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Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
Celebrate Christmas with the joyous poetry of the incomparable Maya Angelou. “Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers, look heavenward,” she writes, “and speak the word aloud. Peace.” Angelou’s moving poem is a radiant affirmation of the goodness of humanity. First read at the 2005 White House tree-lighting ceremony, it comes alive again as a fully illustrated child...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
September 23rd 2008
by Schwartz & Wade
(first published December 1st 2005)
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Amazing Peace is visually amazing and beautiful as the colors are muted but still vibrant. The gold lettering in the title stands out and adds a touch of style. This book was a true collaboration between Maya Angelou and illustrators Steve Johnston and Lou Fancher. The poetry and pictures meld together, and the words touch your heart. The pictures are textured, which adds to their magic. This is truly a book to bring people together to forget our petty differences.
This book is a call for peace—n...more
This book is a call for peace—n...more
With the Christmas season swiftly approaching, this picture book with a poem written by Maya Angelou for the 2005 White House treelighting ceremony beautifully prepares our hearts for this season of hope & peace. The book comes with a CD that you can listen to Angelou read the poem as you enjoy the illustrations so well done by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. Angelou writes "Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters, Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope And singin...more
Amazing! Powerful! Beautifully rich! "In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now.
Louder than the explosion of bombs."
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now.
Louder than the explosion of bombs."
Reviewed by Jennifer Wardrip aka "The Genius" for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com
Maya Angelou, world-renowned poet, philanthropist, and humanitarian, brings to vivid life the true meaning of Christmas. Her poems are not the simple rhyming ones of many children's books, but rather a meshing of words that go straight to the heart.
"Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
Implore you to stay awhile with us
So we may learn by your shimme...more
Maya Angelou, world-renowned poet, philanthropist, and humanitarian, brings to vivid life the true meaning of Christmas. Her poems are not the simple rhyming ones of many children's books, but rather a meshing of words that go straight to the heart.
"Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
Implore you to stay awhile with us
So we may learn by your shimme...more
This book is based on a poem performed by Angelou at the 2005 White House tree lighting ceremony. The painting by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher are truly amazing. One line of the poem especially captured me: "It is what we have hungered for. Not just the absence of war. But true Peace."
That is truly what the greatest world hunger today is.
That is truly what the greatest world hunger today is.
"In our Joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is peace."
Amazing Peace is the perfect way for a family to start its holiday season. In her sparse but beautiful prose, Ms. Angelou reminds us of what is really important this season. It's not the flashing lights, brightly colored packages, or even the stress. It is very simply, that "We look at each other, then into ourselves. and we say w...more
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is peace."
Amazing Peace is the perfect way for a family to start its holiday season. In her sparse but beautiful prose, Ms. Angelou reminds us of what is really important this season. It's not the flashing lights, brightly colored packages, or even the stress. It is very simply, that "We look at each other, then into ourselves. and we say w...more
Beautifully illustrated version of a poem that Maya Angelou delivered at the White House in 2005. There is a CD included with naration by the author. Maya Angelou is incredibly talented and is able to paint a picture of peace through words. LOVE IT
I hate to admit that I am not much of a poetry reader. Sadly I don't always understand it. People who love poetry are usually portrayed as deep and intelligent... (*Sigh*) But Amazing Peace was simple and lovely. Merry Christmas!
Gorgeous. Lovely. Inspiring. It takes just a few minutes to read--you can find it online to read but make sure you find a version that gives you the entire poem which begins: "Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes."
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"Amazing Peace, "was published as a Christmas book for adults. The book is available with a Cd and is read by the author. I enoyed the poem, but I am not fond of the illustrations of this book.
So very beautiful, so simple, so clear... Maya is a poet for people that say they don't like poetry, because it is so much more. Truths that should resonate in even the hardest heart.
I wish that every day would have Amazing peace in my life, but unfortunately that is not so, but reading this book gives me hope that maybe someday I will have some amazing peace.
I check this book out of the public library because I can get the edition where she reads the poem herself. Her voice, like her writing is rich and melodic.
Angelou's poem celebrates the promise of peace in the holiday season. In this simple story, a family joins with their community--rich and poor, black and white, Muslim and Jew--to celebrate the holidays.
www.hcpl.net
www.hcpl.net
Dec 07, 2010
Sharon
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
poetry
Few women are more eloquent and wise than Maya Angelou. This is a beautiful Poem to ponder through out the holiday season.
Nice book club pick for Christmas. It's hard for me to understand that not EVERY human heart longs for peace.
This poem was read at the lighting of the national Christmas tree in 2005. It's very lovely!
In our family Christmas book collection. Read 2009 with Ryan. Peaceful. From Tamra.
Had to re-read this after Alyssa said she was using part of it in her classes.
I plan to do this as a choral reading at my mom's for Christmas. I can't wait!
Great Christmas poem, but worth reading throughout the year.
Such a beautiful poem, it's one I often read.
Not much in to poetry, but this was a nice, simple poem.
Maya Angelou...you never disappoint.
Nice poem, pretty illustrations!
Beautiful and inspiring!
Nice Christmas poem:)
Simply loved it.
Beautiful.
I have read this in both the adult publication and the childrens publication. I loved the poem . But I would suggest this poem for older children , The childrens book is beautifully illustrated.
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Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Ann Johnson April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, is an American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. In 2001 she was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. Maya Angelou is known for her series of six autobiographies, starting with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, (1969 which was no...more
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