GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 1984
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Errol Le Cain, illustrations
Faber and Faber, 1984
30 pp.
Age: 3
Interests: poetry, nature, First Nations, birds, animals
Also by this illustrator: The Cabbage Princess, Thorn Rose, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Snow Queen, The Enchanter’s Daughter, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, and many others
A short excerpt fromThe Song of Hiawatha by Longfellow. In this selection the wise Nokomis shows little Hiawatha the wonders and mysteries of the natural world. Young Hiawatha goes out to observe and learn all the secrets of the birds and animals.
Talked with them whene’er he met them, Called them Hiawatha’s Brothers.
The soothing, flowing poetry by Longfellow is sumptuously illustrated by Errol le Cain, more well-known perhaps for his fairy tale work. The full-page spreads are a wonder to look at, children will be drawn in by the rich detail. The poem is accessible enough, easy to understand at any age, and is a lovely introduction to the rhythm of poetry and the way the words just roll along. A good bedtime read.
(This book is currently out of print, but used copies are available through amazon.com)
Rarest Kind of Best 