POETRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1999

Presented in picture book format, this unfocused collection of poems and extracts from this 19th-century poet gathers up a few chestnuts, but also (unintentionally and unjustly) suggests ample reason to avoid the rest of his oeuvre. Preceded by a dense introduction, the more accessible selections--""The Arrow and the Song,"" the ever-charming ""Children's Hour,"" and the wonderfully lurid ""Wreck of The Hesperus""--are scattered gems among such deadening material as ""Woods In Winter"" (""with solemn feet I tread the hill,/That overbrows the lonely vale""), ""A Psalm Of Life,"" and ""Hymn To The Night"" (""Peace! Peace! Orestes-like I breathe this prayer!""). In addition, ""Evangeline"" is represented by a mere six lines, and even ""Paul Revere's Ride"" is incomplete. Painting in a realistic style, Wallace shows more facility depicting landscapes than people. Even though Longfellow's famous poems are readily available elsewhere, few readers--after plowing through this uninspired handful--will feel an urge to read more.

Pub Date: March 1, 1999

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Sterling

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1998

Categories: POETRY