Angelou, Cummings, etc. tended to write in their poems.

Additionally, I listened to the audiobook for this, and the three narrators did a wonderful job reading all of the poems so naturally. They really capture all beats and didn’t rush through any of the poems. Also, music was played in the background, and it was never the same music for each poem! I think it made the poems even better to listening to!

Overall, I really enjoyed this! The poems were easy to read, but that didn’t make them any less powerful. I recommend Out of Wonder to everyone, children and adults alike!

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A poem is a s small but powerful thing. It has the power to reach inside of you, to ignite something in you, and to change you in ways you never imagined." -- Kwame Alexander

As Kwame Alexander writes in his preface, poetry can pack a powerful punch, touching our deepest feelings, helping us notice everyday details in new ways. In this dynamic collection, Alexander and fellow poets Colderley and Wentworth honor 20 of their favorite poets. Their original poems dance and spin with the poets they admire, inviting readers join the celebration.

I love this idea that our voices dance together in poetry--with give and take, rhythm and movement. The poet's voice responds to an idea that inspires him; the illustrator adds her own rhythm; the reader jumps in, creating her own spin on the initial idea.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly beautiful book that should sit on everybody's shelves.  Kwame Alexander's poems are striking and Ekua Holmes' illustrations are absolutely stunning.  Taking inspiration from other poets in the same vain as Giovanni's One Last Word, Alexander and other poets celebrate poets such as e.e. cummings and Nikki Giovanni. It's fun, and gives audiences a smattering of information about other poets and how they formatted their poems. It's a fun and beautiful homage.

Review cross-listed here!

[Austin Poulin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book filled with many different styles of poems each very well wrote. To go along with each of the poems there was also a picture that fit seamlessly with the poem. My favorite was the poem called "For Our Children's Children." I liked this poem because there was a lot of description which made it very enjoyable to read. I recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a great book filled with poetry.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awesome collection of short poems featuring poets from around the world. The artwork is stunning on each page and really brings each poem to life.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was introduced to poetry by my father at a young age and I've loved it ever since and this book has become a personal favorite mine. I have gone back to this book over and over, rereading the Preface (don't skip that!) and poems and thinking about them long after I have closed the book. For me, this is a tribute not only to some of my favorite poets and some I wasn't familiar with, but to poetry itself. As Alexander writes, "A poem is a small but powerful thing. It has the power to reach inside of you, to ignite something in you, and to change you in ways you never imagined." The 20 poems are divided into three sections. Part I: Got Style? pays tribute to poets who made their own rules about writing, including Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes and even Robert Frost. Part II: In Your Shoes looks at how we sometimes incorporate feeling, themes, and ideas of poets we like into our own work. Walter Dean Myers (see "Walter, Age Ten" (pg 14)) loved basketball. Not surprisingly, Kwame Alexander wrote the tribute poem to him (and two books about basketball). Part III: Thank You is a poetic paean to the poems and poets whose work has impacted us in a deeply personal way, to those poets who speak to us directly, and who moved us profoundly enough to respond with our own words. Each poem feels deeply personal and so inspiring. And as if the words weren't incredible enough, Ekua Holmes' wonderfully bold collage illustrations are just breathtaking and speak to the specialness of each poem and poet. This is a book to share with older readers, with those already familiar with Alexander's verse novels, or make a bundle of Rebound, The Crossover, and Out of Wonder for a really special gift. Uh oh, Out of Wonder is going to China with the Kiddo, too.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Alexander, Colderley, and Wentworth chose twenty of their favorite poets and wrote poems in celebration of them. Some of these poems imitated their styles, some described some aspect of their lives or poetry, and some captured the essence of the poet’s message. There wasn’t one poem that I didn’t like, and all of them made wonderful read-alouds. Even Kwame Alexander’s introduction read like a prose poem. Efua Holmes’ colorful illustrations were joyful and perfect. At the end of the book are brief biographies of all twenty poets. After reading the book, I wanted to explore the poetry of those people I didn’t know(Terence Hayes, Chief Dan George, Mary Oliver, Judith Wright, Otok p’Bitek, Walter Dean Myers) and rediscover the poetry of those with whom I was familiar. Though this book won the Coretta Scott King Award, I would also have given it a Newbery for the beautiful text and a Caldecott for the gorgeous illustrations. Highly recommended, especially for Poetry Month!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful concept, beautiful illustrations, and beautiful poems.

Here are a few pieces that I really liked.

Celebrating Rumi:

Dance if you are still sad.
Dance when you are tired.
Dance until your feet lift
off the ground like wings.

Celebrating William Carlos Williams:

a trendsetter
and a rule breaker
crafting
a new American voice

for people who
carry their plums
in brown
paper bags

Celebrating Maya Angelou: (This was my favorite poem in the book.)

Rise
Into the wonder
of daybreak.

Be brave,
like a new seed bursting
with extraordinary promise.

Shine on, honey!
Know you
are phenomenal.

[Rhea Daniel Dear · Rating 5 out of 5]

05.20.2021

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely listen with music interspersed with the poems. I especially appreciated to poet bios at the end of the book.

[Suzanne Maley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t see kids understanding these poems. The illustrations are beautiful though.

[Christine Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book of poems that honor poets of the past. What a great way to hook kids into poetry they might have missed. My favorite poem in the book had these lines;
"Grab a pencil
some paper
spunk.

Let loose your heart-
raise your voice."

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kwame Alexander has made it his life’s work to share the joy of reading and writing poetry with others. He enlisted poets Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth to help him create this anthology to pay homage to twenty of their favorite poets. Each poem in the collection celebrates a different poet and shares insights into him or her as well. Divided into three sections, one part pays tribute to the styles and rhythms of the poets, one incorporates the feelings and themes of the poets, and the third speaks back to the poet about feelings generated by the poet and his or her poetry. A brief biography about each poet is appended, giving depth and understanding.
The diverse mix of poets includes Naomi Shihab Nye, Robert Frost, e.e. cummings, Basho, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, Sandra Cisneros, William Carlos Williams, Chief Dan George, Rumi, and Maya Angelou.

From: “How Billy Collins Writes a Poem”
Celebrating (former two-term U.S. Poet Laureate) Billy Collins
When you first wake up, notice
How your mother’s voice, calling
You to breakfast, sounds like a fire alarm.
Watch the steam rising off your oatmeal
Like tiny clouds and guess where it goes.

Holmes’ colorful, brilliant collage artwork expands the text of each poem. Of particular note is the Bonzeville lady of “Hue and Cry” and the whirling dervish of “Spin a Song”.

This would be perfect to use when introducing a unit on poetry, memorizing poetry, or studying one of the poets in the collection. For grades 2-high school.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an exploration of famous poets through poems in their honor. Each one captures a sense of that poet whether it is in format itself or subject matter or simply a frame of mind. Turning the pages, one encounters new poets but also old friends. It is with those poets that one knows well that the book truly shines, the homage is clear and the cleverness of the poetry is wonderful.

I read many shining reviews of this book and still was unprepared for how great it is. This is a book that should be part of poetry units in elementary school. It shows two sides of poetry, both paying respect to poets who have gone before but also creating in poetic form a real honor for their work. It’s smart, clever and so beautifully done. As I turned the pages to discover some of my favorite poets on the page, I found myself smiling with delight and amazement as that poet was revealed via poetry.

The illustrations by Holmes are also a way that the poets themselves are depicted on the page. They vary from a focus on a bowl of oatmeal for Billy Collins to zinging reds and oranges and yellows for Rumi to a natural focus for Mary Oliver and Neruda. The varied illustrations also imitate the focus on structure or free style that each poet uses; they are adept reflections of the poet and their poetry.

This book belongs in every elementary school collection and every public library. It is extraordinary. Appropriate for ages 7-12.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a delight to read each poem celebrating a poet and written in that poet’s ‘style’. This poem collection is packed with freshness, with so many layers going on at once. Poets celebrated include Robert Frost, e.e. cummings, Nikki Giovanni, and Langston Hughes, twenty in all.

Using bright, bold colors and shapes, Ekua, a fine artist, uses mixed-media collages to explore the poem’s message in visual form. Each poems’ illustration is uniquely and masterfully done. This is a treat for poetry lovers and an interesting way to introduce poets to young readers.

The book includes an afterword with a few paragraphs on each poet celebrated and on the three poets who created this collection. Good energy exudes from between the covers. A book worth picking up.

Originally published on Books4theCuriousChild.com