DVDs to Watch: A Child’s Garden of Poetry (Product Review and Giveaway)

DVD Includes Poetry Readings by Notable Performers Including Claire Danes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Wright, Liam Neeson, Natalie Merchant and Ziggy Marley

Street Date: November 8, 2011
Rating: TV-Y
Runtime: Approx. 27 minutes
Buy now for only $7.95

Summary:

From the Emmy Award®-winning producer of the Classical Baby series comes an all new special designed to give young viewers an introduction to the world of poetry. A Child’s Garden of Poetry is a magical mix of lyrical animation, poems on screen, and live action scenes, featuring some of the world’s greatest poets – from William Shakespeare to Langston Hughes. The special includes voiceovers by award-winning actors Claire Danes, Carrie Fisher, Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright, as well as recordings by renowned poets E. E. Cummings, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Carl Sandburg. It also includes heartfelt recitations of poems by real-life kids, who offer their own insights on the place that poetry plays in their lives. Contemplative, inspiring and full of heart, A Child’s Garden of Poetry will transport you and your child, and plant the seeds for a lifelong love of words.

My Thoughts:

I have always had a love for poetry, beginning back in fourth grade, when my teacher, Mrs. Wold made each student choose a poem and recite it to the class.  I remember spending days in the library reading through various poetry books just to find the perfect poem.  I ended up choosing Robert Frost’ poem, “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.”  I can still recite this poem today if asked.  Ever since this classroom assignment, I have fallen in love with the English language, writing and reading various forms of poetry.  I even won a poetry contest shorty after my forth grade assignment.  But, since then, I have only written poetry for my own personal use, to give as gifts, or just reflect on important people and events in my life through poetry.

I hope that as my two daughters grow up, they too will develop a love and appreciation not only for the English language and writing, but also love poetry and reading as well.  Without poetry, I don’t think I would have a passion for learning new words, writing styles, etc.  And, many poems are written from the heart and really move you as the reader.  Over the years, I have continued to read poetry in my free time from some of my favorite poets.  For me, reading poetry, helps me unwind and relax.  

This DVD is a great teaching tool for any parent or teacher who wants to introduce children to the wonderful world of poetry.  Through whimsical animations, poems being shown on the screen, and live recitals of poems from famous celebrities, this DVD is bound to spark the interest of children, and get them interested in learning more about poetry.  This DVD shows that poetry has purpose and each word makes up a story or insight into a person’s life and their feelings, set to paper through the use of words.  What a great way to introduce poetry to the younger crowd, who may not know what it is, think it is boring, or don’t have an opinion either way.  After watching this movie with my daughter, I realized that with my hectic schedule, I wasn’t setting aside “me time” to concentrate to taking time to unwind and find an inner balance.  Once I stepped back and realized this, I began to read poetry again, and fell in love with words again.  And, now, each day I choose a favorite poem and read it to my daughters.  This is a great family activity and way to bond with them, while sharing one of mommy’s passions.

---GIVEAWAY---

The first person to email me at rmccoy1234 at gmail dot com and tell me their favorite poem as a child, or poem they love to recite with their children will win a copy of this DVD.

About HBO Home Entertainment:

HBO Home Entertainment markets an extensive array of programs ranging from the critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking series The Sopranos®, Sex and the City® and True Blood® to the multiple Emmy Award-winning mini-series The Pacific℠ and Band of Brothers® and the first season of the critically-acclaimed HBO Latin American drama series Epitafios. The company’s catalog contains hundreds of titles including the Peabody Award-winning children’s program Classical Baby, provocative programs from HBO Documentary Films including When the Levees Broke, innovative movies from HBO Films including Temple Grandin, and comedy specials featuring stand-up performers like Chris Rock and Ricky Gervais. The division distributes programs to the home entertainment market in three formats: DVD, Blu-ray disc and digital download. Launched in 1984, HBO Home Entertainment has offices in New York, London and Toronto and the company’s releases are marketed in over 70 countries around the world.

Disclosure:  I was sent a copy of this DVD in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.