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Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People
Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda.
Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved—things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.
Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved—things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2011
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1006 people want to read
About the author
Monica Brown
81 books118 followersMonica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of awardwinning bilingual books for children, including My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz (Luna Rising), a recipient of the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second picture book, My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: La vida de Gabriela Mistral (Luna Rising) shares the story of the first Latina to win a Nobel Prize.
Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"
Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).
Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.
To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.
Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"
Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).
Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.
To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
September 10, 2018
Here illustrator Julie Paschkis makes a presentation about the process she goes through in making books, in particular Pablo Neruda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt9V4...
These are some images from the book to give you an idea of the style.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Julie...
Monica Brown’s story, a kind of all ages picture book with maybe a nod to children in particular, is a brief sweet introduction to possibly the greatest and most influential poet of the twentieth century, Chilean poet, activist and politician Neruda.
Neruda was born Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto, but he published his first poems under the assumed name Pablo to hide his work from his disapproving father. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. His best known book might still be Twenty Love Songs and a Song of Despair. He wrote equally of love and political struggle and common objects.
I wish the book had included some of his poetry—the point here is to evoke some sense of who he was through largely the illustrations, but here’s one poem:
If You Forget Me
I want you to know
one thing.
You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.
Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.
If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.
If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.
But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt9V4...
These are some images from the book to give you an idea of the style.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Julie...
Monica Brown’s story, a kind of all ages picture book with maybe a nod to children in particular, is a brief sweet introduction to possibly the greatest and most influential poet of the twentieth century, Chilean poet, activist and politician Neruda.
Neruda was born Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto, but he published his first poems under the assumed name Pablo to hide his work from his disapproving father. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. His best known book might still be Twenty Love Songs and a Song of Despair. He wrote equally of love and political struggle and common objects.
I wish the book had included some of his poetry—the point here is to evoke some sense of who he was through largely the illustrations, but here’s one poem:
If You Forget Me
I want you to know
one thing.
You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.
Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.
If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.
If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.
But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.
August 9, 2023
Wonderful first book on Pablo Neruda that will hopefully encourage a new generation to seek out his poetry. The illustrations fit well; every page is a swirl of words that are found in his poems - as life moves on so do the words. This book does a great job of presenting all the different roles Neruda played through his life - a life that was always lived to the fullest.
April 2, 2011
The illustrations in this one are fascinating. I need to go back and just look at the illustrations. The story is a simplified look at Neruda's life. I can see this being used in conjunction with The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan.
January 23, 2012
Having read Pam Munoz Ryan's "The Dreamer," I was familiar with Pablo Neruda's life. I appreciated how this story was composed for a younger audience, though it left out some details most adults might thing important. What the book doesn't leave out is the spirit of Neruda's work, and I loved the way the illustrations were made of words, both Spanish and English.
November 21, 2014
Beautifully illustrated introduction to the life of the Chilean poet.
March 5, 2012
Pablo Neruda, Poet of the People is a picture book written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Julie Paschkins. This story is simply narrated, but with powerful language and word choice. The accompanying illustrations add to the story line because they are interwoven with words both in English and in Spanish. For example, when he was a teenager, Neftali changed his name to Pablo Neruda and began publishing his poems-always writing in green ink. The images accompanying this text have his different names making up a leaf, and words like fabula (fable), brillando (shining), and escriber (write) making up the surrounding designs. It’s appropriate that there is so much text making up the images since Pablo Neruda was a lover of words. The story follows him from his childhood, to adolescence, to his adult life in Chile. It also touches on Neruda’s activism, marching for justice on behalf of coal miners’ rights. At the end of the book is an Author’s Note giving more information on Neruda, his works, awards, and achievements. There is also a resources page listing titles of poems, books written about Neruda, and two different websites for further research.
I have read different books on Neruda and I found this one to be both engaging and informative. The story opens with the sentence, “Once there was a little boy named Neftali, who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly;” a beautiful way to begin a story about such an accomplished poet and writer. For visual students, they will be engaged by the illustrations and the use of text-both Spanish and English-to further tell the story. The author notes and resources at the end make it a versatile book for both lower elementary students and even middle school students. I teach some of Neruda’s poems in my seventh grade classroom and I would definitely use this picture book when introducing background information on this poet. I think this would also make an effective companion text to The Dreamer, by Pam Munoz Ryan.
I have read different books on Neruda and I found this one to be both engaging and informative. The story opens with the sentence, “Once there was a little boy named Neftali, who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly;” a beautiful way to begin a story about such an accomplished poet and writer. For visual students, they will be engaged by the illustrations and the use of text-both Spanish and English-to further tell the story. The author notes and resources at the end make it a versatile book for both lower elementary students and even middle school students. I teach some of Neruda’s poems in my seventh grade classroom and I would definitely use this picture book when introducing background information on this poet. I think this would also make an effective companion text to The Dreamer, by Pam Munoz Ryan.
September 22, 2019
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People is a children's picture book written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. It is a biographical picture book of Pablo Neruda – Nobel Laureate for Literature.
Mid-September to Mid-October, at least in my part of the world is Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, better known by his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda, was a Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet-diplomat and politician. Neruda became known as a poet when he was thirteen years old, and wrote in a variety of styles, including surrealist poems, historical epics, overtly political manifestos, a prose autobiography, and passionate love poems. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Brown's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Brown lyrically chronicles Neruda's poetic subjects and highlights his devotion to the poor and suffering. Paschkis' incorporates Spanish and English words into her organic, stylized compositions.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. This gentle tribute to Chilean poet Neruda explores his formative experiences, from searching for beetles and birds' eggs in the forest to discovering his love for books. While readers may not gain a real sense of Neruda's work from this collaboration, but it is a compelling portrait of a man who saw the world as a joyful, complex, and beautiful poem waiting to be unveiled.
All in all, Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People is a wonderful cursory biography about Pablo Neruda – Nobel Laureate for Literature.
Mid-September to Mid-October, at least in my part of the world is Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, better known by his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda, was a Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet-diplomat and politician. Neruda became known as a poet when he was thirteen years old, and wrote in a variety of styles, including surrealist poems, historical epics, overtly political manifestos, a prose autobiography, and passionate love poems. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Brown's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Brown lyrically chronicles Neruda's poetic subjects and highlights his devotion to the poor and suffering. Paschkis' incorporates Spanish and English words into her organic, stylized compositions.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. This gentle tribute to Chilean poet Neruda explores his formative experiences, from searching for beetles and birds' eggs in the forest to discovering his love for books. While readers may not gain a real sense of Neruda's work from this collaboration, but it is a compelling portrait of a man who saw the world as a joyful, complex, and beautiful poem waiting to be unveiled.
All in all, Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People is a wonderful cursory biography about Pablo Neruda – Nobel Laureate for Literature.
October 2, 2011
As is the case for many readers, I love books that feature lovers of words, whether they be readers and writers. This picture book biography of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda [his pen name]uses text and illustrations to highlight the life of the boy who became the man who won a Nobel Prize. The author uses lines such as "who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly" (unpaginated) and "dolphins playing in the surf and rusty anchors washed ashore" (unpaginated) to bring this observant poet of the people to life. Readers will find it easy to leap from his father's train into the forest to look closer at its treasures or walk along the streets of Santiago with Neruda and his poet friends. The illustrations, filled with soft greens, blues, and touches of reds, swirl Spanish and English words all around the page, providing a clear visual message of the influence of words and ideas on the young Neftali, and the later influence of his own words on those around him.
January 23, 2012
Ages: 4-7 years
Pablo Neruda wrote about the world around him: sometimes about love, other times about curiosity, and eventually about human injustice and protest. Brown creates a beautiful mosaic of Neruda's life and his fascination with his surroundings.
This book excels in showcasing Pablo Neruda's love of the world around him. In each painting, Spanish and English words are interwoven in the images, showing children the connection between words and images (an early literacy skill). On top of this enriching integration of words, the artwork is stunningly filled with luscious colors that capture the true emotion of each scene. Illustrator Julie Paschkis traveled to Neruda's home, clearly imbibing the Chilean surroundings. This would make an excellent book to spark a poetry program for children to write poetry about anything--just like Pablo Neruda!
Pablo Neruda wrote about the world around him: sometimes about love, other times about curiosity, and eventually about human injustice and protest. Brown creates a beautiful mosaic of Neruda's life and his fascination with his surroundings.
This book excels in showcasing Pablo Neruda's love of the world around him. In each painting, Spanish and English words are interwoven in the images, showing children the connection between words and images (an early literacy skill). On top of this enriching integration of words, the artwork is stunningly filled with luscious colors that capture the true emotion of each scene. Illustrator Julie Paschkis traveled to Neruda's home, clearly imbibing the Chilean surroundings. This would make an excellent book to spark a poetry program for children to write poetry about anything--just like Pablo Neruda!
June 20, 2012
When I read Pablo Neruda Poet of the People I was able to relate to some of his story. In the story, it tells how Pablo (Neftali, is his name given at birth) grew up having a passion for books and words. His father didn't approve of his interest so Pablo had to change his name from Neftali to Pablo when he was a teenager to be able to publish his poems behind his father's back.
I think this would be a good story for boys and girls of any age who have an interest in books and have dreams of being poets/writers or even just have dreams. This story encourages students to work towards their goals regardless of their obstacles. The illustrations (creativity of the words) in the book would be very appealing to the students! This book was an honor book for the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children.
I think this would be a good story for boys and girls of any age who have an interest in books and have dreams of being poets/writers or even just have dreams. This story encourages students to work towards their goals regardless of their obstacles. The illustrations (creativity of the words) in the book would be very appealing to the students! This book was an honor book for the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children.
June 20, 2018
I recently discovered this older picture book about Pablo Neruda and beautifully illustrated with Julie Paschkis' illustrations. She has embedded his words into every possible aspect of the pages while Monica Brown writes of his love of so many things, the sea, rocks, children's play. She writes "above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people. He joined in with others fighting for justice for workers "who struggled for freedom". Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. In the author's note, Monica Brown shares that after Neruda's death in 1973, his poet friend Yevgeny Yevtushenko, wrote:
. . . he carries his poetry to the people
as simply and calmly
as a loaf of bread."
. . . he carries his poetry to the people
as simply and calmly
as a loaf of bread."
September 21, 2013
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People is a 2012 Americas award recipient. Pablo was a poet from Chile. Since he was a child, he loved to read and was immersed in words. The vivid illustrations in this book demonstrate the play and creativity of words. Throughout the book, the reader understands what type of person Pablo is and who he grew up to be. His themes included nature, opposites, and justice. I highly recommend this book for all ages!
This text can be easily paired with "The Dreamer" by Pam Munoz Ryan, which is also about Pablo.
This text can be easily paired with "The Dreamer" by Pam Munoz Ryan, which is also about Pablo.
July 13, 2011
Monica Brown's simple tale of the life of Pablo Neruda is made more powerful by the stunning illustrations of Julie Paschkis. Ribbons of text are woven throughout detailed illustrations that chronicle Neruda's life, I have heard of several teachers who use this text as a precursor to Pam Munoz Ryan's book, The Dreamer, also about Neruda.
December 14, 2011
I liked this better than The Dreamer. Really enjoyed the colors, was entranced by the words in the illustrations, and thought the author did a good job of selecting the details that shape a life & a story.
May 11, 2014
A beautiful book.
Especially the way English and Spanish words form the illustrations and inform the story.
What a great book, too, for getting students to write poetry about the specific things that surround them (and also to notice other things, injustices, they may begin to care about).
Especially the way English and Spanish words form the illustrations and inform the story.
What a great book, too, for getting students to write poetry about the specific things that surround them (and also to notice other things, injustices, they may begin to care about).
September 28, 2013
Pablo Neruda, considered to be one of the greatest poets of the 20th Century, was born Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto in Chile in 1904. Because his father didn’t approve of his poetry, he came up with a pen name, Pablo Neruda. His poems are widely loved, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Gabriel García Márquez, a writer from Colombia and a fellow Nobel laureate, has called Neruda "the most important poet of the 20th century - in any language."
[Neruda died in Chile in 1973, less than two weeks after a U.S.-backed military coup replaced his close friend, the elected socialist Salvador Allende, with the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet. In 2011 a Chilean judge ordered that an investigation be launched pursuant to suggestions that Neruda may have been poisoned by the Pinochet regime. On April 8, 2013, his remains were finally exhumed. While initial tests confirm he had advanced cancer, toxicology studies are still in progress in both the U.S. and in Spain to determine if he had been poisoned to death.]
This book for young children is just stunning. The way in which the words (both in Spanish and in English) weave around the page in bright vivid colors (illustrated in a folk-art style by Julie Paschkis), demonstrate how Neruda could make words flow from his pen in magical patterns evoking colors and seasons and animals and most of all, emotions.
Neruda did not only write about pretty things. The conditions of the workers in Chile made him angry, and he fought on their behalf through his words. He had to leave Chile for a while to escape arrest, but returned after his Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
Although rhyming words fill the swirling designs on the pages, none of Neruda's actual poems are included in this book. [It’s an interesting problem: how to present a great poet and political activist without actually including examples of what he wrote. I, for example, have a book of his love poems, and of “Body of a Woman” I will only quote the first two lines, because the rest soon goes beyond the PG rating!]
Not all of his poems are like that, of course (Actually some are worse, adding violence to the mix, such as "Fable of the Mermaid and the Drunks"), but even the ones covering more innocuous subjects are a bit complex, which may be why there are none included. Brown's words are much more child-friendly. An author’s Note at the back of the book gives some additional biographical information and a list of further resources.
Evaluation: This book provides a nice introduction to a great Chilean patriot and poet in a visually stunning format. Readers will also appreciate how the words chosen to be a part of the illustrations reflect the episodes being discussed of Pablo's life. (For example, when Pablo had to go into exile, the swirling words include "appear" "disappear" "peligro" "hidden" "patria" "peril" and so on.)
[Neruda died in Chile in 1973, less than two weeks after a U.S.-backed military coup replaced his close friend, the elected socialist Salvador Allende, with the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet. In 2011 a Chilean judge ordered that an investigation be launched pursuant to suggestions that Neruda may have been poisoned by the Pinochet regime. On April 8, 2013, his remains were finally exhumed. While initial tests confirm he had advanced cancer, toxicology studies are still in progress in both the U.S. and in Spain to determine if he had been poisoned to death.]
This book for young children is just stunning. The way in which the words (both in Spanish and in English) weave around the page in bright vivid colors (illustrated in a folk-art style by Julie Paschkis), demonstrate how Neruda could make words flow from his pen in magical patterns evoking colors and seasons and animals and most of all, emotions.
Neruda did not only write about pretty things. The conditions of the workers in Chile made him angry, and he fought on their behalf through his words. He had to leave Chile for a while to escape arrest, but returned after his Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
Although rhyming words fill the swirling designs on the pages, none of Neruda's actual poems are included in this book. [It’s an interesting problem: how to present a great poet and political activist without actually including examples of what he wrote. I, for example, have a book of his love poems, and of “Body of a Woman” I will only quote the first two lines, because the rest soon goes beyond the PG rating!]
Body of a woman, white hills, white thighs,
you look like a world, lying in surrender.”
Not all of his poems are like that, of course (Actually some are worse, adding violence to the mix, such as "Fable of the Mermaid and the Drunks"), but even the ones covering more innocuous subjects are a bit complex, which may be why there are none included. Brown's words are much more child-friendly. An author’s Note at the back of the book gives some additional biographical information and a list of further resources.
Evaluation: This book provides a nice introduction to a great Chilean patriot and poet in a visually stunning format. Readers will also appreciate how the words chosen to be a part of the illustrations reflect the episodes being discussed of Pablo's life. (For example, when Pablo had to go into exile, the swirling words include "appear" "disappear" "peligro" "hidden" "patria" "peril" and so on.)
July 31, 2013
Audience: primary
Genre: non-fiction - biography
Fiction Twin Text: Noyce, P. & Charles, J. (2011). Lost in lexicon: an adventure in words and numbers. New York, NY:Scarletta Press.
This book is a biographical account of the poet Pablo Neruda's life. It describes how he grew up in Chile, had a strong connection to nature, and became inspired by a teacher who urged him to begin writing. It details many of the things that Neruda loved, and wrote about. The author exemplifies this by noting, "in the streets with his friends, Pablo saw joy and sadness, so he wrote about both (Brown, 2011, p. 12)." Many of the illustrations of the book are formed by words. An example is a picture of a tree, which has the words "never", "now", "flee", "here", "free", and "if" written on the leaves as the author describes the political climate of Chile.
Because words were of great importance to Neruda, and because the illustrations of this book incorporated and highlighted words, I chose to use the book "Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers" as my fiction twin text. In this book, fictional cousins go on a treasure hunt and discover a plague of punctuation, a mistress of metaphor, a panel of poets, and feuding parts of speech. Introducing students to an adventure story about morphology, phonology, and grammar would be an exciting, non-traditional way to apply words and sentences differently. Following this book with the non-fiction account of Neruda's life could be inspiring to students, allowing them to see that they can create with words. I think it would be a great assignment to have students create their own poetry after reading and discussing these books. They could draw on some of the examples that were mentioned in the biography of Neruda as inspiration, such as seasons, feathers, people, and trees. They could then use the lessons that they learned about putting words together from the fiction book about the English Lexicon to create their poetry. This would be an example of a "creating" assignment from Bloom's Taxonomy.
Genre: non-fiction - biography
Fiction Twin Text: Noyce, P. & Charles, J. (2011). Lost in lexicon: an adventure in words and numbers. New York, NY:Scarletta Press.
This book is a biographical account of the poet Pablo Neruda's life. It describes how he grew up in Chile, had a strong connection to nature, and became inspired by a teacher who urged him to begin writing. It details many of the things that Neruda loved, and wrote about. The author exemplifies this by noting, "in the streets with his friends, Pablo saw joy and sadness, so he wrote about both (Brown, 2011, p. 12)." Many of the illustrations of the book are formed by words. An example is a picture of a tree, which has the words "never", "now", "flee", "here", "free", and "if" written on the leaves as the author describes the political climate of Chile.
Because words were of great importance to Neruda, and because the illustrations of this book incorporated and highlighted words, I chose to use the book "Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers" as my fiction twin text. In this book, fictional cousins go on a treasure hunt and discover a plague of punctuation, a mistress of metaphor, a panel of poets, and feuding parts of speech. Introducing students to an adventure story about morphology, phonology, and grammar would be an exciting, non-traditional way to apply words and sentences differently. Following this book with the non-fiction account of Neruda's life could be inspiring to students, allowing them to see that they can create with words. I think it would be a great assignment to have students create their own poetry after reading and discussing these books. They could draw on some of the examples that were mentioned in the biography of Neruda as inspiration, such as seasons, feathers, people, and trees. They could then use the lessons that they learned about putting words together from the fiction book about the English Lexicon to create their poetry. This would be an example of a "creating" assignment from Bloom's Taxonomy.
November 29, 2022
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the people is an Orbis Pictus Honor. This biography is filled with mixed media and captivating a style. This gorgeous picture book shares the story of the famous and unique poet that only wrote in green ink. This formal picture book follows Neruda's life from childhood to adulthood, making it a complete biography. After the author's note, you can find backmatter and resources, ensuring the high quality of this 5-star book.
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February 9, 2014Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People- Primary book #1
1. Pablo Neruda, poet of the people. What do you think that means “Poet of the People”? (give students time to answer)Well Pablo was a poet, and we will soon see why he decided to become one even though his father disliked him writing. Pablo, as you will see enjoyed writing about struggles people face, and that gave others courage to stand up for what they believed. Now as I read this book, I’m going to give time for you to look at each page carefully because the illustrator did something pretty cool with the illustrations. In fact, you can see some on the front cover. What does it look like the author is trying to tell us by writing words in each picture? Think about that while I read.
2. Opening moves: draw attention to the illustrator’s craft, raise questions in the readers’ minds, prompt predictions based on the title, prompt hypothesizing based on the text.
3. I chose this book because the illustrations are great in that they incorporate both Spanish and English words in the drawings, and my students speak both English and Spanish in class with me, so it would be neat to see how many words from each language are written on each page. This story also tells of a Latin American writer, who didn’t always have the support from his father about writing and being a writer, so he had to look for other supporting adults, just like some of my students. The story about Pablo Neruda relates to the text set since it’s a biography of how Pablo became an influential Hispanic writer and how his poems still live on.
4. (2011, February 1). School Library Journal. http://www.booksinprint2.com.leo.lib....#
1. Pablo Neruda, poet of the people. What do you think that means “Poet of the People”? (give students time to answer)Well Pablo was a poet, and we will soon see why he decided to become one even though his father disliked him writing. Pablo, as you will see enjoyed writing about struggles people face, and that gave others courage to stand up for what they believed. Now as I read this book, I’m going to give time for you to look at each page carefully because the illustrator did something pretty cool with the illustrations. In fact, you can see some on the front cover. What does it look like the author is trying to tell us by writing words in each picture? Think about that while I read.
2. Opening moves: draw attention to the illustrator’s craft, raise questions in the readers’ minds, prompt predictions based on the title, prompt hypothesizing based on the text.
3. I chose this book because the illustrations are great in that they incorporate both Spanish and English words in the drawings, and my students speak both English and Spanish in class with me, so it would be neat to see how many words from each language are written on each page. This story also tells of a Latin American writer, who didn’t always have the support from his father about writing and being a writer, so he had to look for other supporting adults, just like some of my students. The story about Pablo Neruda relates to the text set since it’s a biography of how Pablo became an influential Hispanic writer and how his poems still live on.
4. (2011, February 1). School Library Journal. http://www.booksinprint2.com.leo.lib....#
June 21, 2012
Audience: Pre-k through adult would enjoy this book
Appeal: “Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People” is an inspiring story about a young boy who finds joy in words and especially in writing poems. As a young boy he was not good in soccer like the other kids, so he found solace in reading. What I really liked about this book is that the poet could find a poem in anything and everything from scissors to joy to sadness to the sea. He wrote about the hardships of the coal miners and was even exiled from his own country for the things he exposed. An uplifting story about a writer using his talents to make things known including injustices with put himself in danger. A great book for any aspiring writer to read, and also for teachers to show students that they can find topics even in the simplest things such as a thimble. The part that probably caught my attention first is that is shows that you don’t have to be good at sports to have a fulfilling and successful life – something that our society seems to send the opposite message about. The only reason I did not give this book five stars is that is does not include a single one of his poems – translated or not. Even if the poems are not written at a child’s level, I think a sample of his work would make the book and its message stronger.
Award: 2012 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children – Honor Book
Appeal: “Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People” is an inspiring story about a young boy who finds joy in words and especially in writing poems. As a young boy he was not good in soccer like the other kids, so he found solace in reading. What I really liked about this book is that the poet could find a poem in anything and everything from scissors to joy to sadness to the sea. He wrote about the hardships of the coal miners and was even exiled from his own country for the things he exposed. An uplifting story about a writer using his talents to make things known including injustices with put himself in danger. A great book for any aspiring writer to read, and also for teachers to show students that they can find topics even in the simplest things such as a thimble. The part that probably caught my attention first is that is shows that you don’t have to be good at sports to have a fulfilling and successful life – something that our society seems to send the opposite message about. The only reason I did not give this book five stars is that is does not include a single one of his poems – translated or not. Even if the poems are not written at a child’s level, I think a sample of his work would make the book and its message stronger.
Award: 2012 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children – Honor Book
April 14, 2013
The Book Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People tells about the life of Neftali and his transition into the poet Pablo Neruda. Since Neftali was young he surrounded himself with words, he wasn't interested with the games the other children were interested with, he loved to read. Neftali took on the name Pablo Neruda when he was a teen and he began writing poems and publishing them. He moved to Santiago and walked the streets with other writers in attempt to share their writing with others. Pablo wrote about many different things that he loved and his surroundings. Pablo also wrote about controversial topics such as the poor conditions for coal miners. He joined the fight for justice by writing poems for these workers and became a poet of the people. When officials of Chile decided to go after Pablo his friends took him in and hid him so that he was able to escape Chile. Pablos poems were that of peace and were read in many places.
The Illustrations in this book are very pleasing to look at. Julie Paschis uses bright colors and the use of words throughout the pictures keeps them very interesting. The words written, in English and Spanish, seem to be describing the text and what is happening in the book. I can see why this book got honorable mention for the Orbis Pictus Award because this book is a great nonfiction book for children. The book has references and is accurate, organized, has attractive design, and has an interesting style. My favorite character of this book is the English and Spanish words throughout the pictures.
The Illustrations in this book are very pleasing to look at. Julie Paschis uses bright colors and the use of words throughout the pictures keeps them very interesting. The words written, in English and Spanish, seem to be describing the text and what is happening in the book. I can see why this book got honorable mention for the Orbis Pictus Award because this book is a great nonfiction book for children. The book has references and is accurate, organized, has attractive design, and has an interesting style. My favorite character of this book is the English and Spanish words throughout the pictures.
October 7, 2017
Subject
Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was a Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Scope
In a child-like voice and spare prose, this book narrates Neruda's childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The text is accessible in the sense that its vocabulary is fairly easy to read, but it lacks clear transitions and quickly jumps from one point to the next. None of Neruda's poems are included.
About the Illustrations
I enjoy Julie Paschkis's style, but as beautiful as these pictures are on a visual level, they are not especially functional. Many of them incorporate words which cannot be read coherently, as there is no indication as to the order they are intended to go in, and many of the words are in Spanish, and no translation is provided. I appreciated Paschkis trying to connect the book in some way to Neruda's poetry, since the text does not really do this, but the pictures still fall short.
Author's Note
The author's note explains Neruda's significance and provides the only poetry in the book: a quotation about Neruda by another poet. Information is given in the resources section about how to find Neruda's poetry, but the lack of poetry in a biography about a poet makes me wonder how this book ever got published.
Additional Comments
Kids who have to do book reports on poets or authors: beware. This title is unlikely to fulfill the requirements of your assignment. It might be pretty to look at, but otherwise, this book is a big disappointment.
Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was a Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Scope
In a child-like voice and spare prose, this book narrates Neruda's childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The text is accessible in the sense that its vocabulary is fairly easy to read, but it lacks clear transitions and quickly jumps from one point to the next. None of Neruda's poems are included.
About the Illustrations
I enjoy Julie Paschkis's style, but as beautiful as these pictures are on a visual level, they are not especially functional. Many of them incorporate words which cannot be read coherently, as there is no indication as to the order they are intended to go in, and many of the words are in Spanish, and no translation is provided. I appreciated Paschkis trying to connect the book in some way to Neruda's poetry, since the text does not really do this, but the pictures still fall short.
Author's Note
The author's note explains Neruda's significance and provides the only poetry in the book: a quotation about Neruda by another poet. Information is given in the resources section about how to find Neruda's poetry, but the lack of poetry in a biography about a poet makes me wonder how this book ever got published.
Additional Comments
Kids who have to do book reports on poets or authors: beware. This title is unlikely to fulfill the requirements of your assignment. It might be pretty to look at, but otherwise, this book is a big disappointment.
November 19, 2012
Grade/Interest Level: Upper Elementary (6th-8th)
Reading Level:Lexile, 970 AD
Genre: Picture Book, Poetry, Biography
Main Characters: Neftalí (Pablo Neruda)
Setting: Chile
POV: Third Person
Summary: There was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things and quiet things. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered his interest in many things and book. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda. Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Pablo Neruda loved people as well. He wrote poems that addressed social issues of the people of Chile, earning him the nickname: "Poet of the People." Through pictures, there are illustrations filled with Spanish and English words with many imagery and word choices that stand out.
Classroom Uses/Theme: This would be a text to teach ELLs how to think and write poems in English or using their first and second language. Additionally, this book could be used with ELLs to teach about the topics of rhymes or same sound correspondence of English and Spanish words.
Reading Level:Lexile, 970 AD
Genre: Picture Book, Poetry, Biography
Main Characters: Neftalí (Pablo Neruda)
Setting: Chile
POV: Third Person
Summary: There was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things and quiet things. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered his interest in many things and book. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda. Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Pablo Neruda loved people as well. He wrote poems that addressed social issues of the people of Chile, earning him the nickname: "Poet of the People." Through pictures, there are illustrations filled with Spanish and English words with many imagery and word choices that stand out.
Classroom Uses/Theme: This would be a text to teach ELLs how to think and write poems in English or using their first and second language. Additionally, this book could be used with ELLs to teach about the topics of rhymes or same sound correspondence of English and Spanish words.
December 22, 2011
This was another book nominated for the Mock Caldecott awards at my local public library. I decided to check this one out because Pablo Neruda is my favorite poet of all time. His poetry on everyday things, as well as his love poems, are so amazing. I was curious how they were going to make his life story into a picture book for children since he was a Communist and exiled from his home country for his viewpoints, but Monica Brown has managed to gloss over those parts and make a beautiful book about the poet that children would want to read. I learned a lot about him that I did not know before, like he originally went by the name Neftali and only took the name Pablo Neruda as a pseudonym after his father disapproved of his poetry, and that he had a house in Spain called the House of Flowers. I thought the book itself was quite good, with a text that was like poetry, and enjoyed the bright colors of the illustrations, although I found the words swirled in among the drawings to distract a lot from the actual book text. Recommended for ages 5-10, 4 stars.
November 26, 2012
“Once there was a little boy named Neftali, who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly", so begins the dreamy and enchanting picture book about the life of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Neruda's life is beautifully written and illustrated into a poetic journey by author Monica Brown and illustrator Julie Paschkis. The book accentuates the passion Pablo felt from a very young age about words, and his ability to find inspiration in everything around him. Author Monica Brown masterfully narrates Pablo's life by highlighting his extensive love for people, never ending creativity and strong passion for standing up for what is right. The illustrations are perfect companions to the text as they create a dreamlike idea of beauty within everything. Incorporated into the illustrations are words both in english and spanish which further the idea that Pablo could find inspiration everywhere. This books is perfect for introducing poetry and the amazing legacy of Pablo Neruda, while teaching children to follow their dreams and passions without fear.
February 22, 2016
I like the use of color in the illustrations, but not really the style (particularly the primitive depiction of people). The inclusion of lots of words in the illustrations seems like it was a better idea than a reality. Without a thorough understanding of Spanish, much of this would be lost.
The text is a bit too straightforward (it overdoses on subject-verb-object constructions - not really the ideal thing for a book about a great poet). Sometimes it is just boring: "Pablo loved opposites, so he wrote about fire and rain and spring and fall." Uh huh. "In the streets and with his friends, Pablo saw joy and sadness, so he wrote about both." So what? What poet doesn't write about opposites? This really gives me no information or insight. As no examples of Neruda's poetry are included, this book falls far short of conveying the art of its subject.
The text is a bit too straightforward (it overdoses on subject-verb-object constructions - not really the ideal thing for a book about a great poet). Sometimes it is just boring: "Pablo loved opposites, so he wrote about fire and rain and spring and fall." Uh huh. "In the streets and with his friends, Pablo saw joy and sadness, so he wrote about both." So what? What poet doesn't write about opposites? This really gives me no information or insight. As no examples of Neruda's poetry are included, this book falls far short of conveying the art of its subject.
February 15, 2022
Neftali grew up in Chile, and loved words and nature. He saw problems in the world around him and he began to write poems to address them. His father did not wish him to become a poet, so Neftali took on the pen name of Pablo Neruda. He became one of the most famous poets in the world, known for being a poet of the people.
A biography set in Chile.
A biography set in Chile.
December 31, 2018
Good book. Pretty illustrations. Theme isn’t prominent so kids might just think of it as any other book. Overall fun book with meaning.
August 29, 2020
Good writing and wonderful illustrations!
June 2, 2025
Delightful illustrations serve as a lovely companion to the words that introduce one of my favorite poets to a young audience. And because the book includes both Spanish and English, I was able to practice my very mediocre understanding of the poet’s native tongue.
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