 | |
| Editors | Stephen Dunning, Edward Lueders, Hugh Smith |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Published | 1966 (Scott Foresman) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 160 (first edition) |
| Awards | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (1968) |
| ISBN | 0-673-03363-5 |
| OCLC | 270432 |
| Dewey Decimal | 811.508 |
| LC Class | PS614.D8 |
Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle... and other Modern Verse is a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award-winning anthology of poetry edited by Stephen Dunning, Edward Lueders and Hugh Smith. Compiled in an effort to present modern poetry in a way that would appeal to the young, Watermelon Pickle was long a standard in high school curricula, and has been described as a classic.
The anthology consists of 114 poems, including ones by Ezra Pound, Edna St. Vincent Millay and e. e. cummings, but also ones by lesser-known poets. It is particularly noted for "espous no specific morality, no politesse, and no didacticism", as well as for giving a relatively modern presentation with photographs and modern typefaces. This presentation was in stark contrast to the practices of textbook publishers of the 1960s, which seemingly "cramm as many problems onto a page as possible".
In 1969, Watermelon Pickle was described by one commentator as having "become one of the more popular high school literature materials". Another commentator in 1999 called it "he most widely used anthology for young adults ever and still in print". A 2002 article describes Watermelon Pickle as "establish a long-overdue niche" for young adult poetry.
The book is titled after the last poem, "Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle Received from a Friend called Felicity" by John Tobias.
References
- Carbone, Suzanne; McCoy, Elizabeth (1968). "Books for Children and Young People". Wisconsin Library Bulletin. 64 (6): 442. hdl:2027/mdp.39015036850421. Retrieved January 13, 2016 – via HathiTrust.
- Schwedt, Rachel E.; DeLong, Janice (2002). Young Adult Poetry: A Survey and Theme Guide. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 17–18. ISBN 9780313313363.
- Winkeljohann, Rosemary (March 1981). "Queries: How Can I Help Children to Enjoy Poetry?". Language Arts. 58 (3): 355. JSTOR 41961308.
- Helbig, Alathea K. (1987). "Dunning, Lueders, and Smith's Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle: A Watershed in Poetry for the Young". In Nodelman, Perry (ed.). Touchstones. Vol. 2. West Lafayette, Indiana: Children's Literature Association. pp. 95–104. ISBN 0-937263-02-8.
- Brewbaker, James; Hyland, Dawnelle J., eds. (2002). Poems by Adolescents and Adults: A Thematic Collection for Middle School and High School. Urbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0-8141-3563-3.
- Brewbaker, James (2013). "Of Kent State, Old Yeller, and Harlem Summer: Recalling the Beginnings of Young Adult Literature in Academe" (PDF). ALAN Review. 40 (3): 59. doi:10.21061/alan.v40i3.a.17. ISSN 0882-2840. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- Blount, Nathan S.; Searles, John R. (November 1969). "Teaching Materials". English Journal. 58 (8): 1268. JSTOR 811561.
- Somers, Albert B. (1999). Teaching Poetry in High School. Urbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English. p. 35. ISBN 0-8141-5289-9.
- Crowe, Chris (July 2002). "Young Adult Literature: YA Boundary Breakers and Makers". English Journal. 91 (6): 117. doi:10.2307/821837. JSTOR 821837.
- Hoffecker, Felicity (April 1983). "Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle". English Journal. 72 (4): 18–20. doi:10.2307/817057. JSTOR 817057.
- Tobias, John (1961). "Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle Received from a Friend called Felicity". New Mexico Quarterly. 31 (1): 45. hdl:1928/24135.