A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams

2009 Caldecott Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book
A Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book
NCTE Notable Children's Book

When he wrote poems, he felt as free as the Passaic River as it rushed to the falls. Willie's notebooks filled up, one after another. Willie's words gave him freedom and peace, but he also knew he needed to earn a living. So he went off to medical school and became a doctor -- one of the busiest men in town Yet he never stopped writing poetry. In this picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, Jen Bryant's engaging prose and Melissa Sweet's stunning mixed-media illustrations celebrate the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet.

Author: Jen Bryant
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Published: 08/01/2008
Pages: 34
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 10.35h x 9.25w x 0.45d
ISBN: 9780802853028
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.6
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 124292 / River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams


Award: Caldecott Medal - Honor Book
Award: Beehive Awards - Nominee
Award: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Recommended
Award: Delaware Diamonds Award - Nominee
Award: Keystone to Reading Book Award - Nominee
Award: Lupine Award - Winner
Award: Cybils - Finalist
Award: Parents Choice Awards (Fall) (2008-Up) - Recommended


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Review - Children 07/15/2008 pg. 744
Booklist 08/01/2008 pg. 66
School Library Journal 09/01/2008 pg. 199
New York Times Book Review 11/09/2008 pg. 24
Kirkus Best Children's Books 11/15/2008 pg. 4
Christian Century 12/16/2008 pg. 27
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2008 pg. 36
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2009 - Recommended, Satisfactory
ALA Notable Children's Books 03/15/2009 pg. 23

About the Author
Bryant, Jen: - Jen Bryant has written numerous books for young readers, including Georgia's Bones and A River ofWords, winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award.Her book A Splash of Red (Knopf)received the Schneider Family Book Award and theNCTE Orbis Pictus Award for nonfiction. She lives inPennsylvania.Sweet, Melissa: - Melissa Sweet (www.melissasweet.net) hasillustrated many award winning books, including ARiver of Words (Eerdmans), a 2009 Caldecott Honorbook, and A Splash of Red (Knopf), an NCTEOrbis Pictus Award winner and a Sibert Honor book. Shealso wrote and illustrated Balloons OverBroadway (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), winner of the2012 Sibert Medal and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award.Melissa lives in Maine.