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Carver: A Life in Poems
George Washington Carver was born a slave in Missouri about 1864 and was raised by the childless white couple who had owned his mother. In 1877 he left home in search of an education, eventually earning a master's degree. In 1896, Booker T. Washington invited Carver to start the agricultural department at the all-black-staffed Tuskegee Institute, where he spent the rest of his life seeking solutions to the poverty among landless black farmers by developing new uses for soil-replenishing crops such as peanuts, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes. Carver's achievements as a botanist and inventor were balanced by his gifts as a painter, musician, and teacher. This Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book by Marilyn Nelson provides a compelling and revealing portrait of Carver's complex, richly interior, profoundly devout life.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 1997
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1536 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Nelson
57 books158 followersMarilyn Nelson is the author of many acclaimed books for young people and adults, including CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS, a Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL, a Printz Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book. She also translated THE LADDER, a picture book by Halfdan Rasmussen. She lives in East Haddam, Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
March 3, 2014
It’s a challenge to review this wonderful book. It is a beautiful biography and equally lovely verse novel? For poetry, which sometimes seems slim, Marilyn Nelson manages to include not only the facts of this scientist, but his consistent passion for learning, for his God and his people, and for the arts. Even in school I learned of his tireless and genius work in the use of peanuts, but I did not know he drove miles on country roads, teaching poor sharecroppers how to make the best of their crops, and how to store them, and use the weeds available as food. I did not know of his generosity in sharing every one of his discoveries, asking no more than the cost of a postage stamp in order to mail the explanation. There is a line that fits his history to me: “They know that history/is a jetsam of stardust.” It’s an inspiring story with small moments of Carver’s life included with the large ones. There are some few photographs included that are good to see.
June 10, 2014
An excellent telling of Carver's life through poetry . . . I don't think I would have appreciated or understood this book as a middle-schooler but as an adult, who admires Carver, I enjoyed how well the author is able to convey personality and life story through poems. Carver's accomplishments were even more amazing than I realized; his creativity extended to art as well as science. My favorite poem was "1905" reminding us that Einstein and Carver were contemporaries and both geniuses. Booker T. Washington is also a presence in many of these poems -- again, I'm amazed at how well the poems give the essence of personalities and emotions in such few words. Just a few small black and white photographs were included with some of the poems but they were lovely and added another level of understanding to text.
October 20, 2014
Who knew that the life of George Washington Carver---who we knew as a colored peanut scientist---could be so lyrical? Marilyn Nelson's careful research combined with her meditative word-craft deepens my appreciation of who I thought the man was. Very moving and made me say: "I didn't know poetry could do that!"
December 8, 2011
1. Genre: poetry, junior books
2. Summary: This book of poems tells the story of George Washington Carver, the amazing botanist and inventor who became famous for his peanut plants. Carver was raised in the 1860's by white salve owners and eventually set out on his own to receive an education earning his master's degree in agriculture.
3. Critique:
a.) For me, the strength of these poems are the information that are introduced.
b.) Unfortunately, the only thing I really ever knew about Carver is that he was raised by slave owners and made the peanut plant famous. These poems do such a great job of introducing new details and information on the life of George Washington Carver that I never would have known without reading these poems.
c.) For example, I had heard of the Tuskeege Institute but I had never known that Booker T. Washington himself invited Carver to join him at the institue which was presented in the poem, "Called." (pg. 33)As I said before, I have always known the Carver was a slave but I had never heard the details of the actual story of how he was sold and bought by a white slave owner family which I found out in the first poem, "Out of Slave's Ransom." (pg. 9) Reading this collection of poems will allow you to get to know the details of George Washington Carver's life.
4. Curriculum Connection: I would read this book to older elementary students and middle school students. This would be the perfect social studies connection. Students could learn about the life of Carver and then study the machines that were made to help aid the production of crops like peanuts and cotton. The students could do some sort of research project on crop machines and how they help the industry.
2. Summary: This book of poems tells the story of George Washington Carver, the amazing botanist and inventor who became famous for his peanut plants. Carver was raised in the 1860's by white salve owners and eventually set out on his own to receive an education earning his master's degree in agriculture.
3. Critique:
a.) For me, the strength of these poems are the information that are introduced.
b.) Unfortunately, the only thing I really ever knew about Carver is that he was raised by slave owners and made the peanut plant famous. These poems do such a great job of introducing new details and information on the life of George Washington Carver that I never would have known without reading these poems.
c.) For example, I had heard of the Tuskeege Institute but I had never known that Booker T. Washington himself invited Carver to join him at the institue which was presented in the poem, "Called." (pg. 33)As I said before, I have always known the Carver was a slave but I had never heard the details of the actual story of how he was sold and bought by a white slave owner family which I found out in the first poem, "Out of Slave's Ransom." (pg. 9) Reading this collection of poems will allow you to get to know the details of George Washington Carver's life.
4. Curriculum Connection: I would read this book to older elementary students and middle school students. This would be the perfect social studies connection. Students could learn about the life of Carver and then study the machines that were made to help aid the production of crops like peanuts and cotton. The students could do some sort of research project on crop machines and how they help the industry.
March 26, 2017
I learned a lot about George Washington Carver from this collection of poems. Some favorites:
9-10 Out of "Slave's Ransom" - story of the reward given to "slave fetcher" who brought baby George back to the Carvers, the white owners/former owners who raised him and his brother.
11 Prayer of the Ivory-Handled Knife - Susan Carver's imagined thoughts - "What kind of freedom can we raise them to? They will always be strangers in this strange, hate-filled land."
17 The Perceiving Self - This phrase recurs in other poems in reference to George - pages 16, 25
48 Clay
49 Egyptian Blue
51-52 The Sweet-Hearts - "He talked about the lilies of the field, about feeding the multitudes with the miracle of the peanut and the sweet potato."
76 Goliath
77 House Ways and Means - the grace George showed under taunt from member of committee of U.S. House of Representatives
78 Arachis Hypogaea - ode to the peanut
Note that in the Author's Acknowlegments, she thanks Peter Burchard, "whose as-yet-unfinished biography tells the fuller story." As of 2017, that book is still in progress; its title is to be George Washington Carver For Us Now.
9-10 Out of "Slave's Ransom" - story of the reward given to "slave fetcher" who brought baby George back to the Carvers, the white owners/former owners who raised him and his brother.
11 Prayer of the Ivory-Handled Knife - Susan Carver's imagined thoughts - "What kind of freedom can we raise them to? They will always be strangers in this strange, hate-filled land."
17 The Perceiving Self - This phrase recurs in other poems in reference to George - pages 16, 25
48 Clay
49 Egyptian Blue
51-52 The Sweet-Hearts - "He talked about the lilies of the field, about feeding the multitudes with the miracle of the peanut and the sweet potato."
76 Goliath
77 House Ways and Means - the grace George showed under taunt from member of committee of U.S. House of Representatives
78 Arachis Hypogaea - ode to the peanut
Note that in the Author's Acknowlegments, she thanks Peter Burchard, "whose as-yet-unfinished biography tells the fuller story." As of 2017, that book is still in progress; its title is to be George Washington Carver For Us Now.
January 23, 2009
Summary: This novel of poems tells of the events and the influences of the life of George Washington Carver. The poems reflect the different places Carver lived and work as well as the different people who knew him; they are accompanied by photos and artifacts from his life.
Response: I would not have thought of telling a biography through poetry, but Carver comes across as such a quiet, reflective, inner person, that the poems become the perfect way to learn about him. I felt I was able to understand all the influences on him, of the people who taught and supported him, to better understand how he became such a multi-faceted inventor and artist. At the same time, he came through as very real, a little quirky and very serious about his passion for his work. Nelson is an amazing writer and poet who seemed able to represent the voices of a variety of people who lived long ago and who knew an extraordinary person.
POETRY/BIOGRAPHY
Response: I would not have thought of telling a biography through poetry, but Carver comes across as such a quiet, reflective, inner person, that the poems become the perfect way to learn about him. I felt I was able to understand all the influences on him, of the people who taught and supported him, to better understand how he became such a multi-faceted inventor and artist. At the same time, he came through as very real, a little quirky and very serious about his passion for his work. Nelson is an amazing writer and poet who seemed able to represent the voices of a variety of people who lived long ago and who knew an extraordinary person.
POETRY/BIOGRAPHY
April 25, 2007
What an unusual and compelling take on a biography. Nelson has such an amazing grasp on her use of language and imagery. I found myself writing down lines from the poems for their sheer beauty: “At the feet of every listener who hears/ the promise of dawn in the wilderness,/ the peach-luscious, unashamed curves/ of naked ambition.” Peach-luscious, unashamed curves! How wonderful. It was helpful for me to have the facts at the bottom of each poem, though—the one obvious trade-off of doing a biography in poems is that it becomes more difficult to pack in the non-fiction information.
October 16, 2023
Poetry is pretty neat, and so was George Washington Carver
January 26, 2011
Carver: a life in poems by Marilyn Nelson
This book follows the life of George Washington Carver from his childhood to his old age. Each poem is from a different perspective following the chronological order of Carver's life. Some poems have visuals and a short background statement, which allows for extra explanation of the poem. What I particularly enjoyed were all the perspectives; at times, it was as if I had a mystery of a man in front of me and I was to parse out the meaning of all these documents. The function of the poetic form truly matches the character and personality of Carver. Each poem and perspective create a picture full of shades of gray while illuminating subjects such as racism and stereotypes of African-American people at the beginning of the 20th century. This time period is such a unique time with great African-American historical figures that Carver can get lost in the mainstream history books. These poems create a sense of understanding and closeness to a historical figure who accomplished more than is known. For example, one of my favorite poems is "Egyptian Blue" on page 49. This poem describes how Carver found the most pure form of blue ink and simply shared the formula with anyone and everyone who asked and that same ink is still used in many forms today. I think this exemplifies Carver's impact, personality, and graciousness.
Also, the language was particularly reminiscent of the historical time period and genuine as well as authentic as far as I was able to ascertain. I am not particularly knowledgeable about the historical language used, but the themes, style, and words did convey a much older time period that was wrought with open racism and oppositional views of African Americans.
On the other hand, the language also made some parts of certain poems inaccessible at first. The language and vocabulary used, especially the scientific names, created an esoteric language that I did not have access to without some background knowledge. Such poems as "The Wild Garden" on page 70 and "Cercospora" on page 31 mention several flower and plant types that I was unsure of until I researched what they were. These could obviously become teachable moments along with the poems that included some questionable language that was derogatory towards African Americans. Also, some poems lacked enough background information to fully understand their meaning. Not all poems had the short timeline statement and some only stated the perspective and date, which were not specific enough to fully understand the poem and its importance to Carver's life.
I truly enjoyed the mystery and symbolism throughout the book, but some aspects of the language and background could have been explained in more depth to add depth to Carver's personality and experiences. I think that this would be a great way to get students interested in this lesser known African American historical figure and the time period he lived in. Additionally, I think that the varied way in which the book is written allows for a greater use in the classroom and a larger audience. I would recommend that this book be used with 8th-12th graders who would be able to more fully appreciate the literary elements and mature themes.
This book follows the life of George Washington Carver from his childhood to his old age. Each poem is from a different perspective following the chronological order of Carver's life. Some poems have visuals and a short background statement, which allows for extra explanation of the poem. What I particularly enjoyed were all the perspectives; at times, it was as if I had a mystery of a man in front of me and I was to parse out the meaning of all these documents. The function of the poetic form truly matches the character and personality of Carver. Each poem and perspective create a picture full of shades of gray while illuminating subjects such as racism and stereotypes of African-American people at the beginning of the 20th century. This time period is such a unique time with great African-American historical figures that Carver can get lost in the mainstream history books. These poems create a sense of understanding and closeness to a historical figure who accomplished more than is known. For example, one of my favorite poems is "Egyptian Blue" on page 49. This poem describes how Carver found the most pure form of blue ink and simply shared the formula with anyone and everyone who asked and that same ink is still used in many forms today. I think this exemplifies Carver's impact, personality, and graciousness.
Also, the language was particularly reminiscent of the historical time period and genuine as well as authentic as far as I was able to ascertain. I am not particularly knowledgeable about the historical language used, but the themes, style, and words did convey a much older time period that was wrought with open racism and oppositional views of African Americans.
On the other hand, the language also made some parts of certain poems inaccessible at first. The language and vocabulary used, especially the scientific names, created an esoteric language that I did not have access to without some background knowledge. Such poems as "The Wild Garden" on page 70 and "Cercospora" on page 31 mention several flower and plant types that I was unsure of until I researched what they were. These could obviously become teachable moments along with the poems that included some questionable language that was derogatory towards African Americans. Also, some poems lacked enough background information to fully understand their meaning. Not all poems had the short timeline statement and some only stated the perspective and date, which were not specific enough to fully understand the poem and its importance to Carver's life.
I truly enjoyed the mystery and symbolism throughout the book, but some aspects of the language and background could have been explained in more depth to add depth to Carver's personality and experiences. I think that this would be a great way to get students interested in this lesser known African American historical figure and the time period he lived in. Additionally, I think that the varied way in which the book is written allows for a greater use in the classroom and a larger audience. I would recommend that this book be used with 8th-12th graders who would be able to more fully appreciate the literary elements and mature themes.
January 6, 2009
I knew next to nothing about George Washington Carver before reading this book – just a vague recollection about peanuts. Reading Carver: A Life in Poems was a wonderful revelation. The poems were beautiful and provided a rich portrait of an amazing man. This book was much more revealing than an ordinary biography. The small black and white photographs perfectly complement the poems. One of the poems notes that Carver always had a fresh flower in his lapel, even in winter. In many of the pictures in the book, you can see the flower. Beautiful. After reading Nelson’s book, I looked at some additional information about Carver. One description I read, called him a “black Leonardo”. Carver was truly, a renaissance man with multiple talents, who overcame many challenges.
The injustices Carver faced are documented in many of the poems. Two that made an impression on me were about lynching. In 1879 Carver witnesses a lynching and the poem The Perceiving Self describes this horror. Another poem, Goliath, is also about lynching. This poem is later in the book (probably early 1920’s); so lynching continued. Carver’s students wonder where is God; how can this happen. Carver advises do not fear and do not lose contact with God. Carver sums up his philosophy to the students, “But David slew Goliath with the only things he knew: the slingshot of intelligence, and one pebble of truth.”
How a Dream Dies is one of my favorite poems. Booker T. Washington dies as World War I rages. Carver finds it hard to go on with his life. Together they were an amazing team – “winning back the birthright of the disinherited.” The photograph with this poem is of Carver, but the caption notes that a monument at Tuskegee in his honor shows him lifting a veil from the eyes of a slave rising from a kneeling position. This refers to an earlier poem, Veil-Raisers which describes the partnership of Washington and Carver – “two veil-raisers. Walking our people into history.”
I loved the last poem and the picture of Nelson’s father, a Tuskegee Airman. Clearly, Carver was a peace loving man who hated war. The juxtaposition of Carver with his quest for bettering the lives of people through agriculture and the Tuskegee Airman finally being allowed to join other U.S. troops in WWII is deeply moving.
The injustices Carver faced are documented in many of the poems. Two that made an impression on me were about lynching. In 1879 Carver witnesses a lynching and the poem The Perceiving Self describes this horror. Another poem, Goliath, is also about lynching. This poem is later in the book (probably early 1920’s); so lynching continued. Carver’s students wonder where is God; how can this happen. Carver advises do not fear and do not lose contact with God. Carver sums up his philosophy to the students, “But David slew Goliath with the only things he knew: the slingshot of intelligence, and one pebble of truth.”
How a Dream Dies is one of my favorite poems. Booker T. Washington dies as World War I rages. Carver finds it hard to go on with his life. Together they were an amazing team – “winning back the birthright of the disinherited.” The photograph with this poem is of Carver, but the caption notes that a monument at Tuskegee in his honor shows him lifting a veil from the eyes of a slave rising from a kneeling position. This refers to an earlier poem, Veil-Raisers which describes the partnership of Washington and Carver – “two veil-raisers. Walking our people into history.”
I loved the last poem and the picture of Nelson’s father, a Tuskegee Airman. Clearly, Carver was a peace loving man who hated war. The juxtaposition of Carver with his quest for bettering the lives of people through agriculture and the Tuskegee Airman finally being allowed to join other U.S. troops in WWII is deeply moving.
September 30, 2018
This book is a beautiful and exciting way to learn about an important man in the history of America, and of course in the history of African-Americans.
Don't be fooled by the initial appearance of this book. I know you've probably read about tons of other people who were considered extraordinary, but this book is special because we feel like we get to know Carver on a personal level.
The two most important tactics to use whilst reading this book: remembering context/seeing things from Carver's perspective, and looking things up that come up that you don't know about. This will enhance your historical experience and allow you to appreciate all that Carver did. He was and continues to be a shining example and beacon of hope to African-Americans, and anyone else who experienced severe discrimination because of something arbitrary like race or sexuality.
I promise you this book will make you fall in love with Carver. Nelson portrays him as a sweet, charming, and unbelievably intelligent man who touched everyone who came into his life, despite the difficulties he faced finding an education and being accepted by his peers. This book is excellent because it is both an exciting read AND it helps you learn something about real life. Bonus: it's a relatively easy read because it's made up of short poems, so it's highly accessible.
I would suggest this book to absolutely ANYONE who loves reading.
Don't be fooled by the initial appearance of this book. I know you've probably read about tons of other people who were considered extraordinary, but this book is special because we feel like we get to know Carver on a personal level.
The two most important tactics to use whilst reading this book: remembering context/seeing things from Carver's perspective, and looking things up that come up that you don't know about. This will enhance your historical experience and allow you to appreciate all that Carver did. He was and continues to be a shining example and beacon of hope to African-Americans, and anyone else who experienced severe discrimination because of something arbitrary like race or sexuality.
I promise you this book will make you fall in love with Carver. Nelson portrays him as a sweet, charming, and unbelievably intelligent man who touched everyone who came into his life, despite the difficulties he faced finding an education and being accepted by his peers. This book is excellent because it is both an exciting read AND it helps you learn something about real life. Bonus: it's a relatively easy read because it's made up of short poems, so it's highly accessible.
I would suggest this book to absolutely ANYONE who loves reading.
September 20, 2018
Another book read for school. I don't typically read books in verse, but this was a nice little book. Very engaging and informative.
April 19, 2020
I had to purchase my own copy of this volume after I finished. I found it both moving and informative and that is no small feat for a small book of poetry. What a unique way of offering us a man's life, through poems. And what a man George Washington Carver was, one of my heroes.
A few glimpses:
"I should appreciate it very much if the memory of the great scientist George W. Carver would be honored..." -Albert Einstein
"To let oneself seem inferior to what one is is the supreme attribute of virtue." -Leo Tolstoy
"I thoroughly understand that there are scientists to whom the world is merely the result of chemical forces or material electrons. I do not belong in this class." -G.W. Carver
"A personal relationship with the Great Creator of all things is the only foundation for the abundant life. The farther we get away from self, the greater life will be." -G.W. Carver
"George was holding a black-eyed Susan,
talking about how the seed
this flower grew from
carried a message from a flower
that bloomed a million years ago,
and how this flower
would send a message on
to a flower that was going to bloom
in a million more years.
Praise Jesus, I'll never forget it."
"He looks down at the brown road map
printed in his yellow palms.
Your life may be the only Bible
some people will know.
He rises."
"He taught us that our Creator lives within,
yearning to speak to us through silent prayer;
that all of nature, if we'll just tune in,
is a vast broadcasting system; that the air
carries a current we can plug into:
'Your Creator', he said, 'is itching to contact you!'"
And one full poem that I simply must share:
When I die I will live again.
By nature I am a conserver.
I have found Nature
to be a conserver too.
Nothing is wasted
or permanently lost
in Nature. Things
change their form,
but they do not cease
to exist. After
I leave this world
I do not believe I am through.
God would be a bigger fool
than even a man
if He did not conserve
the human soul,
which seems to be
the most important thing
He has yet done in the universe.
When you get your grip
on the last rung of the ladder
and look over the wall
as I am not doing,
you don't need their proofs:
You see
You know
you will not die.
A few glimpses:
"I should appreciate it very much if the memory of the great scientist George W. Carver would be honored..." -Albert Einstein
"To let oneself seem inferior to what one is is the supreme attribute of virtue." -Leo Tolstoy
"I thoroughly understand that there are scientists to whom the world is merely the result of chemical forces or material electrons. I do not belong in this class." -G.W. Carver
"A personal relationship with the Great Creator of all things is the only foundation for the abundant life. The farther we get away from self, the greater life will be." -G.W. Carver
"George was holding a black-eyed Susan,
talking about how the seed
this flower grew from
carried a message from a flower
that bloomed a million years ago,
and how this flower
would send a message on
to a flower that was going to bloom
in a million more years.
Praise Jesus, I'll never forget it."
"He looks down at the brown road map
printed in his yellow palms.
Your life may be the only Bible
some people will know.
He rises."
"He taught us that our Creator lives within,
yearning to speak to us through silent prayer;
that all of nature, if we'll just tune in,
is a vast broadcasting system; that the air
carries a current we can plug into:
'Your Creator', he said, 'is itching to contact you!'"
And one full poem that I simply must share:
When I die I will live again.
By nature I am a conserver.
I have found Nature
to be a conserver too.
Nothing is wasted
or permanently lost
in Nature. Things
change their form,
but they do not cease
to exist. After
I leave this world
I do not believe I am through.
God would be a bigger fool
than even a man
if He did not conserve
the human soul,
which seems to be
the most important thing
He has yet done in the universe.
When you get your grip
on the last rung of the ladder
and look over the wall
as I am not doing,
you don't need their proofs:
You see
You know
you will not die.
November 1, 2020
I am very interested in Carver's life now. If i ever manage to commit myself to full-grown biographies , then i just might discover more details about his love life.
I generally got the impression that this book is meant for kids so it was bold (and i think correct) to include the lynching poem.
On a different note, though, the photo captions made me think about the words we use about slavery. Moses Carter owned George not Moses enslaved George. George's mother was stolen rather than abducted or kidnapped. I think it's time to change that.
I generally got the impression that this book is meant for kids so it was bold (and i think correct) to include the lynching poem.
On a different note, though, the photo captions made me think about the words we use about slavery. Moses Carter owned George not Moses enslaved George. George's mother was stolen rather than abducted or kidnapped. I think it's time to change that.
March 31, 2024
I thought this book was wonderful. Carver has been one of my heroes since I first read his biography in high school. I loved this way of telling his life through short poems. Also has some photographs, that I wish were bigger.
December 6, 2023
A few times I felt like I was reading something for school, but I enjoyed learning a little more about Carver and his story.
April 21, 2016
Marilyn Nelson started evoking Carver's spirit at about the halfway point in this book with the poem "Bedside Reading." That poem sprang off the page and made me feel a connection to the man, and helped me to imagine what he was like.
Most of the writing that came before it fell short. Nelson made the questionable decision to describe Carver's early life through comments by secondary characters. I found myself craving something from Carver's perspective, or even from the perspective of a well-drawn supporting character. I think Nelson's work would have been strengthened by using word "I" more often to establish voice.
After the book comes into focus at the halfway mark, it is mostly solid. Carver's personality gradually grows and becomes more and more connected to the reader. I was glad to see Nelson deal with Carver's religious perspective on his scientific work- I find that one of the most interesting things about the man.
Most of the writing that came before it fell short. Nelson made the questionable decision to describe Carver's early life through comments by secondary characters. I found myself craving something from Carver's perspective, or even from the perspective of a well-drawn supporting character. I think Nelson's work would have been strengthened by using word "I" more often to establish voice.
After the book comes into focus at the halfway mark, it is mostly solid. Carver's personality gradually grows and becomes more and more connected to the reader. I was glad to see Nelson deal with Carver's religious perspective on his scientific work- I find that one of the most interesting things about the man.
April 15, 2012
It is well known the impact and importance of George Washington Carver's life, but the details these poems share about his rise to significance are insightful. The poem that truly imparts enlightenment on his true magnificence is entitled "Green - Thumb Boy." When a new boy to the college attempts to shun Carver with dramatic flair and ends up suffering the fate he attempted to dish out, it reflects the charm and overwhelming charisma Carver displayed, not to mention his ingenuity. He lived a tremendous life that Nelson captures beautifully in verse. This is a must read for every young person of color.
May 7, 2012
Nancy Price - Poetry: Carver a life in poems by Marilyn Nelson
I’m not one for reading poetry but this book does a very nice job of telling a story through verse. Each of the poems contained in this book tells the story of an important part of the life of George Washington Carver. He was born a slave sometime around 1864 and was raised by the white couple that had owned his mother. The very first poem tells how his mother had run away and the Carver’s sent someone out looking for the slave girl and her son. Only the baby was brought back and the Carver’s took him in as one of their own. Each poem adds to the tale and tells us about Carver’s achievements and complex life.
I’m not one for reading poetry but this book does a very nice job of telling a story through verse. Each of the poems contained in this book tells the story of an important part of the life of George Washington Carver. He was born a slave sometime around 1864 and was raised by the white couple that had owned his mother. The very first poem tells how his mother had run away and the Carver’s sent someone out looking for the slave girl and her son. Only the baby was brought back and the Carver’s took him in as one of their own. Each poem adds to the tale and tells us about Carver’s achievements and complex life.
February 18, 2011
I really enjoy the poems in this book, and think it is a wonderful companion piece to any biography of George Washington Carver. Each poem tells his life story from a different perspective. The only reason I don't give the book four stars is because I don't think it is truly accessible for intermediate readers. My students enjoy the poems, but would not be able to do so without my support and a strong background knowledge of GWC.
January 27, 2016
"When I die I will live again./By nature I am a conserver./I have found Nature/to be a conserver, too" (95). What a wonderful way to memorialize and create a new vision of George Washington Carver's tremendous life and gifts. Paired with photographs and a timeline, each poem captures Carver's spiritual and intellectual commitments and the thoughts, fears, and meditations of those around him. Wonderful.
October 29, 2018
This book helped me to realized that I want to learn more about George Washington Carver’s very interesting life. I had no idea he was such a Renaissance man and an absolute genius. Sadly, this book of poems didn’t do much to teach the reader about his life. It offered, often confusing, glimpses into his life from frequently unknown perspectives. I just didn’t get it. And I highly doubt a young reader would either. Off to find a biography of GWC to fill all of the gaps left by this book...
April 24, 2021
I'm always excited to see a nonfiction on the Newbery list because I typically find them better written than the fiction books.
I enjoyed learning about GWC. I didn't know much about his life. I typically just think "peanuts," and that's all I know.
I typically love books written in poem format, but this one was sometimes a bit frustrating. I had a hard time really understanding the information the poems were trying to get across.
I enjoyed learning about GWC. I didn't know much about his life. I typically just think "peanuts," and that's all I know.
I typically love books written in poem format, but this one was sometimes a bit frustrating. I had a hard time really understanding the information the poems were trying to get across.
February 27, 2014
I found this book exceptionally moving and beautiful. Like a good biography should, it imparts the spirit of Carver, making him feel real and close and beautiful. The telling of his life in poems seems to be an appropriate way to honor the life of a creative, spiritual scientist. I lingered over this book, reading a poem our two at a time to make it last.
September 23, 2015
I *loved* this book. Marilyn Nelson is a wonderful poet, accessible, channeling the voices of historical figures, and telling their stories. I can feel love coming through, love and care, respect. I also loved her Fortune's Bones. I learned much about Carver (and was inspired to read more about him elsewhere). She's done him a great honor, and given us a marvelous portrait.
September 23, 2007
I've never read anything else like this. I learned a lot about Carver through this poetry-biography, and was just blown away by Nelson's writing. I recommended it to a mom who came to get a book about Carver for her 11 or 12 year old, but warned her that it was slightly graphic.
June 12, 2010
Informative and lyrical, but didn't touch me in the way many poetic story collections do.
December 31, 2018
Perfect.
Read
March 10, 2024Read for Newbery club in Children's Books group. I've got to admit, I struggled. I'm sure I don't understand half of what Nelson was sharing. I don't know how most teens would do any better. The photos do help.
But! It's absolutely worth trying to read. So much can be learned just from the lines in which even a naive reader can see grace and power. I think it's better if read along with a traditional biography. I looked at Nelson's acknowledgements page and figured out that I probably should try to find Carver: A Great Soul by Peter D. Burchard.
The book makes it plain just how much we lost by not recognizing and supporting his genius. For example, how much better a world would we live in if we used peanuts for plastics, instead of petroleum?!
#OwnVoices
But! It's absolutely worth trying to read. So much can be learned just from the lines in which even a naive reader can see grace and power. I think it's better if read along with a traditional biography. I looked at Nelson's acknowledgements page and figured out that I probably should try to find Carver: A Great Soul by Peter D. Burchard.
The book makes it plain just how much we lost by not recognizing and supporting his genius. For example, how much better a world would we live in if we used peanuts for plastics, instead of petroleum?!
#OwnVoices
September 24, 2020
GOOD, but not the best. I do have a couple favorite poems though
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