Picture a Poem

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers

Susan Jeffers has used a simple, realistic style to illustrate this poem. Ted Rand used much the same style (with brighter colors and softer edges) for the picturebook Christmas Trees, also a poem by Robert Frost. Ed Young took a much different approach when making the paintings for Birches.

Share several poems by Robert Frost. My favorites include “The Road Not Taken”, “A Time to Talk”, “A Patch of Old Snow”, and “Mending Wall”. A well-illustrated anthology for young readers is Robert Frost from the Poetry for Young People series.

Re-read and discuss the poems. Ask each reader to choose one poem they enjoy and illustrate it (or a part with particular meaning for them). Allow them to choose their own media and style of work.

Pictures may be displayed with a copy of the chosen poem. Copies could be made and added to a class poetry book or student writer’s notebooks.