  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 09/01/2019 Gr 2–6—Rogers delves into the larger story behind William Carlos Williams's famous poem "The Red Wheelbarrow," opening a window into the poet's life and inviting children to consider what lies beyond those simple 16 words. As a physician in Rutherford, NJ, in the 1920s, Williams is depicted as treating both black and white patients. One of those patients, Mr. Thaddeus Marshall, is the owner of a red wheelbarrow, which he uses to take vegetables from his garden to sell to neighbors. Marshall and the wheelbarrow are a part of the daily landscape until the patient becomes ill. In the story, Williams ponders the significance of the wheelbarrow sitting empty as rain falls on the garden. While the main narrative imagines how Williams may have come to write the poem, an author's note provides the factual basis and insight into Williams as a person. The author asks readers to consider what the poem means to them and provides a framework for studying any piece of poetry. Full-bleed digital illustrations are interspersed with smaller spot images. Decorative elements in the houses, buildings, wallpaper, and design elements such as family photos present a visual sense of the time period. VERDICT A unique picture book that shows how poetry can capture a feeling or an image with a few well-chosen words. Pair with Sharon Creech's Love That Dog to make a thought-provoking poetry connection.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 09/01/2019 This quiet, homey picture-book biography of William Carlos Williams is a great introduction to writing and the appreciation of poetry. The text gently ambles along, portraying life in the small, quiet neighborhoods where Williams served as a town doctor, detailing his observances of normal, everyday things as he went from patient to patient, making house calls. The digital illustrations employ muted colors reminiscent of old sepia photographs, adding to a quaint, old-timey feel. The 16 words referenced in the title refer to the entirety of one of Williams' best-loved poems, The Red Wheelbarrow, a description of a neighbor's garden on a rainy day. Kids will get a feel for how Williams found inspiration, jotted down lines whenever he could, and used simple language. The text also talks about how Williams doesn't load his lines with lots of imagery yet manages to convey his ideas to readers with just a few words. Great for reading aloud, this will also be a good choice for launching poetry units and inspiring neophyte poets. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. Loading...
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