Module 1: Poetry Book Review: Lee Bennett Hopkins Anthology

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2004. Days to Celebrate A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More. Illus Stephen Alcorn. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0060007652.





This is a comprehensive and impressive compilation of events and poems. Whether it is a holiday, a historical event or discovery, or the birth date of a notable person, Hopkins has found something significant for every day of the year. Additionally, he has selected special poems to represent a few of these dates. In honor of the Chinese New Year, which falls between January 21 and February 19, is this poem by Janet S. Wong.

Prayer for the Lunar New Year

This is the day
you grow another year wiser.

This is the day
you forget what you know to be impossible.

The moon loves to play a game.
Play.

Sweep your grudges out,
scatter them to nothing.

Scrub your wishes pure,
wash your heart clear.

Open your windows wide,
let the new year begin.

This rejuvenating poem falls inbetween the area for January and February, as Hopkin’s collection is broken into sections for each month of the year. The poems he has selected are from contemporary poets (Wong) and classic poets such as E.E. Cummings and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. There is even a smattering of poems by Lee Bennett Hopkins himself.

Not to be overlooked are the stunning and complimentary illustrations of Stephen Alcorn. His use of color and arrangement of artwork enhances the appeal of Hopkin’s anthology.

At the end of the book is an index of titles, first lines and author, which makes it easy to track down the poetry found within the collection.