Climbing

Twentieth-century poet Amy Lowell was known for her relatively straightforward verse and command of imagery--stylistic strengths that also make her work highly accessible, even to the youngest readers. As the speaker climbs an apple tree, the theme of persisting during a challenge seems clear enough; but then we discover that she is climbing toward a "sparkling" town above, and the scene changes from simple to metaphorical. Paolo Domeniconi's enchanting, reality-bending art is the perfect complement to the scenes described by Lowell, and children will eagerly imagine themselves to be in the protagonist's shoes.

Massachusetts native Amy Lowell (1874–1925) published the first of more than 650 poems at the age of 36. For the rest of her career, she was often more recognized for her advocacy of modern poetry, especially of Imagists such as Ezra Pound and H. D., in her work as an editor and critic.