George's first book features small poems about country living, with a spirited introduction by the late Myra Cohn Livingston (B Is for Baby, 1996, etc.), who has presided over better collections as poet and anthologist. A haze of nostalgia hangs over simple poems about polliwogs, plowed fields, dragonflies, and old metal buckets, somewhat muting their meaning and resonance for contemporary children. ``Patient old fence,/Waiting for another November,'' and ``the perfect tree/different from the rest--/the one where a bird/has built her nest'' are lovely images, but their intensity is not sustained and readers may lose interest. The oil illustrations are heavy and sometimes dark, with rather awkward humans and large animals but clearly modeled insects, frogs, and birds. (Picture book/poetry. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Kristine O'Connell George is an acclaimed poet who conducts poetry workshops for children and teachers. She is the author of several books of poetry for young people, including Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems and The Great Frog Race, winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. She lives with her family in Southern California. Visit her online at kristinegeorge.com and on Twitter at @Kristine_George.
Born in New Hampshire and raised in Vermont, Kate Kiesler began painting at an early age. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and now paints and illustrates full-time. Kate paints with oils, and her rich style has been highly praised. Kate Kiesler has illustrated numerous picture books, including The Great Frog Race and Other Poems. She lives in Frisco, Colorado.
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