Perfect Picture Book Friday

Title: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams

Author/Illustrator: Jen Bryant/ Melissa Sweet

Publisher/Date: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers/2008

Genre/Audience: Biography/Ages 7+

Themes: poetry, biography, William Carlos Williams

Excerpt: 

"On his prescription pads, he scribbled a few lines

whenever and wherever he could.

In those precious times,

the rhythm of the river he had rested beside

as a child seemed to guide him. Like the water

that sometimes ran slow, smooth, and steady,

and other times came rushing in a hurried flood,

Willie's lines flowed across the page."

Synopsis: From School Library Journal - Starred Review. Grade 3–6—This stunning picture-book biography combines a lyrical text with wonderfully creative mixed-media illustrations in an impressive and personable homage to an extraordinary and accomplished man. Bryant's poetic writing—"Gurgle, gurgle—swish, swish, swoosh…. The water went slipping and sliding over the smooth rocks, then poured in a torrent over the falls, then quieted again below"—describes beautifully how, as a child, Williams would lie peacefully by the Passaic River, listening to the sounds of the water; he appreciated nature and the ordinary experiences of life. Book pages form a background for some of the illustrations and prescription pads become the paper for the doctor's poetic scribbling. A lovely spread shows a display of constellations while in the foreground, the poet sits framed in the light of an attic window, with one of his poems about a night sky laid out on a book cover. Williams's poems, which appear in the book in a variety of colors and fonts as part of the art, are highlighted in uniform type with standard line breaks on the inside cover pages. A time line of his life juxtaposed with a list of world events, a brief author's note about his significance as a poet, and an illustrator's note that explains how Sweet researched the project are appended.—Kirsten Cutler

Why I Love This Book:

Picture book biographies offer an accessible medium for introducing children to influential people across all disciplines. I picked up this intriguing book because the poetry of William Carlos Williams and his themes of everyday objects and experiences resonates with me. This is apparent in the book and children will also be drawn in by familiar themes, such as poem "The Great Figure" about a fire truck, which inspired a painting by his friend Charles Demuth entitled, "I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold." 

I also love the message that Williams' life teaches. He was a doctor who was also a poet. Children need to know that they can have multiple interests and pursue them with equal vigor.

Resources:

Poems of William Carlos Williams

Audio of Williams reading his poem "This is Just To Say"

Lesson Plan: grades 5-8

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