Swing Around the Sun: Poems

by Barbara Juster Esbensen, Janice Lee Porter (Illustrator), Cheng-Khee Chee (Illustrator)

Four renowned children's book artists--Cheng-Khee Chee, illustrator of Old Turtle; Janice Lee Porter, illustrator of Hope; Mary GrandPre, illustrator of the U.S. editions of the Harry Potter series; and Stephen Gammell, winner of the Caldecott Medal for Song and Dance Man--join to depict the beauty of the four seasons in this new edition of the poetry collection Swing around the Sun, originally published in 1965 by Barbara Juster Esbensen. Sure to captivate readers of all ages, this powerful combination of poetry and artwork will bring each season to life--year after year.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2002

Reviews

[Agilar Janeet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swing around the sun. Poems by Barbara Juster Esbensen; art by Cheng-Khee Chee, Janice Lee Porter, Mary GranPre, and Stephen Gamell. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda,2003. Genre: Poetry, Anthologies for all ages. Range Age 3-8 years. The book’s theme is the four seasons. The book’s plot is divided into the four seasons and each of them give us a variety of poems based on the holidays, months, or features of them. The language is clear and easy to understand. The illustrations and colors align with each of the seasons, for example warm bright color for summer, white and blue colors for winter, and brown and oranges for fall. The images are paint with undefined lines that suggested rather than carefully drawn. There is a lack of open spaces on the pages but it does not create confusion or chaos. The paints are made by watercolor, oil, and pastel. I would use this book as a support for the topic the four season. I believe the readers would like this book because the paints inspire sweetness, calm, and interest to keep reading until the last page

[Ryann Norris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Poetry
Grade: 1-3
I love how this book had multiple poems that express the different kinds of weather in every season. I love how the poems are descriptive and you can imagine that kind of weather taking place. I also love the format of the poetry and how many of the poems would be good examples to show students. However I think reading the the whole book to students at once may be boring to students. I would suggest reading one poem a day during a weather lesson or something like that. I do love how easy it would be to connect these poems to the weather.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well done picture book of children’s poetry. I’m not usually a fan of rhyming poetry, but it works here. The author has a gift for imagery. Her description of the end of a fireworks show: “The last exploding starfall/crumbles into sleep.” The book is divided into sections for each of the four seasons, with a different artist for each section. My personal favorite was fall, illustrated by Mary GrandPré, but they were all well done.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

the art is gorgeous

[Kristi Scramlin]

Swing Around the Sun takes you through each of the four seasons with a new poem on each page. Starting with spring the poems describe the changes from snow to rain then warming through the perspective of a robin. Summer comes around with storms and fireworks, but once fall and winter hits creatures come out to play and kids begin to ice skate on the frozen ponds.This is a great book for classrooms because it intertwines poetry with the changes that take place in the four seasons. The illustrations are beautiful and really set the tone and background for what the poem describes. The only thing I wish this book had was more poems about the specific changes between seasons such as the leaves changing color. This would be a great book to introduce young kids to poetry by reading it aloud to them, discuss the different types of poetry, and then have each student pick their favorite and right a poem about the seasons in that form.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of children's poetry took my breath away. The words themselves are so full of description they paint beautiful pictures in your head. I was stunned at the imagery the author created. The illustrations were also excellent and beautifully done. This would definitely be an amazing book to have in an elementary classroom or a child's library.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures really reflect the poems (for example, they pictures are fuzzy and gloomy in the March and rainy poems and the pictures are clear and bright for the summer). The illustrations are just beautiful and the language is also. This book does a good job portraying nature and the seasons.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations accompany these poems about the seasons.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Return"

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful poetry with stunning illustrations. Barbara Esbensen's poetry has a freshness and joy which leaps from the page.

[Catherine Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning illos and beautiful words!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry book that has a four seasons approach, employing four different illustrators that show off the poems beautifully. Terrific to see and to read the poems by Barbara Esbensen.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry with the seasons

[Angela Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

THis is a book of poems that focus on nature during the seasons. Read in class. This would be a great book to have in the classroom as a mentor text for poetry.

[Melle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely little book of seasonal poems by a late Minnesota writer, each illustrated by an artist with Minnesota ties. Pleasant, unobjectionable, and stereotypically Minnesota nice.