AMAZING FACES By Lee Bennett Hopkins

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2010.  Amazing Faces.  Pic. By Chris Soentpiet. New York:  Lee & Low Books, Inc.  ISBN  9781600603341

SUMMARY
Hopkins’ carefully selected poems tell a story about the beautiful faces that make America multicultural.  Each poem gives readers a snapshot of life for everyday people.  Whether it’s a joyful reunion, finding love at the diner, or the sadness that comes with feeling lonely, these poems offer everyone an opportunity to see them or someone they know or love on the pages of this collection.  With poems from well-known children’s poets such as Nikki Grimes, Jane Yolen, Pat Mora, and Janet Wong, this ensemble is sure to resonant with readers.  The artwork, by Chris Soentpiet, is equally captivating, and adds beautiful visuals to the feelings evoked by the poetry. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The poetry brought forth on the pages of Amazing Faces is well-chosen and create a short, simple, message that while eliciting much emotion, creates a sense of brotherhood among all people.  Young readers will identify very closely with many of the topics in the poems.  From feeling alone at school to sitting and listening to a grandparent share stories, these poems give readers opportunities to find themselves lost in reverie about their own life experiences.  Several of the poems follow the A-B pattern, while others have rhythm that appeals to young readers.  For example, the bilingual poem “Me x 2” “Yo x 2” by Jane Medina

ME x 2

I read times two.

I write times two.

I think, I dream,

    I cry times two.

 

I laugh times two.

I’m right times two.

I sing, I ask,

    I try times two.

 

I do twice as much

    As most people do.

‘Cause most speak one,

   But I speak two!

 

Yo x 2

 

Leo por dos.

Escribo por dos.

Pienso y sueno

    Y lloro por dos.

 

Yo rio por dos.

Grito por dos.

Canto, pregunto,

    Intento por dos.

 

Hago mucho mas,

    Que hancen todos ellos,

Porque yo hablo dos:

    Lo doble que aquellos.

Jane Medina

This poem is a beautiful example of the experience that many English Language Learners live each day in the United States. Our district has an AP Spanish for Native Speakers class, and I think this poem would make an excellent introduction at the beginning of the year.   Through this poem, I could introduce the students to all the ways the library could be of use to them throughout the school year highlighting various collections in the library that would be helpful to them.

Finally, Hopkins concludes with a poem by Langston Hughes that sums up the collection beautifully.

My People

The night is beautiful,

So are the faces of my people.

 

The stars are beautiful,

So are the eyes of my people.

 

Beautiful, also, is the sun.

Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.

Langston Hughes

Hopkins could not have chosen a better poem than “My People” to sum up this collection.  The use of this poem creates a sense of unity between all people.  Chris Soentpiet’s portrait includes various “characters” from previous poems to further give personification to Hughes’ poem.  Together with the artwork (for this poem and others), the poem concludes the collection in a thoughtful, purposeful way.