At the Top of My Voice and Other Poems

by Felice Holman, Edward Gorey

An illustrated collection of poems describing the sights, sounds, and sensations of the world about us

57 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Felice Holman was born October 24, 1919, in New York City. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1941 and later worked as an advertising copywriter. She married Herbert Valen in 1941 and some of the experiences of their daughter, Nanine Elisabeth Valen, would serve as the model for her first book, Elisabeth, The Bird Watcher, which was published in 1963.

During the 1960s, she published two more "Elisabeth" stories and wrote some humorous books for children. In 1970, she published her first book of poetry for children: At the Top of My Voice. Critics praised the poems for their "originality, humor, and point." She continued to write humorous stories for young readers, including The Escape of the Giant Hogstalk (1974) that critics called filled "with giggles interspersed with horse laughs all the way."

In the 1970s, she also began writing realistic fiction for young adults. Her book Slake's Limbo (1974), the story of a boy who lives in a cave below Grand Central Station, was lauded for its "authenticity of detail" and as "remarkably taut" and "convincing." In 1975, she co-wrote The Drac: French Tales of Dragons and Demons, a collection of French legends with her daughter, Nanine Valen.

Throughout her long and prolific career, Felice Holman has received several honors, including a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for young adult's literature and an American Library Association notable book citation for Slake's Limbo in 1978. Felice lives in California.

Reviews

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Gorey-drawn book, this time a set of clever verse for children that uses some rather interesting text presentations to go along with Gorey's drawings. Again, the main draw here for me was getting to see more Gorey illustrations and they don't disappoint. He manages to find just the right thing to pull from the poem and show the reader. I don't know if he chose what to draw or was told, but either way the combination makes for a delightful children's book that I'd happily recommend to anyone with a youngster about early reading age. They are sure to find these tales of children at play very fun. I know I did! (Library, 11/07)

Trebby's Take: Recommended!

[Finnegan Weasdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Something Small" — it's so good!!

Like those poems on the subways in new york... except actually good.

Awesome way to get young folks into poetry. (& still profound in their simplicity for other people)