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THE POEM FOREST

POET W.S. MERWIN AND THE PALM TREE FOREST HE GREW FROM SCRATCH

A sensitive exploration of an untidy, meaningful existence.

A portrait of a man whose life comprised a love of nature and poetry.

William Stanley Merwin (1927-2019) grew up in a town where everything was “straightened out” by the boundaries of homes and roads. Even as a boy, he yearned for wilderness and was fortunate to spend summers vacationing in a cabin in the woods. Merwin also enjoyed composing poems; he found that “writing poetry was like visiting a wild place…[with] language growing wherever it pleased.” Fountain omits the years Merwin spent with his first two wives in Spain and London and fast-forwards to Hawaii. There, instead of the wild land he sought, he purchased a “wounded” space, “stripped of all its rich, dark soil.” He lived in a sustainable home with his third wife and started growing palm trees, eventually planting almost 3,000, including endangered varieties sent from around the world. Fountain leans toward longer sentences, layering ideas with metaphors to effectively convey Merwin’s hope and curiosity. The digital illustrations are reminiscent of Aaron Douglas paintings; many of the compositions contain purple and green silhouettes of people and overlapping branches with varying degrees of saturation to create a sense of depth. Darker, leafy branches border many of the compositions. The White poet/gardener stayed involved with both passions, ultimately donating his land to a conservancy and becoming the United States Poet Laureate. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A sensitive exploration of an untidy, meaningful existence. (author’s note, poem) (Picture book/biography. 5-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5362-1126-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022

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BASKETBALL DREAMS

Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.

An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.

In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022

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LUCY SINGS ON LUCY STREET

A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song.

Through the power of music, Lucimarian Tolliver is reminded of what’s important.

Lucy is one of the only children of African descent on her block—called Lucy Street—in 1930s Akron, Ohio, but all her neighbors share one commonality: poverty. Lucy’s carefree spirit is dampened when her family’s furniture is repossessed one day. She visits her grandfather, who comforts her by singing the folk standard “This Little Light of Mine.” Grandpa tells Lucy that she’s destined for greatness and that she should never stop singing, even through life’s toughest moments. Back at home, Lucy’s father scolds her for singing at the dinner table, so she quickly finishes eating and wanders outside and sings into the night. Her voice reaches her family and neighbors, who are all touched by her song. Digital illustrations evoke the time period in muted tones, featuring endearing characters with simple yet expressive features. The visual subject matter is repetitive from page to page, as are the incorporated lyrics of “This Little Light of Mine.” Based on Lucimarian Tolliver’s experiences growing up during the Depression, the text contains an epilogue but lacks backmatter detailing historical context or more information about Lucy’s life. Though the themes of optimism and the importance of family, faith, and music shine through the text, readers may be left with more questions than answers.

A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song. (Picture-book biography. 5-7)

Pub Date: May 20, 2025

ISBN: 9780063222540

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025

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