Independent Publishers Group Logo

Sign up today...
for featured titles, special offers, bestsellers, and more, in your inbox!

Subscribe to receive special offers, monthly books suggestions, seasonal selections, and more!

Close
Famous
Famous

Famous

By Naomi Shihab Nye, Illustrated by Lisa Desimini

POETRY

32 Pages, 5.5 x 7.75

Formats: Cloth

Cloth, $15.95 (US $15.95) (CA $18.95)

Publication Date: September 2015

ISBN 9781609404499

Rights: WOR

Wings Press (Sep 2015)

Price: $15.95
 
 

Overview

Naomi Shihab Nye is one of the most beloved poets in America, and the poem “Famous” is literally her most famous poem. It has been used in countless commencement speeches—from elementary school to university graduations. At once simple and profound, this illustrated version of the poem is a charmingly ironic take on what it means to be “famous.” It is a perfect gift book for people of all ages—for those who need encouragement, who are at a crossroads, who are graduating, who are nervous about the future, or who want to be more or other than they are.

Reviews

“Naomi Shihab Nye’s charmed and charming poem ‘Famous’ is about knowing and being known, a testament to the secret enchantment we carry inside ourselves.”  —Edward Hirsch, president, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation


“The word is famous to the poet as the image is famous to the artist. This poet and artist have created a thought-provoking gem of a book sure to inspire you to think deeply about the true meaning of fame.”  —Doris Gebel, past president, U.S. Board on Books for Young People


"Famous, which is perhaps Shihab Nye’s most famous poem, has been transformed into a lavishly illustrated, 32-page book, just published by San Antonio’s Wings Press . . . . The book is not only for kids. The intention of the artists is, according to Naomi: 'Lisa and I imagine Famous as a possible gift book for people of all ages. People who have been famous to us, whom we wish to encourage, who are at the crossroads, who are graduating, who are nervous about the future, and who want to be more or other than they are.' Even our most cynical masks will fall off in the wake of this absolutely delightful and charmed collaboration." —Robert Bonazzi, San Antonio Express-News


"This lovely little volume from Wings Press is appropriate not only for young children but also as a gift in this season of graduations . . . . The lesson is sweetly inspirational with nary a cliche in sight, dedicated to "Your secret shining self. And to anyone who thinks nobody notices them." Lisa Desimini's illustrations are whimsical and suffused with rich color, including a playful portrait of the the poet and her famous braid." --Michelle Newby, Texas Book Lover

Author Biography

Naomi Shihab Nye is a poet, author, and songwriter who has received the Paterson Poetry Prize, the Jane Addams Children's Book award, and four Pushcart Prizes. She lives in San Antonio, Texas. Lisa Desimini is a children’s book author and illustrator. She has illustrated more than thirty books and written nine herself, including My House, which was one of the New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year. She lives in Topanga, California.