Papa Is a Poet

by Natalie S. Bober, Ammi-Joan Paquette (Narrator)

When Robert Frost was a child, his family thought he would grow up to be a baseball player. Instead, he became a poet. His life on a farm in New Hampshire inspired him to write “poetry that talked,” and today he is famous for his vivid descriptions of the rural life he loved so much. There was a time, though, when Frost had to struggle to get his poetry published. Told from the point of view of Lesley, Robert Frost’s oldest daughter, this is the story of how a lover of language found his voice.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Childrens, Biography Memoir, History

Audio CD

First published October 15, 2013

Reviews

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am I to feel inadequate as a poet AND a parent, when compared to this man??

[Keeko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've studied Robert Frost, and I've read all of his poems, and this is now my favorite book about him. At the same time it gives you a personal glimpse of him, it gives you the encouragement to write what you see and experience too.

I love that they included some of his poems at the end. After reading this book, I could imagine him writing them. It has been many years since I've read Frost, and it was a treat to read them again. The illustations are perfect. I feel lucky to have found this book.

[Cathy Mealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes it's easy for a child to describe the work that their parents do for a living: firefighter, mail carrier, farmer. What can you say to describe that work when your father is a poet? Through the eyes and words of young Lesley, this charming book tells young readers what life is like as the child of poet Robert Frost from 1905 to 1909.

The dramatic opening spread shows the tiny Frost family debarking from a looming ocean liner onto a barren New York City dock. The parents and four children are clutching old-fashioned trunks and carpet bags, ready to begin an adventurous new life on a farm in New Hampshire.

As the story unfolds, the family works, plays and learns together while Frost struggles to earn a living as a poultry farmer. He tends to farm chores at midnight so he can read and write “in the hush of a sleeping household.” During the day the family picnics, hunts for flowers, and watches sunsets. At night they share stories, read, and stargaze. Through all the activity, Frost is a loving husband and father, teaching his children to observe the world with care and write down their thoughts, dreams and impressions.

A young reader need not be familiar with Frost’s work to appreciate his deep passion for poetry and words. Lovely excerpts from his poems are sprinkled carefully throughout, and twelve complete poems are contained in the back pages. The charming illustrations pace this book smoothly with warmth as well as detail, offering delightful glimpses into turn of the century life.

This book is a treasure to be savored slowly and repeatedly for all those who love the magic of beautiful words read aloud.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Frost's eldest daughter tells the story of how her father became a poet in this beautifully illustrated and designed picture book. Includes several of Frost's best known poems.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Papa Is a Poet: A Story About Robert Frost is a children's picture book written by Natalie S. Bober and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. Robert Frost's eldest daughter reminiscence of her father's influential early years as a poet on their New Hampshire farm.

Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech, Frost frequently wrote about settings from rural life in New England in the early 20th century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes.

Bober's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Bober successfully creates this fictional account from Lesley's childhood journal, incorporating lines from Frost's poems to show how his life on the New Hampshire farm shaped him as a poet. Backmatter includes an author's note, photos, Frost quotations, text of selected Frost poems, and bibliography. Working in mixed media, Gibbon contributes pale, folksy scenes of familiar togetherness.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. The book unfolds through the perspective of his 15-year-old eldest daughter, Lesley, who shares her memories of growing up on her family's New Hampshire farm and, later, the family's time in England. Lesley describes bucolic days and nights spent reading, picnicking, writing, and memorizing poems, while always emphasizing the importance her father placed on books and language.

All in all, Papa Is a Poet: A Story About Robert Frost is a likable introduction to Frost as a father, farmer and poet through the perspective of his oldest daughter.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story shares the life of famous poet Robert Frost and his journey from working on the farm to becoming a published poet. Told from Frost’s daughters point of view, we see the life of Robert Frost as a father figure in this personable story. The author incorporates quotes from Robert Frost that he said in during his life which add to the story quite nicely. Bober also incorporates some of the verses that Frost wrote from his poetry, such as how he took the “road” less traveled by; which in his case, was becoming a poet. The research posed in this book is up to date and she even includes pictures of the real Robert Frost, his family and the Derry Farm. This is a great book to discuss perspective with and have students brainstorm on what might change if Robert Frost’s life was told in a different point of view other than his daughter.

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

robert frost is one of my favorite poets and this book made me so many levels of happy.
.
the story is told through the eyes of robert's oldest daughter, with lines of his poetry interspersed throughout the book and it's just magical. the illustrations are so soft and sweet and best of all, there are two full pages of his poetry in the back of the book.
.
good job, humankind, and thank you. the combining of poetry and picture books was something we got very right.

[Kristy Nuttall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently discovered this gem of a picture book at the library. I have always enjoyed the poems of Robert Frost, and I was intrigued to see a non-fiction picture book about his life. His life story is told from the perspective of one of his daughters named Lesley. In the author's notes she explains that she adapted much of what is in the story from Lesley's journal. Lesley's recollections of her father and their family life as told in this story are simply delightful. My favorite part is when she says, "Papa told us to reread stories we remembered with pleasure. He wanted us to enjoy books so much that we would be lonely without them. And he told us to memorize poems in order to know them by heart." This inspired me to have my son Isaac memorize one of my favorite Robert Frost poems, "Nothing Gold Can Stay." The illustrations in the book are stellar and they recreate beautiful snapshots of Robert Frost's life--my favorite is the one where he is bringing his wife a bouquet of flowers. As a nice bonus, the last few pages of the book include quotes from Robert frost and some of his best known poems such as "The Road Not Taken."

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of a poet might seem romantic, but as this account of the struggles and successes of Robert Frost shows, making a living through writing isn't always easy. His oldest daughter, fifteen-year-old Leslie, reflects on the inspiration for some of his verses after the family returns from a two-year sojourn in England. The fact that actual lines penned by the poet are included in her account adds to the book's appeal. Also noteworthy are an Author's Note, Frost quotations, and the inclusion of 12 of the poet's most beloved rhymes. The acrylic ink, colored pencil, and watercolor illustrations lend a vibrancy and thoughtfulness to the story as it pays tribute to a man who found his voice through his observations about nature.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

15-year-old Lesley describes life with her father, poet Robert Frost, as he finds his voice while the family moves from a New Hampshire farm to a thatch-covered cottage in England and back again.

Unfolding Robert Frost through the eyes of a teenaged daughter lends this book a unique, kid-friendly perspective. Charming pastoral illustrations accompany the thoughtful text and supplemental material (including an "Author's Note" that fills in background information; several pages of quotations and poems by Robert Frost; a bibliography; and photographs of the poet) that further breathes life into the story.

In a word: delightful.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written from the perspective of one of Frost's children, this is a memoir-ish look at the time Frost and his young family spent on a New Hampshire farm.

Text reveals Frost's inspirations, his habits, and vividly describes the atmosphere in which many of his best poems were written. I liked the way lines of Frost's poetry was worked into the narrative.

Back matter includes an author's note, photos, quotations, and a selection of Frost poetry.

Acrylic ink, colored pencil, and watercolor bring the lush landscape to life. Recommended for grades 3-5+.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful picture book about Robert Frost based on the memories of his eldest daughter Leslie. Interspersed with poems and quotations, this biography introduces Frost when he was writing his best known poems. An insightful snapshot of a creative father who chose the road "less traveled."

[Nevada Libert · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story about robert frost. i think that he was amazing poet.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we are fond of quoting kid president...."not cool Robert Frost"...I chose this book so the kids could learn who Robert Frost is. Good Book.

[Paige Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Papa is a Poet

Author: Natalie Bober

Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon

Genre: Biography (K-2)

Theme(s): Biographies, Robert Frost, Poets/poetry

Opening line/sentence: It was a cold and gray winter day when our ship docked in New York City.

Brief Book Summary: This book takes place from the perspective of Robert Frost’s oldest daughter, Lesley, starting from their return from England, when the family realizes that their father’s poetry has been published in America. The family goes to sit in a train station while their father goes to talk to the publisher, at which point Lesley reflects on the family’s life up until this point. We see what their life as a family was typically like, and what led to their decision to move to England. When their father returns, they find that he is going to be paid for his poems here, unlike the ones published in England.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Horn Book Guide: (2) K-3 Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. The author of A Restless Spirit draws on that fuller biography for a picture book focused on the pivotal years (1900–12) when Frost lived in Derry, New Hampshire. Skillfully, Bober introduces Frost's idiosyncrasies along with his gifts and frequently incorporates lines from Frost's poems. Gibbon's acrylic, pencil, and watercolor art captures the era's essence. A fine introduction to Frost.
http://www.hornbookguide.com.ezaccess...

Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Sylvia Firth (Children’s Literature, CLCD): Lesley, elder daughter of Robert Frost, is the narrator of this biography of her father. Many of the related events and happenings are taken from her journal. The book opens with the family s arrival back in America from a two -year stay in England. As they wait in the train station for transportation home, Lesley begins to remember what life was like on the New Hampshire farm where they lived before going to England. There were plenty of chores, Sunday picnics, walks to gather flowers or watch the sunset and, best of all being read to by their parents before bedtime. With Mamma and Papa as teachers, the children were taught at home. Using a three-foot-long brass telescope the youngsters learned about the night sky. Papa eventually arrives back at the railroad station with the good news that his two books of poems have been purchased by a publisher. Interspersed in the text are lines from Frost s poetry that clearly match the narrative. The folksy styled illustrations done with watercolor, colored pencil and acrylic ink blend well with each page of the chronicle. Useful additions include twelve of Frost s most famous poems; biographical data; a bibliography; photos and well-known Frost quotes. Adults and children will find this book a delightful tool to learn about one of America s most famous poets. Purchase is recommended.
http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...

Response to Two Professional Reviews: While I loved the illustrations in the book, both reviews pointed out how the style really matches the era of the book, and I think this is part of why I loved them so much. I also didn’t look much at the bibliography page in the back, so I did not realize that the book actually was based on the journal of the daughter (who narrates this book) which made the book even seem more accurate and real. I definitely agree that the lines from Robert Frost’s poetry scattered throughout was useful, and very well weaved into the storyline itself. The extra materials in the back, such as real photographs, poetry, and quotes, add to the authenticity of the book.

Evaluation of Literary Elements: The book’s illustrations are vivid and fun to look at, and the opening map makes you able to gain a bit of perspective of one of the farms they lived at. The book is quite wide, which allows the images to stretch far and really show the scene beautifully. The real photographs added at the end make the book even more informational and make the connection to this being about Robert Frost’s actual life. Actual lines from Robert Frost’s poetry is added throughout the book, and there are a few pages of his poems at the end of the book, so it really shows aspects of both biography and poetry very well.

Consideration of Instructional Application: In a classroom, I would ideally use this book as a transition between units on poetry and biographies. This would be a great transition, because we could look at Robert Frost’s poetry in the poetry unit, and then learn more about him as a person to move into the new topic. This would show students that they could be writers, as Robert Frost had a normal upbringing and life with his family. I’m not sure how I would use this book without students first being familiar with who Robert Frost is, but this is true with many biographies.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the way Natalie S. Bober chooses Lesley, the oldest child of Robert Frost, to tell this story about their lives and about the life of her father. It begins with their arrival in NYC after spending over two years in England. Frost has been writing, has published two books in England, but that day he discovered that a U.S. publisher has bought his books, and they would pay him, too. He did not get paid in Europe and now he's making money as a poet! Leslie’s story is sprinkled throughout with her father’s words, when he went out into the fields, when he took the children out and taught them the names of all the flowers, when he told them about metaphor: “To think the country and not know/The hillside on the day the sun lets go/Ten million silver lizards out of snow!”
An author’s note, special quotations, and numerous poems are shared at the back. Illustrations are filled with details of happy times mostly out of doors. It’s a wonderful introduction to this favorite poet.

[Singalongalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wept reading this, and of course in rereading the poem two reads diverged. (What is with me today???! Ooffff... but I mean, how could you not with themes of father-daughter, farmer, poet who leaves only to return to a landscape that becomes the lifeblood of his poetry, the unconventional risks he puts his entire family through only for it to (actually!) pay off, the wonder of the childhoods spent with noses stuffed in books and stars....) But truly, a delight to see simple wisdoms anew -- and tales, told through a lens for children, shed new light to unearthed knots we grow afraid as grown folks to fully untangle alone.

Didnt know Robert Frost's backstory was that of a farmer from Massachusetts who moves to New Hampshire who moves to England then back, all in pursuits to 'lose himself among strangers, to write poetry without further shame to friends and family who had looked on him as a disappointing failure.' His home is definitely on my visit list when New Hampshire, my dad's favorite background nature-playground, reopens to easy travel. (Also, I can see why Frost's been appa's perennial favorite, even if I've always snuffed his poems as mawkish). Also how on earth did this man manage to be all things including a wonderful father? Feeling like whole worlds are opening up just reading children's books, as if I'm slipping back in time to live a childhood I didnt have -- both in the act of reading these books, but also through the worlds that the stories retell. My mental list of the ways I want to raise a child, free with space for wonder and exploration and thought and nature and beauty and arts, all of itttt, is growing very veryyyy long.

"To think to know the country and not know
The hillside on the day the sun lets go
Ten million silver lizards out of snow!"
Ughhh, weeepppp.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of poet Robert Frost told from perspective of his daughter as she was growing up on a farm in New Hampshire and her father was trying to get published. Country and family life were the context for an open educational experience. Snippets of Frost’s poetry are interspersed alongside relevant narrative. This is a book about books, writing, and words, about paying attention to the world and experiences, to sounds and meanings of words and languages. Some of the illustrations appear on pages with lined paper as background to underscore writing as life observations. Gibbon’s simple, even primitive illustrations—I think young readers will engage with these—work alongside rather than compete with or overwhelm the narrative. A nice Author’s Note completes the book with photographs, well-known quotes, and a selection of his poems.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Papa is a Poet is the story of Robert Frost, told from the perspective of his eldest daughter, Lesley. His eye for beauty and love for literature permeated family life; he and his wife daily explored their farm with their four children and their academic intelligence allowed them to homeschool their kids and place a heavy emphasis on reading and writing. Robert daily instructed his children in the art of poetry, including the importance of translating one’s life into words via rich description and the abundant use of metaphors. Eventually, Robert’s poetry was published in America; yet even if he never achieved financial success, his life would have remained richly meaningful.

illustrations: acrylic, ink, and watercolor

Throughout the text, Bober realistically presents poetry as an art form which can capture any subject, from the beauty of the earth to the pains of growing up, and a frequently unpopular genre which is still able to generate personal satisfaction and enrichment even if not embraced by the masses. This could lead to interesting discussions about why people tend to dislike poetry or view it as something with little to no real value, and whether poetry does possess any tangible benefits for its writers. Bober also includes a section of dialogue between Frost and his children in which the poet clearly defines “metaphor,” which could lead to a lesson in which students first practice creating metaphors and are then given the task to create a short poem which includes a metaphor.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text rich biography of Frost, perfect for middle elementary grades, especially as a read aloud to include with the study of some of Frost's poetry. The story, told by Frost's daughter as a child, give some wonderful insight into Robert Frost as a boy and father, not just as the older poet we see in photos. The story is followed by two pages of Author's Notes, which give a little more information, as well as eleven of Frost's poems in their entirety: The Road Not Taken, The Las Word of a Bluebird, Flower Gathering, The Pasture, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, A Hillside Thaw, Dust of Snow, Nothing Gold Can Stay, Birches, October, The Runaway, and Mending Wall.

[Dinora Sandoval · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written through the perspective of Robert Frost's daughter and it tells the story of Robert Frost. This book is very insightful when it comes to how he lived his life and what events lead up to him becoming a phenomenal poet. I would use this book in my classroom during a poetry unit because there are twelve poems at the end of this book by Robert Frost that we could read and analyze.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written from the point of view of Lesley, Robert Frost’s oldest daughter, and mostly focuses on her childhood from 6-12, growing up in a farm in New Hampshire. She talks about learning to read and write with her parents and how her father taught her about the sounds of sentences and the meaning of metaphors.

The family moved to England for 2 years so that Robert Frost could write poetry. He was able to publish his first poetry books there.

[Doniell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable book! Great for kids 6-12. Yes, even 12 year olds! It’s a historical fiction from Robert Frost’s oldest daughter’s perspective on her father’s burgeoning career upon his return back to the States from England. I loved that is was illustrated so clearly, and that the story was easy to follow and understand. It also includes a 2 page bio with photographs at the back, as well as a few pages of Frost’s actual poems.

[Melissa Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The above book Papa is a Poet is a wonderful book told through the perspective of a daughter of famous poet Robert Frost. The book is written in such a way that allows for the reader to connect and be apart of the story. The story allows for readers to connect with the text in such a way that you feel as though you are experiencing the story while it is being read.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told from the perspective of Robert Frost's oldest daughter, this gives a good overview of the things that shaped him as a poet - farm and nature life, travels to England, family. The illustrations fit the time period, and while I think some children will find this slow-moving, it is a good picture book biography.

[Beckiezra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think the biography from the daughter’s point of view worked for me as well as it might have. The art was pleasant and it was interesting to learn a bit about Frost. I think I’d like to read the author’s biography written for older people and get some more information than this picture books still provided.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Super educational and fun story about Robert Frost
- Told from the perspective of one of his children
- Includes Robert Frost's work as lots more information about him in back matter

I loved this book because I like Robert Frost's poetry and I thought it was engaging and informative.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look into the life of poet Robert Frost and the places he often drew inspiration. This picture book biography would be a nice addition to any elementary/middle school classroom for educators to help instill a love of poetry in students.

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is told through the perspective of Roberts Frost's oldest daughter, Lesley. She recounts her early childhood and her family's travels from America to England and back again. She recalls her happy childhood and growing up on a farm and her father's love of words and poetry.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. The illustrations are perfect with lots of nature. The story is entertaining and flows smoothly. I love that two pages at the end of the book are devoted to his poems. I definitely need to own a copy of this one.