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lattelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
While both celebrating the old and the new, Nikki Grimes shares wisdom and poetry from the Harlem Renaissance alongside her own. Broken up into three sections, each section surrounds a theme on the topic of black childhood, whether it's city-living, skin tone, or work.
This collection is just so creative in that it's truly a community work. Yes, Nikki Grimes' poems are the ones being showcased, but so are black artists' works, and so are other poets. Not only that, but Grimes provides an explanation of the golden shovel-style of poetry she uses as well as resources for readers. It's beautiful, and gave me chills, so I can't even begin to imagine what this book might feel like to the actual audience it's directed towards.
It's just beautiful, and I think can be read or read to by all ages. It's great for poetry lovers, as well as those interested in history, family, and intergenerational struggles.
Review cross-listed here!
This collection is just so creative in that it's truly a community work. Yes, Nikki Grimes' poems are the ones being showcased, but so are black artists' works, and so are other poets. Not only that, but Grimes provides an explanation of the golden shovel-style of poetry she uses as well as resources for readers. It's beautiful, and gave me chills, so I can't even begin to imagine what this book might feel like to the actual audience it's directed towards.
It's just beautiful, and I think can be read or read to by all ages. It's great for poetry lovers, as well as those interested in history, family, and intergenerational struggles.
Review cross-listed here!
knbee's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book of poetry and appreciate Nikki Grime's dedication to the craft as a whole. Not only was I introduced to some new-to-me poets who blossomed during the Harlem Renaissance, I also learned about a method of writing poetry- the Golden Shovel- which seems awesome as a means of inspiration and difficult to successfully execute at the same time. On top of all that, there are great illustrations by some well-respected children's book illustrators, too. The total package!
yabetsy's review against another edition
5.0
This is a poetry collection that will be on a wide variety of shelves: public library, middle, junior and high school libraries. It introduces a wide variety of poets from the Harlem Renaissance to a new generation of readers and then uses their poems in a form of poem called "the Golden Shovel" that expands upon them by integrating them into a new poem. This is not only a difficult feat, but one that celebrates the original poem and gets the reader to look upon it in a whole new light. A foreword with information about the Harlem Renaissance and original artwork provide an extra frame for the works in the book.
megobrien81's review
4.0
I loved those collection, and the use of the “Golden Shovel”. Powerful poetry and fun to see the source poem next to the newly created one.
I think I shall end every calendar year moving forward binging poetry. This has been a delightful day.
I think I shall end every calendar year moving forward binging poetry. This has been a delightful day.
rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
5.0
“One Last Word” was fantastic. The artwork was vibrant and colorful and the writing superb. I’m glad that it got the attention that it did!
pattydsf's review against another edition
4.0
Storm Ending by Jean Toomer
Thunder blossoms gorgeously above our heads,
Great, hollow, bell-like flowers,
Rumbling in the wind,
Stretching clappers to strike our ears…
Full-lipped floweres
Bitten by the sun
Bleeding rain
Dripping rain like golden honey –
And the sweet earth flying from the thunder.
Truth by Nikki Grimes
The truth is, every day we rise is like thunder --
a clap of surprise. Could be echoes of trouble or blossoms
of blessing. You never know what garish or gorgeously
disguised memories-to-be might rain down from above.
So, look up! Claim that cloud with the silver lining. Our
job, if you ask me, is to follow it. See where it heads.
I read a few children’s books last year and realized that I should be paying more attention to these amazing authors and stories. I learn a lot from juvenile literature. Also, I try to find books that will interest my grandchildren. They are still young but like to read and I like to encourage that.
From this book by Nikki Grimes, I have learned more about the Harlem Renaissance, found some great poetry and learned about a poetic form that I had never encountered before. I expected the first two things, but it didn’t occur to me that I would be learning more about writing poetry.
Golden shovel takes words from one poem and helps the poet make a new poem. Here are the basic rules as listed by Grimes in this book: ´The idea… is to take a short poem in its entirety, or a line from that poem…, and create a new poem, using the words from the original.” So if you look at the poem above, Grimes takes the first line from Toomer’s poem and ends each of her lines with a word from the line. The words must be used in the order of the first poem, so that you can read down the new lines and see what was borrowed.
I am not a poet, but I love poetry and I love this technique. It makes obvious links between two poets. I would think that writing poetry in this way could be lots of fun, but very hard.
Grimes takes fourteen poems from the Harlem Renaissance and creates her own poetry from these. All of the poems were wonderful, but the craft that Grimes has that helps her make these golden shovel poems is phenomenal. I loved this book.
I hope that I remember how much I liked this book and pick up a few more poetry books this year. I only read two books of poetry last year. Let’s see if I can manage four in 2020.
Thunder blossoms gorgeously above our heads,
Great, hollow, bell-like flowers,
Rumbling in the wind,
Stretching clappers to strike our ears…
Full-lipped floweres
Bitten by the sun
Bleeding rain
Dripping rain like golden honey –
And the sweet earth flying from the thunder.
Truth by Nikki Grimes
The truth is, every day we rise is like thunder --
a clap of surprise. Could be echoes of trouble or blossoms
of blessing. You never know what garish or gorgeously
disguised memories-to-be might rain down from above.
So, look up! Claim that cloud with the silver lining. Our
job, if you ask me, is to follow it. See where it heads.
I read a few children’s books last year and realized that I should be paying more attention to these amazing authors and stories. I learn a lot from juvenile literature. Also, I try to find books that will interest my grandchildren. They are still young but like to read and I like to encourage that.
From this book by Nikki Grimes, I have learned more about the Harlem Renaissance, found some great poetry and learned about a poetic form that I had never encountered before. I expected the first two things, but it didn’t occur to me that I would be learning more about writing poetry.
Golden shovel takes words from one poem and helps the poet make a new poem. Here are the basic rules as listed by Grimes in this book: ´The idea… is to take a short poem in its entirety, or a line from that poem…, and create a new poem, using the words from the original.” So if you look at the poem above, Grimes takes the first line from Toomer’s poem and ends each of her lines with a word from the line. The words must be used in the order of the first poem, so that you can read down the new lines and see what was borrowed.
I am not a poet, but I love poetry and I love this technique. It makes obvious links between two poets. I would think that writing poetry in this way could be lots of fun, but very hard.
Grimes takes fourteen poems from the Harlem Renaissance and creates her own poetry from these. All of the poems were wonderful, but the craft that Grimes has that helps her make these golden shovel poems is phenomenal. I loved this book.
I hope that I remember how much I liked this book and pick up a few more poetry books this year. I only read two books of poetry last year. Let’s see if I can manage four in 2020.
beatniksafari's review against another edition
5.0
Creative and inspiring! Poetry written using the "golden shovel" technique, drawing words and themes from poems of the Harlem Renaissance.
tlindhorst's review against another edition
4.0
A sweet, melancholy dance through the Harlem Renaissance and today. A lovely rainy day read.