'Wordsworth The Poet' - Description:

Wordsworth writes poetry -- about rainbows made of butterflies and castles in the clouds. But all the other mice in the Hawaiian rain forest make fun of Wordsworth and his "silly" poems, until the day the sun disappears, and the sky rumbles, and the rain begins to fall and fall. That's when Wordsworth takes pen in hand and shows the others how poetry can save the day. In this delightful children's story by poet and educator Frances H. Kakugawa, young readers learn the value of self-expression through poetry.

The 32-page book is an ideal tool for home or classroom use, making readers comfortable with poetry and encouraging them to try writing their own. Wordsworth the Poet provides a memorable introduction to the power of poetry for children of all ages. Wordsworth was the recipient of the 2004 Hawaii Publisher's Book Award for Excellence in Children's Books.

Hardcover; 32 pp. Author: Frances H. Kakugawa; illustrated by Scott Goto.

'Wordsworth The Poet' - Reviews:

From the ReadingTub.com:

The kids say:

We liked the book. Even though Wordsworth was different, at the end, people treated him like he was "normal." We also liked the "butterfly rainbow."

The Teacher Says:

"Even though I selected it for them, the kids wanted to read it again right away."

Reviewer Said:

"Borrow or Buy: Buy! The kids loved it. There is a lot you can do with this book,...."

Jame Rumford says,

"[Frances] introduces us not only to Wordsworth the mouse, but to the wordsworths of this world who are impassioned to write."

"The other mice still cannot quite understand why Wordsworth is what he is. They still cannot quite understand how Wordsworth can feel and see so many things. Buth they no longer worry about him or make fun of him. Now they look at Wordsworth and say 'He is a poet.'"

"Wordsworth The Poet' is a book worth having."e

- Honolulu Advertiser

Poet's Review -

"Wordsworth experiences employing what might best be described as applied poetry for difficult situations. The books contain poems, but the real surprises are how Wordsworth applies poetry to solve real world problems. Forced to deal with being the "nerdy mouse-poet" who is labeled and shunned by his schoolmates until the moment demonstrates a very stunning application for his poems and gains a new respect for himself and for poetry."

"It's a book with a powerful moral, but not a single passage of 'moralizing' to the reader. All the more amazing since Kakugawa entirely shuns the easy cliches about being different and the prejudice. Instead of asking what we have to lose by clinging to our fears, she she elects to tell a simple story about what we have to gain by overcoming them. Something kids will get right away, even if their parents still struggle with such things. Buy it for your kids, read it yourself."

—Red Slider, poet.

'Wordsworth The Poet' - Awards:

Wordsworth The Poet" was the 2004 Ka Palapala Po'okela Award recepient for "excellence in Children's Literature" - an annual award presented by the Hawaiian Book Pubisher's Association.

'Wordsworth The Poet' - Links to More Information:

  More about Wordsworth The Poet can be found at:

√   HILO School District - Book of the Month

and,

√   Red Slider's comment on the KQED Forum