The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury

Brief Description: A collection of more than 200 poems by such modern poets as Nikki Grimes, John Ciardi, Karla Kuskin, Ted Hughes, e.e. cummings, Eve Merriam, Deborah Chandra, Arnold Adoff, and more than 100 others. Brief Description: A collection of more than 200 poems by such modern poets as Nikki Grimes, John Ciardi, Karla Kuskin, Ted Hughes, e.e. cummings, Eve Merriam, Deborah Chandra, Arnold Adoff, Shel Silverstein, Carl Sandburg, and more than 100 others. Full color. Jacket Description/Flap: "Until this century, most children's poetry was either syrupy sweet or overblown and didactic, and tended to talk down to its readers. Contemporary children's poets have thrown all that condescension and moralizing out the window, and write with today's "real child in mind."- from the Introduction by Jack Prelutsky Here in one gloriously illustrated volume are 211 wonderful poems that represent the best this century has to offer. From sibling rivalry, school, monsters, food, and just plain silliness, to such ageless themes as the seasons, Who am I?, and the many moods of childhood, this is a collection that begs to be read aloud and shared with the whole family. The poems, from every decade of this century, showcase 137 famous poets. Selected by Jack Prelutsky, America's leading children's poet, and illustrated by award-winning watercolorist Meilo So, this useful and beautiful gift is a splendid way to end the century -- or start a new one. Truly a book that families will cherish long after the millennium excitement is over, The 20th-Century Children's Poetry Treasury is a joyous companion volume to the best-selling The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury. Excerpts: "We Are Plooters" We are Plooters, We don't care, We make messesEverywhere, We strip forestsBare of trees, We dump garbageIn the seas. We are Plooters, We enjoyFinding beautyTo destroy, We intrudeWhere creatures thrive, Soon there's littleLeft alive. Underwater, Underground, Nothing's safeWhen we're around, We spew poisonsIn the air, We are Plooters, We don't care. -Jack PrelutskyCopyright © 1993 by Jack Prelutsky. Used by permission of the author, who controls all rights. "Where Are You Now?" When the night begins to fallAnd the sky begins to glowYou look up and see the tallCity of light begin to grow --In rows and little golden squaresThe lights come out. First here, then thereBehind the windowpanes as thoughA million billion bees had builtTheir golden hives and honeycombsAbove you in the air. -Mary Britton MillerFrom All Aboard by Mary Britton Miller. Copyright © 1958 by Pantheon Books, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Pantheon Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Biographical Note: For 30 years, Jack Prelutsky's inventive poems have inspired legions of children to fall in love with poetry. His outrageously silly poems have tickled even the most stubborn funny bones, while his darker verses have spooked countless late-night readers. His award-winning books include Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast, The Dragons Are Singing Tonight, The Random House Book of Poetry for Children, and The Beauty of the Beast While attending a Bronx, New York, grade school, Prelutsky took piano and voice lessons and was a regular in school shows. Surprisingly, Prelutsky developed a healthy dislike for poetry due to a teacher who "left me with the impression that poetry was the literary equivalent of liver. I was told it was good for me, but I wasn't convinced." In his early twenties, Prelutsky spent six months drawing imaginary animals in ink and watercolor. One evening, he wrote two dozen short poetry verses to accompany each drawing. A friend encouraged him to show them to an editor, who loved his poems (although not his artwork!) and urged him to keep writing. Prelutsky listened and he is still busy writing. Jack Prelutsky lives on Mercer Island in Washington with his wife, Carolynn. Meilo So's first collaboration with Jack Prelutsky was the ALA Notable Book The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom, of which "The New York Times Book Review" wrote: "Meilo So does enchantingly unreal paintings: whimsical watercolors made with a wet-on-wet technique that preserves the spontaneity of her hand gestures. In very few brush strokes, she captures the essence of organisms from stallions to sea horses. Yet the images themselves are abstract, almost calligraphic pictograms." Her most recent book is Tasty Baby Belly Buttons by Judy Sierra. Meilo So was born in Hong Kong and now lives in England with her husband, who is also an artist. Marc Notes: Includes index.; A collection of more than 200 poems by such modern poets as Nikki Grimes, John Ciardi, Karla Kuskin, Ted Hughes, e.e. cummings, Eve Merriam, Deborah Chandra, Arnold Adoff, and more than 100 others.. Publisher Marketing: "Until this century, most children's poetry was either syrupy sweet or overblown and didactic, and tended to talk down to its readers. Contemporary children's poets have thrown all that condescension and moralizing out the window, and write with today's "real child" in mind."- from the Introduction by Jack Prelutsky Here in one gloriously illustrated volume are 211 wonderful poems that represent the best this century has to offer. From sibling rivalry, school, monsters, food, and just plain silliness, to such ageless themes as the seasons, Who am I?, and the many moods of childhood, this is a collection that begs to be read aloud and shared with the whole family. The poems, from every decade of this century, showcase 137 famous poets. Selected by Jack Prelutsky, America's leading children's poet, and illustrated by award-winning watercolorist Meilo So, this useful and beautiful gift is a splendid way to end the century -- or start a new one. Truly a book that families will cherish long after the millennium excitement is over, The 20th-Century Children's Poetry Treasury is a joyous companion volume to the best-selling The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury. This book has been selected as a Common Core State Standards Text Exemplar (Grades K-1, 2-3, Poetry) in Appendix B. Review Citations:

Publishers Weekly 10/04/1999 pg. 72 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 12/01/1999 pg. 125 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Booklist 12/15/1999 pg. 783 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/1999 pg. 151 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Wilson Children's Catalog 96 01/01/2000 pg. 40 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Wilson Children's Catalog 01/01/2001 pg. 315 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2000 pg. 151 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Library Journal 12/01/1999 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Wilson Children's Catalog 01/01/2006 pg. 446 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

Wilson Children's Catalog 01/01/2010 pg. 691 (EAN 9780679893141, Hardcover)

New York Times 11/21/1999 pg. 46 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

School Library Journal 12/01/1999 pg. 125 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/1999 pg. 151 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Wilson Children's Catalog 96 01/01/2000 pg. 40 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Wilson Children's Catalog 01/01/2001 pg. 315 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2000 pg. 151 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Library Journal 12/01/1999 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Wilson Children's Catalog 01/01/2006 pg. 446 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Wilson Children's Catalog 01/01/2010 pg. 691 (EAN 9780679993148, Library Binding)

Contributor Bio:  Prelutsky, Jack Jack Prelutsky is the best-selling author of more than fifty books of poetry, including The New Kid on the Block, illustrated by James Stevenson, and Stardines Swim High Across the Sky, illustrated by Carin Berger. Jack Prelutsky lives in Washington State. Contributor Bio:  So, Meilo MEILO SO is the illustrator of such beautiful, award-winning books such as Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities, and Recipes and The White Swan Express: A Story about Adoption. She lives in the Shetland Islands, UK.