A Song About Myself
John Keats / Chris RaschkaCandlewick Press2017
Rating 1.6- ISBN
- 9780763650902
Tags
Children's Books Children's Literature Long-Distance WalkingWatercolor IllustrationKeatsLighthearted HumorPoetry Picture BookScottish HighlandsBritish RomanticismYouth ReadingSummary
"A Song About Myself" is a light, playful, self-mocking little poem by the English Romantic poet John Keats (1795–1821), and the only work he wrote for a child. In the summer of 1818, the 22-year-old Keats was hiking in the Scottish Highlands; feeling homesick, he wrote to his young sister Fanny, enclosing this little poem with its bouncing rhymes and mischievous language, bringing to life a "naughty boy": he won't stay at home, can't sit still, runs off to Scotland to look at people and sights, only to find the ground there just as hard and the doors just as wooden; he refuses to do anything but "scribble and write poetry"—at once self-mockery and a teasing look at what it means to be someone who wants to be a poet. The book is illustrated by Chris Raschka, a two-time Caldecott Medal winner, whose signature bright watercolors and dynamic compositions pierced by colored arrows depict the boy in the poem as energetic and outdoors-loving: leaning against a tree, startled by a butterfly, basking in the sun through the seasons. The endpapers use a "folded map" to place the islands of New York alongside the islands of Scotland; the illustrator's note at the back explains the poem's origins and dedicates the book to his own sister. At 40 pages, it is suitable for readers aged 6–9 and is regarded as a light introduction to Keats the Romantic poet.Editor's review
很多人对济慈的印象停留在《夜莺颂》《希腊古瓮颂》那些庄严华美的颂诗上，而这本书展示的是另一个济慈：一个在旅途中想家、给妹妹写信时忍不住编顺口溜逗她笑的年轻哥哥。全诗用近乎童谣的短句和密集的韵脚推着读者往前跑，「地面是硬的、门是木头的」这种一本正经的失望与「他什么也不干，只顾写诗」的自我调侃，把「诗人」这一身份还原成一个有点执拗、有点好笑的少年。 克里斯·拉施卡的插图是这本书的另一半灵魂。水彩的流动感与诗中那种不守规矩的节奏彼此呼应，贯穿画面的彩色箭头暗示着一场尚未结束的长途行走；环衬上纽约与苏格兰岛屿的「拼接地图」更是把两百年前的旅行与今天的读者连在一起。书末的绘者附注补充了诗作的来历，让孩子在读完之后知道：这首好玩的诗，原本是一封真实的信。 对中文读者来说，这本书的价值有两层：一是作为英文原版绘本，诗句短、韵脚密、朗朗上口，很适合大声朗读与语感启蒙；二是作为文学入门，它用最轻的方式把一位大诗人带到孩子面前。Who it's for
A good fit for
- 6—9岁、正在接触英文绘本与英语韵律的孩子
- 希望用轻松方式为孩子介绍诗人与诗歌的家长和老师
- 喜欢水彩插画、关注凯迪拉克奖插画家作品的读者
- 学习英语文学、想了解济慈书信体小诗的青少年与成人
Not a good fit for
- 期待读到济慈《夜莺颂》等成熟颂诗风格的读者
- 希望获得系统诗人传记或详细作品注释的研究者
- 要求有中文译文对照、不便阅读英文原文的读者
Reading tips
- 先按诗的节奏大声读一遍，感受短句、重复与押韵带来的跳跃感，不必逐字求解。
- 读完正文后翻到书末的绘者附注，了解这首诗原本是济慈写给妹妹范妮的一封信。
- 对照插图中的彩色箭头与环衬的折叠地图，和孩子聊聊「旅行」与「想家」这两种心情。
- 可以仿照诗中「There was a naughty boy」的句式，让孩子写一首关于自己的小诗。
About the publisher
Candlewick PressCandlewick Press is a publisher known for children's books and children's literature. Its holdings in our catalog currently include 2 titles, commonly classified under children's books, children's literature, and original-language editions. Representative titles include A Song About Myself and The Messengers, involving authors such as John Keats, Chris Raschka, and Edward Hogan. These titles suggest a direction that brings together classic literary resources and contemporary children's narratives: on one hand, John Keats's work is presented in picture-book form with illustrations by Chris Raschka; on the other, Edward Hogan's young adult novel The Messengers is offered. Overall, Candlewick Press emphasizes the interplay of text and image in children's reading, with a list spanning poetry picture books and coming-of-age stories. It should be noted that public information on the publisher's founding year and country/region is limited, so no inferences are made here.
FAQ
这本书是济慈的哪部作品？
它是济慈1818年在苏格兰徒步旅行时写给妹妹范妮的一封家书里附带的小诗，语言顽皮自嘲，是他唯一一首为孩子写的作品，并非他的正式发表诗作。适合几岁的孩子读？
出版社标注为6—9岁、小学一年级至四年级。由于是19世纪初的英文诗句，低龄孩子建议由成人陪读并做节奏上的引导。这本书有中文译本吗？
目前可查到的是 Candlewick Press 2017年出版的英文原版绘本，讲述济慈原诗并配拉施卡插画，未见正式中文简体版信息。插画家是谁？获得过什么奖？
插画家是克里斯·拉施卡（Chris Raschka），他曾两次获得凯迪拉克奖（Caldecott Medal），代表作包括《A Ball for Daisy》与《The Hello, Goodbye Window》。This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
John Keats AuthorJohn Keats is a major representative of English Romantic poetry, though public information about the details of his life is limited, and this site currently has no complete biographical introduction. The site holds 12 of his works, spanning categories such as children's books, children's literature, modern poetry, and foreign literature. Representative works include "Ode on Melancholy," "Sleep and Poetry," "When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be," "On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again," "On a Dream," "Character of Charles Brown," as well as "A Song About Myself" and "ODE." His poetry is known for rich sensory imagery and refined, beautiful language, and he often reflects on the tension between transience and eternity, joy and sorrow, exerting a profound influence on later English-language poetry and world literature.
Chris Raschka AuthorChris Raschka is an author known for his work in children's books and children's literature. Publicly available information about him is currently limited, and details such as his nationality and dates of birth and death remain unclear. The library holds one work by him, A Song About Myself. Judging from this representative title and the common classification of his work, he writes for young readers and focuses on simple language and rhythmic expression that stays close to children's reading experience, giving his work a clear picture-book quality. Because verifiable material is scarce, it is not yet possible to introduce his writing career, educational background, or complete list of works; readers who wish to understand his style may begin with this book and appreciate the verbal play and expressive direction in his writing for children.