Secret Places

Secret Places
Written by Charlotte Huck and illustrated by Lindsay Barrett George
Greenwillow Books, 1993
9780688116699

At some time in our lives, almost every one of us has found refuge in a secret place.

The poets in this anthology describe 19 of them. Some are imagined or found in a book.

But all are secret and all are perfect.

Reviews
"George (Christmas at Long Pond) contributes an unexpected riot of color in this reflective anthology about what Huck calls the “joyful places that we love intensely, or places of refuge where we run to hide, or places visited only in our imaginations.” Almost surrealistic, larger-than-life flowers and insects surround George’s multi-ethnic cast of children, while varied perspectives and lighting enhance the unique intimacy of each poem. With few exceptions, Huck has selected favorites from well-known children’s poets—A. A. Milne, Rachel Field, Gwendolyn Brooks, David McCord—and included only those verses that would appeal to youngest readers…"—Publishers Weekly

"Secrets are a rich subject for poetry, which can capture our solitary places, real and imaginary. Huck has collected 19 poems by leading children’s writers about being alone. Rose Burgunder’s boy retreats to a quiet place and imagines a jungle. Myra Cohn Livingston’s “The Box” is about a secret container of precious things. Aileen Fisher evokes the special pleasure of “The Hideout,” where you can look out through little slits and not be seen. Gwendolyn Brooks describes the refuge you can retreat to “when the wind is rough.” David McCord dramatizes the way solitude can connect you with a wider world and help you “meet the evening face to face.” George’s gouache pictures, large and brilliant…express the dazzling vitality of imaginary life."—Booklist