National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More than 200 Poems With Photographs That Float, Zoom, and Bloom!

I have to return this book today. I have horded it as long as I could. I tried reading it slow, I tried reading it fast, but what I love about poetry is that it demands that you read it at it's pace.
This book did me in. I do not know how I am going to read books with text in them. This book has poems by the classics and current poets. Yes, Robert Frost and Thoreau are in this book but they are not the stars. The star is the book designer, the graphic artist who took words on paper and working with the "editor" J Patrick Lewis allowed them to dance with photo's from National Geographic Archives.
This book left me breathless and speechless. Make sure you read the last page before you get to the reference section. And read the bonus poem show more on the back of the book jacket.

I have to buy this book. show less

After reading the National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry, and loving it, I was excited to read this book as well. I love poetry, and I love sharing it with my sisters, both of whom also love poetry, so over several months, we read through this book as a bedtime treat.

This book has a wide variety of poems—from well-known writers from centuries past, right up through the present. I was impressed by how many poems there were in this book, each chosen with care. I also love the vivid, full-page pictures—they are a brilliant addition to the poetry, and set the scene and draw you in.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t as much of a hit for me as the Animal Poetry book. I was surprised by how many poems had some sort of mystical/spiritual show more element, and as a Christian, I didn’t appreciate that so much.

I did enjoy the variety of poems, though—some of the places described in these poems were ones I’d never heard of before, so my sisters and I got to do additional investigation after reading about things like The Great Blue Hole or the Christmas Island Crabs—that was fun!

I don’t think this book will be staying on our family shelf, but I am glad to have had the chance to read this collection. There was a lot to love in it, and if you don’t mind having some spiritual elements in the poetry you read, you and your family are likely to love this book. show less

Wow. Definitely worth owning a copy - buy it for your aunt, your niece, her science teacher, her English teacher, and all your friends, whether they're hikers, or artists, 'Green,' or philosophical. A few favorites that I already know are included, but there are also lots of poems that I didn't know by familiar poets, and lots of poets I want to read more by, too.

The images are, of course, mostly stunning, including some that alert me to parks etc. to add to my 'bucket list.' And the poems are what I pedantically consider 'real' poetry. They're not simple verses; some are challenging.

In fact, there's a poem by [a:Jack Prelutsky|20775|Jack Prelutsky|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1201022851p2/20775.jpg], who I usually mock, that I show more consider one of the most interesting in its own way. "The Ways of Living Things" is too long to quote, but it reads almost like a Psalm, like "All things great and small...."

The book is not perfect. For example, two 'mysteries,' the pink color of Lake Hillier and the Sliding Stones of Death Valley, have been sufficiently solved to make the poems obsolete. And there's no direct bibliography to make it easy to find a book that has a particular poem.

And there's a fairly tight focus on the US, maybe about 2/3 US, 1/3 the rest of globe.... If I were to teach this book, I would have students seek out more poems and images from the rest of the world.

A 'resources' page lists other books to add to my to-read list.

Added to places I want to see: Watkins Glen SP, NY, and the southern Mississippi R. where it's so wide you can't see the other side.

From "Lessons in September" by [a:Tracie Vaughn Zimmer|347398|Tracie Vaughn Zimmer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1219626764p2/347398.jpg]:
Someday, I hope to stay
who I am in the woods
when out of them-
Aware
Grateful
Awed

From "Bouquets" by [a:Robert Francis|600774|Robert Francis|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1327551871p2/600774.jpg]:
One flower at a time. I want
to hear what it is saying.

Too long to quote is "The Peace of Wild Things" by [a:Wendell Berry|8567|Wendell Berry|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1209652700p2/8567.jpg] and "The Blue Between" by [a:Kristine O'Connell George|236959|Kristine O'Connell George|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1348502029p2/236959.jpg] show less

A beautiful book in both words and pictures. Featuring poetry by some of the most talented writers including Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes this book gives a look into the beauty of both poetry and nature. This book can be used to incorporate poetry and science together for all ages. From the mountains to the desert, hurricanes to avalanches and crickets and buffalo, this book gives a look into nature that anyone can appreciate.

This book is an anthology compiled by former U.S. Children's Book Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated with photographs published by National Geographic.
Poetry from Langston Hughes, Kurt Vonnegut, D.H. Lawrence, e.e. cummings, and J. Patrick Lewis, of course, as well as Jack Prelutsky and Mary Ann Hoberman. This is not a predictable light-hearted collection for kids, but it will make your heart lighter. This is a collection that respects the intelligence and deep thinking of children with appreciation for stunning photography of the world around us.

Beautiful pictures! I love their selection of poetry as well. As far as a book of poetry goes, this is pretty fantastic! It is a great coffee table type book.