Michelle Arnett's Book Reviews: I Am the Book

I Am the Book

poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

illustrations by Yayo

Lee Bennett Hopkins has written/edited over 100 children's books, many of these being anthologies. He has won several awards including the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in 2009 and the Christopher Award in 1995 for his autobiographical poetry collection. Yayo has illustrated 8 children's books and has won awards for his cartoons and illustrations from the U.S., Canada, Colombia, Europe and Japan.

I Am the Book contains 13 poems from different authors pertaining to the joys of books & reading, and each poem has an accompanying illustration that fills the entire page.

My favorite poem called "Wonder Through the Pages" by Karla Kuskin describes the adventures that can be taken through books: "nonsense and knowledge/ came tumbling out,/ whispering mysteries,/ history's shout,/ the wisdom of wizards,/ the songs of the ages,/ all wonders of wandering/ wonderful pages" (pg. 6). I love this anthology because each poem is unique and adds its own touch to the book. "When I Read" by Beverly McLoughland is about experiencing the ocean through a book: "When I read, I like to dive/ In the sea of words and swim./ Feet kicking fast across the page/ Splashing words against my skin" (pg. 10). There is also a page near the back that tells a bit about each contributing author.

Yayo's whimsical acrylic illustrations complement the poems perfectly, using both light and dark shades, different patterns, scenes with one main focus (like the school bus in "Don't Need a Window Seat") and scenes that show many things and do not have one main focus (like in "A Poem Is" that shows an amusement park, a child, a dog, birds and the ocean). The word placement varies on each page depending on the illustration. For example, in "This book" the text is white and on a young girl's black hair. In "Book" the text is black and on a beige sandy beach.

Professional Reviews for I Am the Book:

Publishers Weekly: "this collection of poems by contemporary writers celebrates the joys of reading."

School Library Journal: "The attractive and fanciful acrylic paintings feature exaggerated shapes and perspectives that go nicely with the flights of imagination depicted in the poems. Literature-loving adults will want to share this book with the young people in their lives."
Booklist: "13 well-known children's poets celebrate how books can take readers on wild adventures, as well as how plain words can reveal the surprising drama in ordinary things... Fun for sharing with preschoolers, this will also spark discussion in grade-school writing and art classes."

Books by Lee Bennett Hopkins

A short biography of Yayo