Convinced that a critical part of education is to foster in our children a love of the beautiful and true, teacher and writer Laura Berquist presents this wide selection of poetry for every age level from grades one to twelve. Poetry is important because it is one of the forms of beautiful which is accessible to children.
For this reason children should be exposed to the best examples of the use of language that we can give them. Language development is significantly enriched by exposure to good poetry. The Harp and Laurel Wreath is an important resource because it provides in one volume many poems that concern noble actions or ideas presented in beautiful patterns of sound. These poems bring to attention of the listener the beauty present in everyday things.
This book contains all the poems recommended in Berquist's best-selling Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum. The extensive selection includes poems by Robert Louis Stevenson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Robert Browning, William Shakespeare, G. K. Chesterton, William Butler Yeats, Robert Frost, and many others. There are several indices (including poets, titles, first lines) to help locate specific poems.
The Harp and Laurel Wreath also includes dictation selections that are useful tools in the development of the child's writing ability. In the later years of school, when a study of the power and beauty of language should be central to the curriculum, this book provides help with numerous poetry selections, as well as study questions and answers for many of the poems.
"In the avalanche of educational materials today, few resources can approach the value of The Harp and Laurel Wreath. Laura Berquist offers us the tools to convey to our children the beauty and adventure of literature. Parents and teachers will find this a priceless resource."
—Michael O'Brien, A Landscape with Dragons
Did you find this review helpful?