When he wrote poems, he felt as free as the Passaic River as it rushed to the falls. Willie’s notebooks filled up, one after another. Willie’s words gave him freedom and peace, but he also knew he needed to earn a living. So he went off to medical school and became a doctor -- one of the busiest men in town! Yet he never stopped writing poetry. In this picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, Jen Bryant’s engaging prose and Melissa Sweet’s stunning mixed-media illustrations celebrate the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet.
Find this Caldecott Honor biography at local independent bookstores, through IndieBound, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or in your local library. Available soon in paperback!
FOR EDUCATORS: Download the Educator’s Guide for A RIVER OF WORDS.
Pair this biography with Joyce Sidman’s RED SINGS FROM THE TREETOPS and Sharon Creech’s LOVE THAT DOG. All three books have a wonderful take on Williams’s poetry.