Everything is a Poem: The Best of J. Patrick Lewis

by J. Patrick Lewis, Maria Cristina Pritelli (Illustrator)

J. Patrick Lewis did not come under poetry's spell until late in life—but when it struck, the former college economics professor was entranced.This collection celebrates some of his best poems for children—some silly, some serious, some historical, some invention, but all aimed to delight.The vibrant and playful illustrations of Italian artist Maria Cristina Pritelli lend a sense of vitality to the words, underscoring the idea that Everything Is a Poem.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens

88 pages, Hardcover

First published August 26, 2014

About the author

J. Patrick Lewis is the current Children's Poet Laureate. He has written more than seventy children's books, including Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humorous Verses. J. Patrick Lewis lives in Ohio.

Reviews

[Claire Rozint]

The thing I like about this children's poetry book is there is colorful pages whereas the other books are sketches and black and white colors depicted throughout the book. This book seems to teach children through the art of poetry about historical events and events that have taken place in history. This book would be fun to read if you were teaching a history class of some sorts.

[Sandy Brehl]

Disclaimer: I'm a J. Patrick Lewis fan, and NOT a fan of sorting our "best of" or favorites.

This book is a winner on many levels and should be in home and classroom and public libraries. It is organized well and accessible (animals, people, nature, sports, etc.), and the illustration and layout are ideally suited to the overall collection and to each individual poem.

I would be a fan of this book even if I'd never heard of J. Patrick Lewis before. I'm guessing you will be, too.

[Barbara Lovejoy]

I was somewhat disappointed with this book. I am a J Patrick Lewis fan, but I didn't find as many poems in this book that I really liked that I had hoped to find. I wasn't as impressed with the illustrations as I hoped to be.

[Megan Frangia]

Poetry

There is such a great mix of poetry styles in this compilation. I loved the simplicity of the riddles especially. Accessible to audiences of all ages.

[Dora]

picturebook anthology

[Gail Sacharski]

Amazing! Fantastic! Delightful! Delicious!
A book to grant almost all of my wishes!

[Morgin]

My personal response to the book would be that I'm not a very big fan of poetry but I enjoyed these poems. they were fun and funny. I would definitely read it again and recommend it to other readers.

[Linda]

Although I do purchase numerous books of poetry, and search used bookstores for them, too, I'm not sure I can ever find all of the books that have been published by J. Patrick Lewis. So when I saw that there was a new book of his that has gathered many of the poems he has written, I knew that was a good one to buy. And it is!
There are eight sections of poems-topics like animals, reading, and mother nature-and a thoughtful forward. In it, he shares his journey as an opsimath, one who learned late in life. He speaks of studying the classic poets Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll, then reading many, many others. And he shares Robert Frost's definition of a poem as "one who begins in delight and ends in wisdom," but John Barr (former director of the Poetry Foundation) wrote that "a children's poem begins in delight and ends in...more delight."
In addition to having a treasure of poems from J. Patrick Lewis, the illustrations by Maria Cristina Pritelli fill the pages with color and whimsey, pleasing the eyes like the poems please the ears. It's a terrific collection to have!

[Michelle]

This delicious collection spans nearly 30 years (1982-2010) of Pat's soul-satisfying poetry, beginning with a two-page foreward that gives readers a taste of what drives this man to do what he does so well.

The 59 poems included are divided into eight categories – animals, people, reading, sports, riddles and epitaphs, mother nature, places, and a mix. A testament to Pat's versatility, the poems are savory and sweet, as unique in their forms as they are in their content, yet they all simmer in the imagination.

For poetry fans, this is a must-have collection. Complemented by Italian artist Maria Cristine Pritelli's exquisite acrylic and airbrushed illustrations, Pat's poetry is as comforting as an old friend, and as stimulating as a new acquaintance. In our house, we enjoy reading this book aloud after family dinners– a dessert we share together.

[April Gates]

This is a collection of poems that literally talks about everything. The first group of poems is about animals, then people, next reading, sports, riddles and epitaphs, mother nature, places and lastly just a mix. I really enjoyed this because it was beautifully colored and just poems of all different types. Anthologies are always enjoyable especially when there isn’t just one specific topic. Furthermore, this book was very informative because it discusses imaginative fiction, history of people and places, sports and even humorous riddles. This is a collection of poems that anyone could enjoy because it grabs interest from everywhere and all types of interest.
Awards: 2015 NCTE Mention in Notable Poetry Books
Grade Level: 1st-3rd
Genre: Poetry

[Bmack]

This book is full of the best poems of J. Patrick Lewis written throughout the years. They are all very different and that is the way the author likes it. There is something for everyone and his point in writing is to let the poem take him where it wants to go. The illustrations are also wonderfully done adding to the poem but not being too overwhelming. They were created by an Italian artist, Maria Cristina Pritelli.

[Catherine Johnson]

This is a super collection of witty poems from dormer U.S. Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis. It is split into eight unrelated sections each offering something great. I love his metaphors and the interesting facts he weaves into his people poems. Fabulous collection!

[Elaine]

A beautiful collection of rhyming poems that you just want to read again and again. The colorful illustrations compliments the text and makes the reader want to look at each detail on every page. A delight!

[Mary Lee]

A must-have anthology from a living legend.

[Angela Hutchinson]

This book is a collection of poems by J. Patrick Lewis. Read in class. This would be a great mentor text for writing poetry.

[Leslie]

A nice anthology of poems (mostly previously published) with perfectly-complementing, vibrant illustrations.

[Debby Baumgartner]

Collection of poems by J Patrick Lewis. Good collection.

[Octavia]

Patrick Lewis one of the greatest kids poet and put his best poetry into one book!