Everyone knows Robert Louis Stevenson; everyone has at least one of the myriad books of his poetry. There are some stunningly illustrated collections of his poetry out now, notably two by Thomas Kincaide, among others. But how many of us have actually read all or most of his work? I'm guilty as charged.

This smaller, quieter version of Stevenson's poetry helped me finally, actually read all the Garden poetry. True, the illustrations are spare, but delightfully accurate. My children (7 and 10) were not as mesmerized by this book as they are by others with fanciful graphics, illustrations and larger type to accompany the poetry.

Still, this small book found its way into my purse to be used for waiting moments, e.g. at the orthodontist, doctor, and also to my bedside, where it's shear diminutive size did not dissuade me from reading "for only a minute or two." And within Stevenson's words and language lie the ferment of creative pictures. I liked to have my children close their eyes while I read short poems to 'force' them to use only their mind's eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures, moods, and images Stevenson conjures and at long last can understand why his poetry remains so classic.

When I was younger, well 5 actually, I had the chicken pox. This was one of my mom's favorite books. The words in the poetry just soothed me. It seemed like the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, knew exactly what I was going through.

You can't forget about the little toy soldiers (a poem) at your feet because when you are sick for days, you can imagine all kinds of things in your mind. The curtains billow like sails, the bedpost is your anchor. I sat there in bed and just floated away with the fun of having someone to share my illness. It seemed like a had a friend right there with me.

I loved the pictures too. The little kids are old fashioned and it made me laugh because the boys wore silly clothes, but they fit the time period, my mom said.

I love this book and keep it by my bed when I need to be relaxed.

Hayley Cohen

Most everyone knows that Robert Louis Stevenson was sickly, both as a child and as an adult, and the happy result for the reading public was his nearly feverish flights of imagination. Here, in an edition of his classic "A Child's Garden of Verses," that fever is complemented in spades by the fantastical illustrations of English artist Joanna Isles.

Isles uses an arsenal of utterly frivolous flowers, borders, insects, birds, kings and queens, fairies, and more to expand upon the imagination exhibited in Stevenson's poems. The children in these pictures are depicted as being in charge, being at one with their environment, and being delighted to be alive.

Some of the illustrations hint at the influence of artists more famed than Isles (Henri Rousseau appears to be a special favorite of hers--see the illustration for "The Unseen Playmate," in which a boy lies down in weeds that might have sprung from the edge of Rousseau's painting "The Dream"). Using both primary colors and pastels, Isles creates a world within the world of Stevenson's verse. The marriage of the two is a happy one.

This book is a keepsake!

I bought this oversized book for a friend of mine who recently had a baby. It is gorgeously and generously (the pictures are full-page) illustrated (Jessie Wilcox Smith).

There are the old "standard" rhymes ("There was a little girl who had a little curl...") as well as some rhymes which I'd never heard before.

The layout is beautiful, with the rhyme or rhymes on one side and an illustration on the facing page. Around the rhymes are beautiful borders with gold gilding running throughout the design.

It has a very old-fashioned quality about it. The cover of the book has a beautiful picture and a cream ribbon accents the binding.

The only reason I rated the book a 4-star instead of a 5-star is that I don't understand why the publishers decided to include 2 full pages of stickers. The stickers are beautiful (they are taken from the illustrations within the book), but the book can stand on its own. The stickers, no doubt, will be used by the parents LONG before the child will ever even know they existed in their gorgeous little book.

Very boring. I had to read it for something I did at school. The beggining is OK but after awile it gets really boring. For example they propose he gets turned down ect. I didn't really get
the feel for this book. I had heard it was supposed to be good. But I heard it from one of my substitutes she said it was really good but I don't really like romance, stress, and poverty in stories but if you like that you can try this book. I DO NOT. YES I DO NOT RECCOMEND THIS BOOK!!!

A must read for today's illiterate young people! Throw out the Harry Potter and other mindless twaddle on your bookshelves and pick up an unabridged classic, such as Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Heidi or Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates. Don't cheat yourself or your children out of the priceless experience of reading great literature.

Stacy D. McDonald
Editor-in-Chief
Homeschooling Today magazine...