Dear Mother, Dear Daughter: Poems for Young People

by Jane Yolen

Boyds Mills Press publishes a wide range of high-quality fiction and nonfiction picture books, chapter books, novels, and nonfiction

Genres: Poetry, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Gabriel Weaver · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean, I'm neither a mother nor a daughter, so perhaps that might explain why I wasn't enamored with this text. I am curious if any of my students will like the text. I could see the text being usable to teach perspective. However, several lines are now antiquated.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

These poems represent the communication/negotiation between a mother and a daughter. Jane Yolen is the voice of the mother and her daughter, Heidi Stemple, is the voice of the daughter. Heidi is now grown with daughters of her own, and she draws from those experiences as well as those of her own adolescence to write from the perspective of a nine-to-twelve year old girl. The response format (first the daughter writes to her mother and then the mother writes back about the same topic) creates a kind of dialogue through poetic letters that would resonate with many mothers and daughters. One that I liked was where the daughter and her classmates were playing catch with a soccer ball and broke a window. The daughter took the blame even though she did not do it and has to show her mother the note from her teacher. The mother then shows her daughter the note she wrote back to the teacher, where she acknowledges her daughter's wrongdoing but also expresses pride at her willingness to take responsibility: "...She stood her ground./She took the blame/Though others, too,/Were in the game...But that she stood/And said aloud/What others did not dare--/I'm proud."
This letter-response format might be a less intimidating way to get students to start writing poetry. They could try it with a parent, as in the book (if parents would participate), or in class with a partner.

[Taryn Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Reaction: I was absolutely captivated by these poems. It is a great resource for not only a classroom, but at home to when your child is having problems. I was always a little self conscious when I was growing up. I was even bullied, and the one person to pull me through that was my mom. She let me know every day that I was worth it, and I was beautiful no matter what anyone else said. That said, this poetry book really hit home with me.

Purpose: These poems should be targeted more to 5th and 6th grade students. The issues talked about in the poem would be more for older students that were on their way to middle school. This poetry book would be a great idea to use for when teaching a lesson that is more for every day life, not like a math lesson or a spelling test. The school I volunteer at has a counselor lesson every Wednesday where she comes in and teaches the students a lesson in self-motivation, or perseverance. This book could go hand in hand with a lesson like that. All students, mostly girls, have the same problems and struggles that the poems portray and this would be a great story to show them that everyone goes through the same things and there is a way to help.

[Caycee Hatchette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal reaction: This was probably my favorite of the poem books that found. I liked that every poem that was from the child's perspective had the mother's response.

I would probably read these poems to second or third graders. There are so many different poems that could be used for different lessons. There is a poem about homework and how the child is annoyed that the mom is bugging her. The mom responds that she isn't being tough, she just wants the work to be done. There is another one that is about body image, notes from the teacher, staying up late, being too tall, playing sports, and being different from others. I think that these would all be good to utilize throughout the year. Some could be used before the counselor comes to talk about sensitive subject and the others could be sporadic throughout other times in the day. All of these poems rhyme, some of the words are written to mirror actions (kneeling). These poems aren't rich in figurative language because they don't stray from their point. The illustrations are also pretty dull and they are all grey which is one of the downsides of this poetry book.

[Bridget R. Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of poems, authored by a mother and daughter, is a conversation batten a daughter and a mother. The topics are familiar ones for those who are daughters and mothers. Homework, body image, cleaning your room, crushes, death, hobbies, extending bedtime, boredom, growing up, talking on the phone, PE, and money.

What I thought: These poems are brilliant. Heidi E. Y. Stemple writes with great insight as does Jane Yolen. These women have been both daughters and mothers and those experiences are evident in the poems. I recall having conversations on similar topics with my own mother. I don't have children of my own, but when I do, I plan to give my daughter a copy of this book so we can understand each other better. Thank you ladies for creating such a legacy for women to give their daughters.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poems of a mother and daughter, functioning as unwritten letters or unspoken words about the issues which they face. From the most minor (squabbles about bedtimes) to the most major issues (body image, school shootings) these poems are very touching and deal with the issues, on the whole, in a genuine and heartfelt way.

[Christine Haag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this poetry book! Probably will add it to my collection some day. Great story told between poems/letters from a mother to her daughter and daughter to her mother on trivial as well as important topics of conversation.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this clear through after my friend Candace from bookclub shared a poem from it. I especially liked the poems about grandma and sticking up for someone being bullied.