Reviews: (by author)

Hollyer, Belinda, ed. The Kingfisher Book of Family Poems. Illus. Holly Swain. New York: Kingfisher (Houghton Mifflin), 2003. $18.95. ISBN 0-7534-
5557-9.

Kingfisher's poetry collection is a very good value for the classroom or the personal library. Aimed at young readers, the anthology presents simple poems—very little imagery or sophisticated poetic form. The poems express, most frequently, the child's point of view, emotions and observations and thus validate the youngster's experiences (though, of course, mediated through the adult writer). Many poems are funny (Ogden Nash, Jack Prelutsky), skeptical (Shel Silverstein), celebratory of ethnicity (Janet S. Wong, Lucille Clifton), expressive of "negative" emotion (Eve Merriam)—there are poems for just about every situation (Mommy doesn't live here anymore, for example) and every emotion. As an appealing, non-threatening (i.e. accessible) introduction to poetry that kids can read by themselves without needing explanation, I recommend this book.

Alida Allison, October 2003

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