I think this book, while being aimed for younger aged kids, is a great quick read for all ages to teach ths history behind a famous poet. I give it 4.5/5 stars because it was a great lesson. It ultimately was not my favorite book but I enjoyed it as a poetry lover nonetheless. ( )

A lenghty story of the early American poet and his life before and during the Civil War. Chock full of tidbits about his early life and motivation for his many writings. With execptionally beautiful illustrations this story is a good read for anyone of any age. ( )

An excellent introduction to American poet Walt Whitman. I appreciated the author's attention not only to his youth but also his many years of service in hospitals during the Civil War. Selznic's old time images transport the reader to the years that Whitman was roaming all over hte country. ( )

Walt Whitman: Words for America tells a touching narrative of how Whitman wrote his way through the civil war. The story explains how Whitman traveled all across the country right before the civil war and how he saw the tension brewing. During the war Whitman continued to travel and document what he witnessed along the way. The book tells of how Whitman became close to President Lincoln and how hard it was for him when he heard about Lincoln’s assassination. All in all, this book does a great job of describing Whitman’s motives throughout his entire life, and I think it would be a great picture book for readers who are beginning to learn about poetry/famous poets. ( )

I am a fan of Brian Selznick so I was thrilled to discover that he illustrated Walt Whitman: Words for America. I didn't know much about Walt Whitman's life before reading this book and I was deeply moved by his story. I was especially moved by Whitman's actions during the Civil War, when after searching for his brother, who was wounded in the war, Whitman stayed at the hospital for the duration of the war, tending to the wounded soldiers. The story is well written and the seamless use of Whitman's poetry throughout brings new meaning to verses I'd heard before. The illustrations were incredible and Selznick captured deep emotions in his illustrations. I have not seen many of Selznick's works in color. ( )