From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6–Intermingling excerpts from the poet's writings with her own well-written prose, Ray has created an appealing look at the people and events that both propelled Neruda toward his writing career and shaped his political ideals. She focuses primarily on two influential women: his stepmother who, raising him from infancy after his mother's death, was–in his own words–the guardian angel of his childhood, and Gabriela Mistral, principal of the girls' division of his school and a noted poet in her own right. The former introduced him to his Chilean heritage, telling him stories of the indigenous peoples and instilling in him a love of the rain forest. The latter recognized his talent and introduced him to the art of poetry, in which he found his true voice. Ray's realistic craypas and charcoal illustrations beautifully bring his world to life. From the varied monochromatic hues of the lush rain forest to the brilliant colors of the Chilean marketplace, the evocative art captures both the activity of the developing town and the tranquility of nature. The story concludes with an English and Spanish transcription of Neruda's poem about how poetry captured his soul. An author's note, biographical sketches of Neruda and Mistral, and a chronology help to frame the story. An excellent introduction to the human face of poetry.–Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist
"I have come out of that landscape, that mud, that silence, to roam, to go singing through the world." Neruda's quote opens this strikingly illustrated picture-book biography of the poet's childhood, spent in a pioneer town in the Chilean rain forest. Ray combines her spare, lyrical telling with quotes from Neruda's writings. Although the transition between voices isn't always seamless, the effect is still powerful, and the immediacy of Neruda's well-chosen words will spark older children's interest and pull them into his story. The mix of voices works particularly well when describing Neruda's passionate connection with nature and how the solace he found there inspired his poetry. Like the words, Ray's accomplished, mixed-media illustrations create a visceral sense of the melancholy, rain-soaked forest and the bustling town. More biographical information, including a time line, and an author's note conclude this stirring portrait. For slightly older readers, suggest Poli Delano's When I Was a Boy Neruda Called Me Policarpo (2006). Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
