ALA Booklist

At his best Hughes wrote with a lyrical simplicity, with humor and heartfelt emotion, that appeals to children. However, these alphabet poems, first written in 1936 and published now for the first time (as part of the Opie Library), are condescending and cute, with forced rhymes and flat imagery (Mrs. Squirrel / Can look so sweet / When she finds / Her nest is neat). The editors of a new compilation of Hughes' work don't include them with the section of children's poetry; in fact, they include no unpublished poems most likely because Hughes either never offered them to publishers or because they were rejected by publishers when he offered them. What is best about this small book is the art and design. The illustrations are color photographs of animal models made from papier-m{ƒ}ach{‚}e and other materials; the artists are young grade-school students at the Harlem School of the Arts. The cover is gorgeous, and the book design displays the humor, fantasy, and brilliant color of the kids' work. (Reviewed October 15, 1994)

Horn Book

Illustrated by students from the Harlem School of the Arts. Introduction by Ben Vereen. Hughes's previously unpublished animal poems--one for each letter of the alphabet--are paired with color photographs of paper and clay animals created by young students. The poetry is wonderful, and the artwork may inspire the reader's own creativity, but the introduction and lengthy, scholarly afterword are appropriate only for an adult audience.

Kirkus Reviews

Published for the first time, this book of poems for children covers animals for all the letters of the alphabet (except for X, which gets a poem but no animal). Some of the poems are educational, some are just fun: What use/Is a goose/Except to quackle?/If a goose/Can't quackle/She's out of whackle.'' Many of them offer moral lessons:A lion in a zoo,/Shut up in a cage,/Lives a life/Of smothered rage.'' Hughes (190267) really speaks to today's children, and who better to illustrate his poems than the children of the Harlem School of the Arts? Their sculptures perfectly complement the whimsical tone of Hughes's poetry. Although it's hard to tell what kind of artists these children will be when they grow up, right now they are marvelous. An autobiographical introduction by entertainer Ben Vereen and a biographical afterword about Hughes by George P. Cunningham (Africana studies/Brooklyn College) round out the volume. Harlem Renaissance poet Hughes and young Harlem artists together create a fun, provocative, and visually exciting abecedary. (Poetry/Picture book. 3+)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Fiction Reprints

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 5--Twenty-seven previously unpublished, alphabetically arranged verses about animals, written in 1936. Though humorous and ostensibly non-political, this imaginative romp has a bittersweet undercurrent: ``A lion in a zoo,/Shut up in a cage,/Lives a life/Of smothered rage./A lion in the plain,/Roaming free,/Is happy as ever/A lion can be.'' Children from The Harlem School of the Arts have created brightly painted, three-dimensional clay or paper creatures to accompany the poems; full-color photographs of these sculptures are placed next to the selections. A lowercase letter in script appears on each spread; some letters are superimposed on the text. Ben Vareen's introduction and George P. Cunningham's afterword should help adults appreciate the work; children, however, will need no help in responding to the book's creative spirit. An inspired artistic collaboration.--Judy Greenfield, Rye Free Reading Room, NY