Review by Booklist Review
A wide-eyed child peers out her window at a small brown bird trilling on a tree limb. "HOPE is the thing with feathers," begins the story, "That perches in the soul." As Dickinson's tight language dances across the pages, the bird takes flight and travels through gentle rain and then gales before emerging in sunshine to land upon a branch before the child at the poem's end. As with his expressive interpretation of song lyrics in What a Wonderful World (2015), by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, illustrator Hopgood (My Big Book of Outdoors, 2022) brings movement and a child-centered framework to adult text. The warm palette of the artwork conveys its optimism, and softly edged pencil, chalk, and ink images feature the singing bird moving resolutely forward. A brief biography of Dickinson and exposition of the poem are accompanied by a glossary and activity in the back matter, along with the poem in its entirety. This artistic interpretation breathes fresh life into a moving and familiar metaphor and is well suited for home and library enjoyment.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--5--Unlike humor poets Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, who have wide appeal to the school-age set, romantic poetry can be tricky for young readers who prefer a tidy narrative. Dickinson's "Hope Is the Thing with Feathers" offers a just-right sojourn for children into the metaphoric language of poetry. Its subject has a modern-day relevance that will inspire engaging discourse, both in classrooms and at home. Hopgood's interpretations of the classic poem provide consistent visual mooring for Dickinson's text, depicting the resilience of hope in the form of a songbird whose song survives the many obstacles life puts in the way. In Dickinson's parting stanza, "Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me," provides a fruitful opportunity for meaningful exchange between little ones and their grown-ups. VERDICT A fine foray into canonical poetry for young learners.--Sarah Simpson
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
One of Dickinson's most famous poems is brought to vivid life. A young, brown-skinned child at a window watches a brown bird, perhaps a house wren, singing colorful notes from a nearby tree. Later the bird dodges raindrops and umbrellas, emitting notes and inspiring pedestrians to look up. The bird's song "never stops," even as night falls over the city and a violent storm ensues. The notes become fainter, but only briefly, as the bird flies off to a warmer, brighter setting to "the chilliest land" and to a sunny harbor. Returning to the child, whose window is now open, the bird perches closer, still singing. Each page features one line of the poem, printed over full-bleed, borderless, mixed-media images. Human figures--mostly brown-skinned--are simplified against brilliant abstract backgrounds. Relying on a wide range of hues, from the glowing yellow of the book's cover to peach and fluorescent blue to autumnal oranges and burnt sienna, with touches of bright green--the color of hope--Hopgood visually conveys the poem's theme, slowing the pace of Dickinson's economical lines and allowing readers to take them in. Backmatter includes a brief paragraph on Dickinson's life, a short glossary, and a suggested activity. Dickinson's verse benefits from Hopgood's full visual expression.(Picture book. 6-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
