What do you think?
Rate this book
Poetry for Young People
Robert Browning
Robert Browning's poetry has mysteries and a beauty of language that youngsters will love exploring, from the classic and beloved Pied Piper of Hamelin to the charming verse play Pippa Passes. Perfect for parents to read aloud or along with their children, and accompanied by striking artwork, here is a selection of some of Browning's most reader-friendly works. Several paintings compellingly capture Pied Piper's drama: the Piper, smiling as he offers his services; the rats fleeing the town in droves; and the entranced children who will soon be lost forever. Home Thoughts from Abroad ("Oh, to be in England, Now that April's there...") features illustrations of the countryside in full bloom. There are 25 excerpts in all, fully annotated to enrich young readers' understanding of these poems.
Dr. Eileen Gillooly earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University, where she is Director of the Core Curriculum and teaches nineteenth-century literature and culture. She has also edited another entry in the Poetry for Young People series on Rudyard Kipling.
Joel Spector's work appears regularly in books, in newspapers such as the New York Times, in magazines such as Business Week, Good Housekeeping, and Newsweek, and throughout Europe and in Japan. He lives in Connecticut.
Dr. Eileen Gillooly earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University, where she is Director of the Core Curriculum and teaches nineteenth-century literature and culture. She has also edited another entry in the Poetry for Young People series on Rudyard Kipling.
Joel Spector's work appears regularly in books, in newspapers such as the New York Times, in magazines such as Business Week, Good Housekeeping, and Newsweek, and throughout Europe and in Japan. He lives in Connecticut.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
1 person is currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Robert Browning
2,745 books459 followersRobert Browning (1812-1889) was a British poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.
Browning began writing poetry at age 13. These poems were eventually collected, but were later destroyed by Browning himself. In 1833, Browning's "Pauline" was published and received a cool reception. Harold Bloom believes that John Stuart Mill's review of the poem pointed Browning in the direction of the dramatic monologue.
In 1845, Browning wrote a letter to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, professing that he loved her poetry and her. In 1846, the couple eloped to Europe, eventually settling in Florence in 1847. They had a son Pen.
Upon Elizabeth Barrett Browning's death in 1861, Browning returned to London with his son. While in London, he published Dramatis Personae (1864) and The Ring and the Book (1869), both of which gained him critical priase and respect. His last book Asolando was published in 1889 when the poet was 77.
In 1889, Browning traveled to Italy to visit friends. He died in Venice on December 12 while visiting his sister.
Browning began writing poetry at age 13. These poems were eventually collected, but were later destroyed by Browning himself. In 1833, Browning's "Pauline" was published and received a cool reception. Harold Bloom believes that John Stuart Mill's review of the poem pointed Browning in the direction of the dramatic monologue.
In 1845, Browning wrote a letter to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, professing that he loved her poetry and her. In 1846, the couple eloped to Europe, eventually settling in Florence in 1847. They had a son Pen.
Upon Elizabeth Barrett Browning's death in 1861, Browning returned to London with his son. While in London, he published Dramatis Personae (1864) and The Ring and the Book (1869), both of which gained him critical priase and respect. His last book Asolando was published in 1889 when the poet was 77.
In 1889, Browning traveled to Italy to visit friends. He died in Venice on December 12 while visiting his sister.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 16, 2011
"My Last Duchess"? Really? Because we are all so eager to explain uxoricide to the children?
To be fair, most of the poems Gillooly selects are easier to understand (and less disturbing) than this one, but they still don't seem especially suited for children. Not inappropriate, just not especially interesting, either. I'd give the same assessment of the illustrations.
To be fair, most of the poems Gillooly selects are easier to understand (and less disturbing) than this one, but they still don't seem especially suited for children. Not inappropriate, just not especially interesting, either. I'd give the same assessment of the illustrations.
February 21, 2018
This edition in this wonderful series chooses a 'difficult' poet. Even his wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, asked of him more "clarity." Yet many of his works are part of our common heritage:
"God's in his heaven--
All's right with the world" is from *Pippa's Song*.
Browning wrote up and popularized the folktale of *The Pied Piper*.
"Oh to be in England
Now that April's there" is from *Home-Thoughts, from Abroad*.
"Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be" is from *Rabbi Ben Ezra*.
So, you see, if you want more good poems, check out Browning. If you can, explore this collection first as the art, guide notes, vocabulary key, and presentation enliven & enrich his work.
My favorite is brand-new to me. I don't much know/ understand the history referenced by *Through the Metidja to Abd-El-Kadr* but I love the emphatic rhythm/sound of the poem, esp. the chorus, "As I ride, as I ride!" Makes me want to take up horseback riding so I can chant that as we go.
"God's in his heaven--
All's right with the world" is from *Pippa's Song*.
Browning wrote up and popularized the folktale of *The Pied Piper*.
"Oh to be in England
Now that April's there" is from *Home-Thoughts, from Abroad*.
"Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be" is from *Rabbi Ben Ezra*.
So, you see, if you want more good poems, check out Browning. If you can, explore this collection first as the art, guide notes, vocabulary key, and presentation enliven & enrich his work.
My favorite is brand-new to me. I don't much know/ understand the history referenced by *Through the Metidja to Abd-El-Kadr* but I love the emphatic rhythm/sound of the poem, esp. the chorus, "As I ride, as I ride!" Makes me want to take up horseback riding so I can chant that as we go.
March 6, 2017
rating 2.5
My rating is for this particular collection of Browning's work, not for the poetry itself.
What age range is this targeting? Most of these verses are inappropriate for a young audience. The exception is The Pied Piper. It has been carefully abridged and is nicely illustrated.
My rating is for this particular collection of Browning's work, not for the poetry itself.
What age range is this targeting? Most of these verses are inappropriate for a young audience. The exception is The Pied Piper. It has been carefully abridged and is nicely illustrated.
January 4, 2018
Given how the introduction starts out by harping on how obscure Browning's poetry is, I would hardly have thought him a fit choice for a children's picture book. They did manage to find some that worked well, but a lot of them did not seem at all suitable for grades 3-6, which is the suggested age range listed on Amazon. There's "My Last Duchess," about the Duke killing his wife, and then two poems and illustrations featuring men killed by gunshot wounds, just for a start. And even the rendition of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" is about kids being punished because the adults were jerks (that's in the original story, of course, but still.) Sheesh.
January 15, 2022
Some books gets low marks not because there is anything wrong with the book but because the reader just doesn't have the experience to understand the principles the author is putting forth. That is me with this book. I'm sure the poems are wonderful and some parts of them I like. But so many are of such tragedies that they are hard to read. And then again I'm sure that Robert Browning was writing about these tragedies so that we didn't repeat them. Joel Spector's art work was amazing! My favorite picture - one I wish I could buy for my own home - is on page 47.
June 3, 2023
Another poetry for young people book. Gorgeous museum-quality 5-star art!
I enjoy the write-ups about the authors at the beginning of each book.
I can't see the poetry in this book as for young people though.
"The Pied Piper of Hamelin: A Child's Story" was fun.
The tribute to his father, "Development" was sweet.
And "Prologue To Dramatic Idyls" amusing.
The rest of the poetry was varying levels of unintelligible for me. Admittedly poetry is not my favorite genre which is part of the reason I sought out these books, thinking perhaps if I could understand it better and learn more about the authors I would enjoy it more.
I enjoy the write-ups about the authors at the beginning of each book.
I can't see the poetry in this book as for young people though.
"The Pied Piper of Hamelin: A Child's Story" was fun.
The tribute to his father, "Development" was sweet.
And "Prologue To Dramatic Idyls" amusing.
The rest of the poetry was varying levels of unintelligible for me. Admittedly poetry is not my favorite genre which is part of the reason I sought out these books, thinking perhaps if I could understand it better and learn more about the authors I would enjoy it more.
May 10, 2017
We're really enjoying this series - as kids and adults. I love that the introduction covers the life and some explanation of the poetry as well.
February 23, 2023
I liked learning more about Robert Browning, but its no lie that he wrote not for easy understanding.
Read
May 15, 2025I read this collection of poems by Robert Browning in one of my literature classes when I was in college. It's a great read! Eileen Gillooly said the writer “takes on the character and psychology of another person, the same way an actor does in a play,” and that Browning's “goal was to portray ‘Action in character, rather than Character in Action,’ to dramatize the thoughts and feelings of his speakers, rather than their physical actions. He wanted to reveal their inner struggles and moral conflicts, to chart what he called the 'development of the soul.’”
I thought that was a wonderful insight made about Robert Browning's writing. He was a brilliant writer! As an aspiring author, a goal of mine is to put myself in the shoes of someone else and write active characters who impact readers. I only hope I can pull it off.
I thought that was a wonderful insight made about Robert Browning's writing. He was a brilliant writer! As an aspiring author, a goal of mine is to put myself in the shoes of someone else and write active characters who impact readers. I only hope I can pull it off.
March 31, 2022
Poetry for Young People is a collection of modified poems intended for younger generations to understand and learn from.
I, personally, rarely understood the poems in this book. The ones I did understand were okay. I prefer poems and stories by Edgar Allan Poe.
2/5 stars
I, personally, rarely understood the poems in this book. The ones I did understand were okay. I prefer poems and stories by Edgar Allan Poe.
2/5 stars
July 25, 2014
This book of poetry gets children to love exploring the classic Pied Piper stories, but done in poems. The gorgeous illustrations features the countryside and Pied Piper's story. I just love classic stories like this that are used into poems. The students will love the rhyming verses that they explore in this book. My favorite poem with when the rats follows Piper out of town. Plus, there are 25 excerpts to help students fully understand the poem. I think parents and teachers would love to use this book for shared reading.
April 15, 2011
An introduction to one of these poesm says "Browning was often difficult to understand"...that's an understatement. I'm an adult and I had trouble grasping most of the poems in this book. And I like poetry!! I love his wife's work; Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a genius.
June 27, 2012
I don't think Robert Browning was attempting to write his poetry for young people; nevertheless, I love the presentation of this book and want to read more in the poetry series. Good excerpts, brief explanations, and beautiful artwork. Great introduction in to the poet.
April 30, 2012
a good selection of poems
and information about the poems explaining them to children
i love the way this series presents the poems with beautiful pictures and explianations
and information about the poems explaining them to children
i love the way this series presents the poems with beautiful pictures and explianations
October 24, 2014
a great collection of poems for young children with explanations of the terminology, form and function of the poetry and the writer
November 17, 2014
I don't recommend this book to any one. It is probably the worst book I have ever read! It's hard to fallow and the poems are horrible. THIS BOOK WAS HORRIBLE!! DV
September 11, 2016
An amazing introduction to Browning's work.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews