Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry

Author: Various- Collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrated by: Peter M Fiore

Publishing information: (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, September 1, 1994, Gr. 4-8)

Number of Pages: 144 pages

Genre: Poetry

Summary of Plot:       

            This book has poems about the early 1700’s to the late 1990’s. This book has poems written by the author, Whitman, Frost, Mother Goose, Longfellow, and Livingston. It first summarizes major influences of the times in chapter openers, and then it has poems about the different time periods.

My Reaction to the book:

            I love America! This book is cool because it gives people a 144 page overview of USA history. I was fascinated by the poems and the pictures. The poems were good, though I liked some more than others. My favorite poem was called “I hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman. This book has awesome pictures; I believe they are watercolor. 

Potential Problems:

            None

Recommendations:

I would recommend this book to those who either love America, or who wish to learn more about what happened in its history. This book is also good for those that like poetry. It had poems in it that I didn’t recognize the styles but poets would. It is a very informative read, for both the young and the older.