rippled with new joys.
It was clear Emily was
becoming a person -
in many ways like other
people - only more so.
Her happys were happier.
Her sads were sadder.
Her thoughts were deeper.
Her desires were stronger."
Emily Dickinson loved to explore the natural surroundings of her childhood home in 19th century New England. In doing so, she thought carefully about words. She felt a very strong connection to the surrounding natural world.
"The bee is not afraid of me,
I know the butterfly ...
The brooks laugh louder
when I come."
This picture book biography exhibits a gracious appreciation for an honored poet. It begins at her birth and chronicles her life until her death. It is a story told in a way that resembles the poet's own writing, and includes brief glimpses of her work. Emily found great sadness in her world, and used her poetry to help her come to the grips with it through her own eyes. She also found joy, hope, and determined exploration. Her written words were not shared with many while she was living. Today, they offer inspiration to readers throughout the world to look carefully with their hearts and imagination.
With gouache and watercolor illustrations that depict an accurate historical setting and abound with birds, butterflies, and other elemental natural scenes, the two create an exemplary look at a noted poet and her life's work. It was an unusual life filled with imagination, intensity, reading and writing. It is carefully drawn in both words and pictures to help young readers come to know a reclusive woman who penned (and hid) hundreds of poems that were not discovered until after she died.
Back matter has a note about Emily's poetry, an invitation to learn more about poetry itself, a list of books to read, and both an author's and artist's note about the making of the book.
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