Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Honor Award

2004

Book of Note �Tri State YA Review Committee of PA, DE, NJ

2004

Boston Globe, The

"... somewhere between Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and Aesop's Fables. Like Aesop, Keyser generally punctuates his poem-stories with a moral, but the lesson is seldom straightforward. Rather, it leaps out of the body of the poem like the Zen master's stick, startling the reader. ... The Prophet enthralls many young teenagers with its exalted language and teachings. The Pond God may have similar appeal for young readers old enough to want not only to be smart, but also wise."

Publishers Weekly

"Explores the gods' human qualities with humor and insight."

School Library Journal

"The simple line drawings that accompany each story suggest the action, make the abstract concrete, and help to open up the format. These sophisticated fables may appeal to readers knowledgeable in traditional literature."

Boston Globe, The

"... somewhere between Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and Aesop's Fables. Like Aesop, Keyser generally punctuates his poem-stories with a moral, but the lesson is seldom straightforward. Rather, it leaps out of the body of the poem like the Zen master's stick, startling the reader. ... The Prophet enthralls many young teenagers with its exalted language and teachings. The Pond God may have similar appeal for young readers old enough to want not only to be smart, but also wise."

Publishers Weekly

"Explores the gods' human qualities with humor and insight."

School Library Journal

"The simple line drawings that accompany each story suggest the action, make the abstract concrete, and help to open up the format. These sophisticated fables may appeal to readers knowledgeable in traditional literature."

Round Rock Independent School District, TX

"This slim book of poetry is a clever retelling of fables in poetry form that resemble the quick moral lessons of a fable from Aesop or Grimm … These pithy one page lessons are aptly illustrated in black ink drawings. Although students would not likely seek out the book, it will probably get read if it is out on display or suggested to a teacher who is introducing fables. It would also be a worthy candidate for writing assignments by way of imitation."