The Cremation of Sam McGee
- Publisher
- Kids Can Press
- Initial publish date
- Jul 2006
- Category
- General
- Recommended Grade
- 4
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781554530922
- Publish Date
- Jul 2006
- List Price
- $19.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
In 1986 Kids Can Press published an edition of Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee" illustrated by painter Ted Harrison, who used his signature broad brushstrokes and unconventional choice of color to bring this gritty narrative poem to life. Evoking both the spare beauty and the mournful solitude of the Yukon landscape, Harrison's paintings proved the perfect match for Service's masterpiece about a doomed prospector adrift in a harsh land. Harrison's Illustrator's Notes on each page enhanced both poem and illustrations by adding valuable historical background. Upon its original publication, many recognized the book as an innovative approach to illustrating poetry for children. For years The Cremation of Sam McGee has stood out as a publishing landmark, losing none of its appeal both as a read-aloud and as a work of art. Kids Can Press proudly publishes this deluxe hardcover twentieth anniversary edition -- complete with a spot-varnished cover, new cover art and heavy coated stock -- of a book that remains as entrancing as a night sky alive with the vibrant glow of the Northern Lights.
About the authors
Robert Service was born in Lancashire, England in 1874, the son of lower middle class parents, the eldest of what would be ten children. When he was four, the family moved to Glasgow, Scotland and he and a brother were taken to live with his paternal grandparents and four aunts nearby in Kilwinning. In school, he was known for getting into scrapes, but mostly was a solitary and imaginative child, immersing himself in books. At a celebratory meal for his sixth birthday, he always remembered surprising the adults and even himself, with two spontaneous rhyming verses in the form of a grace, foretelling of his future and his talents.
Ted Harrison is an internationally acclaimed artist best known for his vibrant interpretations of the Canadian North. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
Awards
- Winner, Notable Book, American Library Association,
- Winner, Best Book Selection, The New York Times
Editorial Reviews
No poem that I can think of, especially a comic one, was ever rendered so electrifyingly in paint
[G]orgeously illustrated — [A] wonderful new edition ... Harrison’s pictures are startling and memorable
No poem that I can think of, especially a comic one, was ever rendered so electrifyingly in paint
There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for books; The Arctic trails have their secret tales that could give you second looks, The Northern Lights have seen their sights But the wisest they ever did see Was the day in’06, complete with great pix They reissued Sam McGee.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for books; The Arctic trails have their secret tales that could give you second looks, The Northern Lights have seen their sights But the wisest they ever did see Was the day in’06, complete with great pix They reissued Sam McGee.
[G]orgeously illustrated — [A] wonderful new edition ... Harrison’s pictures are startling and memorable
Librarian Reviews
The Cremation of Sam McGee: 20th Anniversary Edition
Originally published in 1986 by Kids Can Press (Our Choice 1987/1988).Source: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Canadian Children’s Book News. 2007.
