A Child's Garden of Verses

Amazon seems to have grouped the reviews for several editions of A Child's Garden of Verses together, so it's difficult to tell what exactly is being reviewed. I am commenting specifically on Tasha Tudor's lovely illustrations of childhood life, so beautifully paired with Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry of childhood. Together, image and word are a perfect match, and this is a marvelous edition. I highly recommend it as a gift for any new parent, a special child, or for yourself. I live with my grandfather, who was born in 1922 and grew up having these poems read to him and then reading them for himself; when he grew up and had children of his own, he read from this book. They were a little bit "old-fashioned" when my grandfather was a boy in the 1920s, but not at all "dated" in the way some of them have become. I am thinking here of "Foreign Children," with its refrain: Little Indian, Sioux or Crow, Little frosty Eskimo, Little Turk or Japanee, O! don't you wish that you were me? There are others in a similar vein, and while I am sure that some will object, I find all of these poems to be utterly lacking in malice or cruelty. They espouse the ideology of their time, and that was one of Empire. If you don't want to read the few of these poems that mention race/ethnicity in a way that you don't like, then don't -- or better yet, how about using it as a teachable moment to discuss the ways in which views evolve over time? The majority of these poems feel timeless, in that they dwell in the land of childhood imagination. Just reading "The Land of Counterpane" sends me right back to the world of childhood and the hours and hours spent dreaming, creating, imagining. Likewise, "The Land of Nod." I know my grandfather feels just the same way, because sometimes when I tuck him in for bed at night we discuss where we plan to travel in our dreams: the Land of Counterpane or the Land of Nod. Very few things are capable of staying with a person for 80 + years; these poems are some of them. If you have children, or know any children you particularly like, I hope you will purchase a copy of this lovely book for them. It's one of those books that opens a door into another world, and what the child chooses to do once there is up to him or her -- but you can give the key to the door.

Beautiful book of poetry. Some of my favorites from childhood! Happy to share with my grandchildren!

Beautiful reprint of classic children's book of poems Tasha Tudor illustrations are wonderful Every page has an illustration. Almost all illustrations are in color Great variety of poems, suitable for children or adults This is a good size book and not a pocket size book, all the more to savor the details in each illustration

This is a beautifully illustrated collection of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poems that are truly a well loved classic. I read these to my three children when they were too young to actually speak. Later, they actually memorized some of them…for instance, “I Have a Little Shadow…" I love giving this book as a gift for very young children.

I remembered this from childhood but could not find it till now. Love the size and the pictures and of course the verses. Every home should have this book.

Very good book. I just would have liked the pictures to have been in color as depicted on the cover.

My wife just loved this!

Always loved this version, with Tasha Tudor’s evocative illustrations.

なんとも言えない美しい色づかい、イマジネーションに溢れ、細かいところまでびっしり書かれたターシャの絵が大好きです。ターシャの絵は、書かれた時期によって画風が変わりますが、この絵本が書かれた頃のターシャの絵、画風が一番好きです。こんなに素敵な絵本なのに日本語訳はでず、ターシャの生き方やガーデニングの本ばかりブームにのって次から次へと出版されるのは疑問です。

Haven't read it all buy, it is a beautiful collection of poetry and is quite collectable.

I loved this book as a child. My mom used to read them to me more than a half century ago and I can still hear her voice when I reread these beautiful pieces. The poems are timeless. Teach your children well. Give them the joy of these wondrous word pictures that never age.

Tasha Tudor's illustrations are beautiful, they sing the tune of the poems. The poems are written on the illustrated page itself, and looks as if poems are framed in the illustrations. A very different experience of illustrations. A nice collection to have for the illustrated versions of A Child's Garden of Verses...a memoir of childhood. It has all the poems as in the original book. The book is of large size and page quality is superb. This review is for hardback edition of Tasha Tudor illustrated A Child's Garden of Verses published by Simon & Schuster (ISBN-13: 978-0689823824)

Un enchantement que j'ai pris plaisir à lire à mes enfants. Les illustrations sont sublimes et flotte comme une ambiance désuète.