Castles: Old Stone Poems

CASTLES: OLD STONE POEMS
J. Patrick Lewis and Rebecca Kai Dotlich, David Burr, illustrator
Wordsong; 2006. 48pp. Nonfiction.

The text of Castles: Old Stone Poems unfortunately does not live up to the promise of the book's evocative illustrations. The poetry tells the stories of real castles, but the references are mystifying until one finds brief histories and a chronology at the back of the book. The poems are included without attribution: some are lyric and serious; others clunky and silly in a way that is at odds with the pictures. My guess is J. Patrick Lewis wrote the former and Rebecca Kai Dotlich the latter, judging by the signed entries in the back. David Burr's illustrations should appeal to anyone who loves the romance of the Middle Ages, but the tone of some of the text jangles.

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