Today I’m combining two posts in to one with this Poetry Friday / Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon Mashup!
Today we’re looking at a beautiful poetry collection that celebrates winter in many of its different forms.
Winter Lights: A Season in Poems and Quilts by Anna Grossnickle Hines
Rich, luminous fabrics.
Eleven miles of thread.
An uncountable number of stitches.
Clear, sparkling words.
With these ingredients Anna Grossnickle Hines celebrates the lights that brighten the darkest season of our year. In poems and quilts she captures each heartening glow and flicker, from the moon and aurora borealis to the holiday lights of Santa Lucia, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year to one lone candle and a hidden flashlight in the deep, dark night.
Winter is a season of celebration for so many of us, and Winter Lights celebrates right along with us, sharing poems dedicated to Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Lunar New Year, as well as poems that simply celebrate the austere beauty of the winter world. This collection is unlike any I’ve ever experienced before, with beautiful hand-stitched quilts illustrating each poem with rich colours and intricate designs. I really appreciate that this collection is truly diverse in that it not only references different seasonal holidays, but also recognizes that many of us do not celebrate any holidays at this time of year, whether because our cultural holidays fall at different times of the year, or because we do not or choose not to participate in organized religions or belong to defined cultural groups. Every child can wonder at the magic of the Northern Lights, or be moved by the quiet warmth of a flickering candle in the darkness.
A beautiful collection of winter poems created with obvious love, perfect for warming hearts during this coldest, darkest season.
I didn’t know about this book; it looks gorgeous! I do love quilts. What a beautiful way to celebrate winter’s wonders and showcase an exquisite art form.
Yes – there are so many winter-themed poetry collections, but this one really stood out thanks to its unique illustrations!
What a creative combination of art forms– This looks absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
It’s so creative! It seemed strange to me at first, but in a way it’s so fitting – poetry can be like a quilt, wrapping you up and keeping you warm on a cold winter’s day.
Jane, these look wonderful, have bookmarked them! The holidays are upon us!
I know – it’s hard to believe! I normally wouldn’t be writing about holiday books so early, but it’s actually nice to be able to go through the seasonal collection ahead of time and take stock of what’s there!
Oh, Thank you! What a beautiful concept for a book. I need to find this one for my school library.
This looks and sounds beautiful. Words are definitely like a quilt. I love it.
Jane, this sounds like a gorgeous book. Thanks for highlighting it (another one for my list!)
This looks GORGEOUS! I love quilts and can’t wait to see what she’s done with these!
Your post reminds me of being a teenager, when I went two a Paul Winter Consort performance on the Winter Solstice. What a joyful way of celebrating the season. It was beautiful.
This looks like a beautiful collection of poems for the season. Thanks for sharing at #diversekidlit!