The Illustrated Robert Frost: 25 Essential Poems

by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Editor)

From "Birches" to "The Road Not Taken," no poet has won such a place in our hearts as Robert Frost. In this gorgeously illustrated collection of poems, readers are introduced to twenty-five of Frost's most beloved works, each illustrated with stunning, full-color collage artwork. Brief commentary and helpful definitions accompany each poem, making The Illustrated Robert Frost among the most accessible―and beautiful―introductions to Frost available. Poems include "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening," "Mending Wall," "Fire and Ice," and many more. From the SUGGESTION 1: Enjoy the poems. This seems far more important than trying to puzzle out what the author meant (or what other people believe the author meant). SUGGESTION 2: Engage with the poems by asking questions…. SUGGESTION 3: Be your own boss. Read the poems in order or jump around as you see fit. Share them or savor them all by yourself. Say them aloud or whisper their words in your heart. Poetry makes life better. There is NO wrong way to experience a poem. So, read on, dear friend. And thank you for choosing poetry.

Genres: Poetry, Nature, Picture Books

64 pages, Hardcover

Published August 2, 2022

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the art accompanying these short poems. I like the questions to help you think more deeply about the meaning and the little prompts for further engagement. Also helpful are the definitions of words that many might not know.



Star Ratings:

⭐: DNF or not worth your time

⭐⭐: a decent read, but probably not recommended

⭐⭐⭐: a worthwhile read, but probably only once

⭐⭐⭐⭐: really liked it, think you should read it, too

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: a must read for everyone, and worthy of re-reading again and again.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rewarded myself with this book with a gift certificate that my husband had given me after I completed a goal. What a treasure. The poems are wonderful, and I will enjoy reading them again and again and again. The illustrations are marvelous. I enjoyed savoring each one.

[Charlotte S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated book includes over two dozen poems by Robert Frost, perfect for any season. I love that this book also includes definitions of 'old-fashioned' words or abbreviations, to make the poems easily understandable.
There are also sections labeled 'engage' and 'imagine,' which include questions so you can better understand the poems, and prompts such as 'what's your haiku version of this poem?'
We love using this book for our morning basket in our homeschool.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

thank you for reading my review! Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for book reviews!

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations with interesting thoughts about the poems. However, I found this book in the "children's" section of the library or with a "J" call number and I feel that this book is more inclined to the young adult area or middle/high school students. I think a little more explanation of the poems would have been helpful (I know -- poetry should be interpreted by reader, but still), especially if the book is intended for the primary grades.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our books today are The Illustrated Robert Frost and The Illustrated Emily Dickinson – both edited by Ryan G. Van Cleave and illustrated by David Miles – collections of the famous poets’ work geared toward young readers.

Collecting twenty-five of each poet’s short works, these illustrated editions pair the poems of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost with lush mixed-media art and early-level analysis to help bookworms understand how to read the poems critically. Each poem has a two-page spread that includes sidebars that help the reader “Engage” (answer questions about the poem), “Imagine” (expand upon the poem’s content), and “Define” (learn the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words). Readers can immerse themselves in famous works like “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers” and “The Road Not Taken,” as well as dozens more in these early appreciation volumes.

Interesting. Flat out, I have two different reviews for each book. As a concept, I think this works wonderfully; by giving young readers a roadmap to poetry analysis, the books help kids engage with material that may be too dense otherwise. Particularly helpful are the plain-speech descriptions in the notes of the afterword, which could have honestly been included on the page of each poem. However, some of the interpretations that Van Cleave includes are not widely accepted ones, and occasionally quite watered down for the younger audience. His selection of Dickinson’s poetry fares alright under this, but Frost’s less so. The artwork, a mixture of public domain and stock images, works sometimes and doesn’t others. While it definitely creates atmosphere, it’s typically pretty obvious that the artwork was not created FOR the poem it accompanies. Also, diverse representation is practically nonexistent – nearly every person that appears is white. The length is best for middle grade or older elementary readers, and JJ enjoyed a poem or two, but quickly lost interest. Overall, I would recommend these to fans of the poets’ work, especially the Dickinson title, but if you skip them, you’re not missing too much. Overall though, Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to the Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to a wonderful adult learning teacher, Dr Bill Coates, I have developed a love of poetry. This collection has all the
frost poems I like, and several less familiar to me. The illustrations are gorgeouc collages, and greatly enhance the experience. Because this is meant to be a children's book, there are commentary and questions which make this a very worthwhile purchase.

[Julie Koon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautifully illustrated, and offers an accessible look at Robert Frost's poetry for the very young. It offers great questions to help kids think deeper about the poems as well. Fantastic!

[Chrysti Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moat beautiful illustrations to go with hs best works. I appreciated the side sections that ask questions to engage, imagine, and define. In the back is 10 fun facts as well as a breakdown of the poems. I learned a great deal about this amazing poet.

[Sam Goyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually have trouble understanding poetry, but the commentary and self-reflective questions helps to grasp this collection of Robert Frost’s most famous works. Illustrations nicely complement the poetry.

[A Lyric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a pretty little book!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeously illustrated collection of Robert Frost's poems--a perfect choice for January's Morning Time.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my favorite poems; probably the most quoted in our household!