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A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers
Inspired by William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, this delightful collection of poetry for children brings to life Blake’s imaginary inn and its unusual guests.
44 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 1981
About the author
Nancy Willard
91 books39 followersNANCY WILLARD was an award-winning children's author, poet, and essayist who received the Newbery Medal in 1982 for A Visit to William Blake's Inn. She wrote dozens of volumes of children's fiction and poetry, including The Flying Bed, Sweep Dreams, and Cinderella's Dress. She also authored two novels for adults, Things Invisible to See and Sister Water, and twelve books of poetry, including Swimming Lessons: New and Selected Poems. She lived with her husband, photographer Eric Lindbloom, and taught at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
March 10, 2018
Surrealism. This book is playful surrealism based on Nancy Willard's love of William Blake's poetry. This book mixes dreams and poetry to come up with a lovely experience to eating stardust with animals as guests at an inn.
It opens with the poem: Tyger, Tyger, burning bright in the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry? I think this is the catalyst for the story. William Blake himself is in the story and his inn sounds magnificent. There is a cow eating clouds for breakfast on bread.
I love things like this. My imagination wakes up and wonder fills me and the world seems more magical having read something like this. The art of the story is dreamlike and surreal. The whole experience is wonderful and told in verse. I love the poetry and rhymes.
The kids really enjoyed this book too. They had lots of questions and laughed often.
It opens with the poem: Tyger, Tyger, burning bright in the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry? I think this is the catalyst for the story. William Blake himself is in the story and his inn sounds magnificent. There is a cow eating clouds for breakfast on bread.
I love things like this. My imagination wakes up and wonder fills me and the world seems more magical having read something like this. The art of the story is dreamlike and surreal. The whole experience is wonderful and told in verse. I love the poetry and rhymes.
The kids really enjoyed this book too. They had lots of questions and laughed often.
February 26, 2012
Overall, this is probably a 4 star book, but it gets bumped up to 5 stars for having my favorite children's poem of all time in it. It's called "The King of Cats Sends a Postcard to His Wife" and you can read the poem online!
Excerpt:
Clouds are gentle walls that hide
Gardens on the other side
Tell the tabby cats I take
All my meals with William Blake
Lunch at noon and tea at four
Served in splendor on the shore
at the tinkling of a bell.
Tell them I am sleeping well.
I love the gentleness and beauty in the idea of a cat worrying about his household in the afterlife; it's a lovely way to think about heaven. And of course, the illustrations are just perfect, too.
I've often given this charming picture book as a gift to friends. Sometimes those friends even have children who enjoy it, too. :)
Excerpt:
Clouds are gentle walls that hide
Gardens on the other side
Tell the tabby cats I take
All my meals with William Blake
Lunch at noon and tea at four
Served in splendor on the shore
at the tinkling of a bell.
Tell them I am sleeping well.
I love the gentleness and beauty in the idea of a cat worrying about his household in the afterlife; it's a lovely way to think about heaven. And of course, the illustrations are just perfect, too.
I've often given this charming picture book as a gift to friends. Sometimes those friends even have children who enjoy it, too. :)
July 1, 2022
Although I do have to admit that Nancy Willard's A Visit to William Blake's Inn is fantastical, imaginative and yes, at times even rather entertaining and fun, personally, because I have NEVER really all that much been able to either enjoy or even appreciate William Blake as a poet (finding his lyric output for the most part frustratingly contrived and artificial, especially if I dare to compare Blake's verses to my two favourite British poets, namely to John Keats and A. E. Houseman), I was and remain absolutely and totally less than impressed with and by Willard's verses, which do indeed read very similarly to William Blake (but because, as already alluded to above, I really cannot stomach the latter's lyricism, the verses, the poetry of A Visit to William Blake's Inn, well, they have left me majorly cold and blah, a personal choice and a personal opinion, of course, but indeed, the same issues I have always had and experienced reading William Blake both at school and later at university with regard to words and images that feel fake, emotionless and without much beauty have been transferred to Nancy Willard, leaving a reading experience that has been at best unsatisfying and at worst majorly and sadly disappointing, albeit I do well understand that for readers and yes, also for listeners who do enjoy William Blake or who can at least appreciate him and his poetry, their reaction to A Visit to William Blake's Inn might be considerably more positive than my own has been).
And therefore, only two stars for A Visit to William Blake's Inn, as even Alice and Martin Provensen's accompanying illustrations have not really been all that much to my own, to my personal aesthetic tastes (for while I do consider them adept and brightly descriptive, the depicted images have a one-dimensional and stagnant quality to them that I for one tend to find more than somewhat visually off-putting).
And therefore, only two stars for A Visit to William Blake's Inn, as even Alice and Martin Provensen's accompanying illustrations have not really been all that much to my own, to my personal aesthetic tastes (for while I do consider them adept and brightly descriptive, the depicted images have a one-dimensional and stagnant quality to them that I for one tend to find more than somewhat visually off-putting).
June 16, 2021
I don’t generally read children’s books these days but I needed a Newbery medal winner for my classics bingo and the title of this caught my eye. The author says in the introduction she was introduced to William Blake as a 7yo when The Tyger was read to her in her sickbed. The poems here are clever enough and the illustrations are charming. Bingo box ticked!
February 21, 2021
As a child, Nancy Willard first heard British poet William Blake’s:
“Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal band or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”
Inspired by his poetry, she created a collection of delightful and magical poems with Victorian images of William Blake’s imagined inn. We are welcomed and introduced to the denizens of this enchanting lodge.
“When the rabbit showed me my room,
I looked all around for the bed.
I saw nothing there
but a shaggy old bear
who offered to pillow my head.”
“Tiger, Sunflowers, King of Cats,
Cow and Rabbit, mend your ways,
I the needle, you the thread–
follow me through the mist and maze.
Fox and hound, go paw in paw.
Cat and rat, be best of friends.
Lamb and tiger, walk together.
Dancing starts where fighting ends.”
“Now I lay me down to sleep
with bear and rabbit, bird and sheep.
If I should dream before I wake,
may I dream of William Blake.”
Whether you are an adult or a child, this treasured John Newberry Medal winner and a Caldecott Honor Book is worthy of your visit.
“Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal band or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”
Inspired by his poetry, she created a collection of delightful and magical poems with Victorian images of William Blake’s imagined inn. We are welcomed and introduced to the denizens of this enchanting lodge.
“When the rabbit showed me my room,
I looked all around for the bed.
I saw nothing there
but a shaggy old bear
who offered to pillow my head.”
“Tiger, Sunflowers, King of Cats,
Cow and Rabbit, mend your ways,
I the needle, you the thread–
follow me through the mist and maze.
Fox and hound, go paw in paw.
Cat and rat, be best of friends.
Lamb and tiger, walk together.
Dancing starts where fighting ends.”
“Now I lay me down to sleep
with bear and rabbit, bird and sheep.
If I should dream before I wake,
may I dream of William Blake.”
Whether you are an adult or a child, this treasured John Newberry Medal winner and a Caldecott Honor Book is worthy of your visit.
September 7, 2009
This is such a quirky book!!! It's imaginative and odd, charming and (occasionally) irritating. I was thoroughly surprised! I decided to read it based on the award-winning aspect and didn't know what it was about. I somehow thought it would be historical; it was instead fanciful, all about an fantastical inn in the sky, run by William Blake, and the creatures who come to stay there. One of my favorite poems features two sunflowers who tire of living in a garden and decide to take root in the inn; another is about a cow with lovely long lashes who butters her bread with clouds. The illustrations are, of course, quite bewitching, too. I'm not sure that this will become a favorite book any time soon, but it is definitely one that I will remember!!!
June 25, 2015
Wow, I just do not get this...at ALL. This won a Newbery? This won a Caldecott? I doubt that any child I'm acquainted with would like this book. Perhaps a brilliant, highly literate child who is familiar with William Blake would? Are there any kids out there familiar with William Blake? I'm not and perhaps that's why I simply didn't understand this. The description says it contains poems inspired by William Blake. If so, then why not also include Blake's poems that inspired this book? There are a couple in here, but they have nothing to do with the story.
Boring...awful illustrations...there's so much better poetry out there for kids (Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Judith Viorst). If this is a child's first exposure to poetry, I feel sorry for him/her. They'll probably never read it again.
Boring...awful illustrations...there's so much better poetry out there for kids (Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Judith Viorst). If this is a child's first exposure to poetry, I feel sorry for him/her. They'll probably never read it again.
August 3, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2020
I quickly read about half the book and decided it really wasn't of interest to me, so I set it aside. The next day I picked it up again and looked more carefully. I read the introduction again (slowly this time), and then I spent about ten minutes on-line reading about William Blake. He was one of the poets on my college reading list, but aside from Tyger, Tyger, burning bright ..., I didn't remember much about his work except that it was strange. I'm not a fan of poetry, but I occasionally read a verse or two just in case my reading habits broaden.
On my second attempt, with the proper background, I enjoyed this book a whole lot more. Even with my low-level of awareness, I can see details in the art that reflect William Blake's life and works. Blake fans must be able to study the images for hours, always noticing something new.
And the poems are fun. On my initial (doomed) read, I was expecting the poems to flow in story form. They don't. Each verse is a stand alone, but they all connect to Blake and his imaginary Inn. A character named 'The Man in the Marmalade Hat' is busy in funtastical ways, and I was pleased that he made a couple of appearances.
When we come home, Blake calls for Fire
Fire, you handsome creature shine.
Let the hearth where I confine
your hissing tongues that rise and fall
be the home that warms us all.
... Two more verses follow. This was my favorite poem. (Which would possibly change with another reading.)
And a verse such as this one, fits the story beautifully.
Now I lay me down to sleep
with bear and rabbit, bird and sheep.
If I should dream before I wake,
may I dream of William Blake.
On my second attempt, with the proper background, I enjoyed this book a whole lot more. Even with my low-level of awareness, I can see details in the art that reflect William Blake's life and works. Blake fans must be able to study the images for hours, always noticing something new.
And the poems are fun. On my initial (doomed) read, I was expecting the poems to flow in story form. They don't. Each verse is a stand alone, but they all connect to Blake and his imaginary Inn. A character named 'The Man in the Marmalade Hat' is busy in funtastical ways, and I was pleased that he made a couple of appearances.
When we come home, Blake calls for Fire
Fire, you handsome creature shine.
Let the hearth where I confine
your hissing tongues that rise and fall
be the home that warms us all.
... Two more verses follow. This was my favorite poem. (Which would possibly change with another reading.)
And a verse such as this one, fits the story beautifully.
Now I lay me down to sleep
with bear and rabbit, bird and sheep.
If I should dream before I wake,
may I dream of William Blake.
June 12, 2013
Let's put this in perspective: This is the only book, EVER, to have won *both* a Newbery Medal AND a Caldecott Honor. Plus, this book won the 1982 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, as well as a Golden Kite Award Honor. All this should sorta give a hint that "William Blake's Inn" is a special kind of experience.
And that it is.....but more in the sense of "Mother Goose non-sensical nursery rhymes meet Beatles acid trip lyrics" sort of way. It's that kind of an experience.
It would help, too, if the reader first familiarizes his/herself with the creative-genius-though-hyperloopy-gone-mad-free-spirit of William Blake the man, poet, author, illustrator, philosopher, etc. Then, after becoming aware of just how crazy but amazingly creative this guy is (he claimed to see visions of real spirits & demons....since he was 7!), then Nancy Willard's work seems to make a whole lot more sense (if that's even possible).
"William Blake's Inn" is a powerful artistic, aesthetic, creative experience. Just don't expect to understand what's really going on when you're finished with it. Just enjoy it for what it is. (And you will!)
Highly Recommended....but only after reviewing William Blake's real-life background. Otherwise, this book will just seem quite weird.
And that it is.....but more in the sense of "Mother Goose non-sensical nursery rhymes meet Beatles acid trip lyrics" sort of way. It's that kind of an experience.
It would help, too, if the reader first familiarizes his/herself with the creative-genius-though-hyperloopy-gone-mad-free-spirit of William Blake the man, poet, author, illustrator, philosopher, etc. Then, after becoming aware of just how crazy but amazingly creative this guy is (he claimed to see visions of real spirits & demons....since he was 7!), then Nancy Willard's work seems to make a whole lot more sense (if that's even possible).
"William Blake's Inn" is a powerful artistic, aesthetic, creative experience. Just don't expect to understand what's really going on when you're finished with it. Just enjoy it for what it is. (And you will!)
Highly Recommended....but only after reviewing William Blake's real-life background. Otherwise, this book will just seem quite weird.
November 1, 2010
Is this the only Newbery winner (1982) that's also a Caldecott Honor? It is beautifully illustrated. Five stars for the illustration.
I know nothing about William Blake and his poetry so without doing further research I admit I don't understand what the author was trying to do here. It was mostly lost on me, but even though I'm sure I'm missing some deeper understanding, I loved the illustrations, the silliness of the stories, and the aspiring B&B owner in me had fun imagining what a guest would experience at an unusual inn.
My favorite section:
I know nothing about William Blake and his poetry so without doing further research I admit I don't understand what the author was trying to do here. It was mostly lost on me, but even though I'm sure I'm missing some deeper understanding, I loved the illustrations, the silliness of the stories, and the aspiring B&B owner in me had fun imagining what a guest would experience at an unusual inn.
My favorite section:
When we come home, Blake calls for fire
Fire, you handsome creature, shine.
Let the hearth where I confine
your hissing tongues that rise and fall
be the home that warms us all.
When the wind assaults my doors
every corner's cold but yours.
When the snow puts earth to sleep
let your bright behavior keep
all these little pilgrims warm.
They who never did you harm
raise their paws a little higher
and toast their toes, in praise of fire.
May 6, 2024
An interesting read overall. Very creative and some of it I didn’t understand? Maybe all poetry books have a little playfulness that the reader doesn’t quite grasp? Overall it was sweet and the illustrations were lovely. I’m reading all the Newberry Winner books as a personal challenge!
January 20, 2017
I spotted this on the Open Library quite by chance, and decided to read it due to its delightful cover. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was really quite delightful. The illustrations are charming, and the poems are clever and sure to delight young and old. So much lovely whimsy is collected within the pages of A Visit to William Blake's Inn; it is an almost chronologically continuous poetry collection. Consistently good.
April 15, 2022
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. I really think the idea behind this collection of poems unique. Nancy Willard obviously adores William Blake’s poetry. I haven’t read much of his, but I adore Tyger, Tyger, burning bright, and Jerusalem, and a couple others that I’ve read. I really like how the subtitle of this book hints that these poems are for those who know Blake and those who don’t (because of his books Songs of Experience, & Songs of Innocence).
I honestly don’t understand most of the poems, but they’re so much fun to read and easy to do so aloud, and some of them are really pretty. They’re quite fascinating and haunting and whimsical. And the illustrations are interesting. The last two pages almost made me cry!
“Will you come?” asked the Sun.
“Soon,” said the Moon.
“How far?” asked the Star.
“I’m there,” said the Air.
I honestly don’t understand most of the poems, but they’re so much fun to read and easy to do so aloud, and some of them are really pretty. They’re quite fascinating and haunting and whimsical. And the illustrations are interesting. The last two pages almost made me cry!
“Will you come?” asked the Sun.
“Soon,” said the Moon.
“How far?” asked the Star.
“I’m there,” said the Air.
February 27, 2010
The book is a series of illustrated poems inspired by William Blake's poems and imagining that William Blake is the proprietor of a rather fantastical inn. Though I have loved other books by Nancy Willard, I do find myself somewhat perplexed by this selection for the Newbery. I was most entranced by the story Nancy Willard tells as her introduction and by the author's bio note that says she built a six-foot model of the inn while working on the book. (But then I'm always intrigued by accounts of the creative process and of early memories of influential books and authors.)
There are some splendid images in the poems -- I was especially struck by the dragons brewing and baking and the shaggy bear that serves as a bed -- but I rather felt like I was not getting something I was supposed to be getting. I have read and enjoyed a small amount of William Blake's work but I am not familiar enough with it to know what references Willard might or might not have been making in her poems to Blake's poems. I felt like I was missing out on something as a consequence. I can't imagine that most children would be likely to get such references being even more unlikely to be familiar with Blake's work.
It is certainly interesting to see poetry honored by the Newbery. Any poetry chosen for the award might be controversial since I think poetry needs to be read in a different way from prose and not everyone (adults as well as children) is comfortable with the difference. I myself may need to revisit this book when I am in a more contemplative mood. Still, my first impression is that it is not such an outstanding a book of poetry that I would be inclined to award it the Newbery.
There are some splendid images in the poems -- I was especially struck by the dragons brewing and baking and the shaggy bear that serves as a bed -- but I rather felt like I was not getting something I was supposed to be getting. I have read and enjoyed a small amount of William Blake's work but I am not familiar enough with it to know what references Willard might or might not have been making in her poems to Blake's poems. I felt like I was missing out on something as a consequence. I can't imagine that most children would be likely to get such references being even more unlikely to be familiar with Blake's work.
It is certainly interesting to see poetry honored by the Newbery. Any poetry chosen for the award might be controversial since I think poetry needs to be read in a different way from prose and not everyone (adults as well as children) is comfortable with the difference. I myself may need to revisit this book when I am in a more contemplative mood. Still, my first impression is that it is not such an outstanding a book of poetry that I would be inclined to award it the Newbery.
July 5, 2019
When a book wins a Newbery Medal, I take note. When a book wins a Caldecott Medal, I take equal notice. But when a book wins both the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott Honor, I sit up straighter in its presence.
I can readily understand why A Visit to William Blake’s Inn won both medals. It has both the scholarly nature and also the strangely whimsical air that almost never come together in one book, but which the two medals seek out. It is highly imaginative, yet also grounded. It is serious, but farcical.
William Blake was a poet who lived in the late 1700s. His most famous works are undoubtedly ‘Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright’ and ‘Little Lamb, Who Made Thee?’, the former of which is a great favorite of mine.
In A Visit to William Blake’s Inn¸ Nancy Willard has included fifteen poems written in the style and tradition of William Blake’s finest rhymes. These poems are all given to describing one aspect of the fantastical inn which William Blake runs in Ms. Willard’s imagination – an inn where fire-breathing dragons bake the bread, a rabbit shows the guests to their rooms, and angels make the cloudy, downy beds. It is an inn where imagination reigns supreme – or rather reigns second to the King of Cats, who also happens to reside there.
The illustrations are reminiscent of woodcuttings.
Conclusion. Good for adults or children who enjoy delving into imaginative worlds.
I can readily understand why A Visit to William Blake’s Inn won both medals. It has both the scholarly nature and also the strangely whimsical air that almost never come together in one book, but which the two medals seek out. It is highly imaginative, yet also grounded. It is serious, but farcical.
William Blake was a poet who lived in the late 1700s. His most famous works are undoubtedly ‘Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright’ and ‘Little Lamb, Who Made Thee?’, the former of which is a great favorite of mine.
In A Visit to William Blake’s Inn¸ Nancy Willard has included fifteen poems written in the style and tradition of William Blake’s finest rhymes. These poems are all given to describing one aspect of the fantastical inn which William Blake runs in Ms. Willard’s imagination – an inn where fire-breathing dragons bake the bread, a rabbit shows the guests to their rooms, and angels make the cloudy, downy beds. It is an inn where imagination reigns supreme – or rather reigns second to the King of Cats, who also happens to reside there.
The illustrations are reminiscent of woodcuttings.
Conclusion. Good for adults or children who enjoy delving into imaginative worlds.
March 11, 2018
I suspected as I was reading this short Newbery that I was missing something. I loved Nancy Willard from her sweet baseball fantasy novel, Things Invisible to See, and was excited to read a (thin) Newbery written by her. I also saw that it is the only book that has ever won both the Newbery and the Caldecott awards, and was impressed.
After I read this book of poetry, and found that I felt neither impressed nor excited, I knew that it was I who was lacking. While the illustrations were indeed Caldecott-worthy, I would have rated (and am rating) the book a two-star.
I might some day return to Blake’s Inn after I….well,....study Blake. I did in high school and college, but obviously not enough. This Newbery is a wonderful example of the necessity of background knowledge to connect to literature. Unless you know (and probably, love) William Blake and his poems “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience,” Willard’s “Visit” to the “…Inn” is not a masterpiece, but only a lengthy, clever, quirky, weird poem that is wonderfully illustrated.
After I read this book of poetry, and found that I felt neither impressed nor excited, I knew that it was I who was lacking. While the illustrations were indeed Caldecott-worthy, I would have rated (and am rating) the book a two-star.
I might some day return to Blake’s Inn after I….well,....study Blake. I did in high school and college, but obviously not enough. This Newbery is a wonderful example of the necessity of background knowledge to connect to literature. Unless you know (and probably, love) William Blake and his poems “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience,” Willard’s “Visit” to the “…Inn” is not a masterpiece, but only a lengthy, clever, quirky, weird poem that is wonderfully illustrated.
April 16, 2018
This is another children's book that has been unearthed in our library packing and donating. Having been awarded pretty much all the awards a children's book can win (Caldecott, Newberry, even a finalist for a National Book Award, rugrat category) i started off optimistically, expecting to be delighted. It opens with everyone's favorite soundbite of WB's: "Tyger, Tyger, burning bright..." all good.
But that's it. The rest is the author's poetry, dull to mediocre, sorry to say. But i have selected the best bits (according to me):
“He inquired, “Is everyone ready?
The night is uncommonly cold.
We’ll start on our journey as children,
But i fear we will finish it old.”
***
“Fox and Hound, go paw in paw.
Cat and Rat, be best of friends.
Lamb and Tiger, walk together.
Dancing starts where fighting ends.”
Sadly, this Winner of many awards, in my estimation, sorely lacked in fearful symmetry.
But that's it. The rest is the author's poetry, dull to mediocre, sorry to say. But i have selected the best bits (according to me):
“He inquired, “Is everyone ready?
The night is uncommonly cold.
We’ll start on our journey as children,
But i fear we will finish it old.”
***
“Fox and Hound, go paw in paw.
Cat and Rat, be best of friends.
Lamb and Tiger, walk together.
Dancing starts where fighting ends.”
Sadly, this Winner of many awards, in my estimation, sorely lacked in fearful symmetry.
July 22, 2009
This is book that tells the tale of a young boy who is sick and his nanny tells him a tale of an Inn where William Blake stays and the adventures of the tenants through poetry. This book was difficult and I would not use it in a classroom or have in my collection. I think there are better options for children who want to experience the world of poetry.
Poetry
Poetry
October 31, 2017
I think if I were more familiar with the works of Blake, I would have enjoyed this collection even more.
July 26, 2016
(Cross-posted from For Those About to Mock.)
Hello! As observant readers may have noticed, I have been silent in this space for several months. Perhaps I fell through a dimensional portal behind a Burger King, or perhaps a lot of sad things happened in my personal life, but either way, here I am. And I'm skipping ahead to the eighties, because... well, because A Visit to William Blake's Inn looked like a manageable read. Walk before I run, etc.
It also happens to be an excellent time to look back at the 1982 Newbery winner because for over thirty years it was the only book to have won both a Newbery Medal and a Caldecott Honor. This year, of course, Last Stop on Market Street duplicated that feat. Both books were total left-field choices for the Newbery, and both of them beat out some strong contenders for the gold medal (Ramona Quimby, Age 8, in the case of A Visit to William Blake's Inn).
I initially chose Visit as my 1980s selection because it's one of the few Newbery winners from the eighties that I hadn't read. Frankly, if it hadn't won the award, I wonder if it would have vanished into obscurity by now like so many other poetry books. In that sense, it's a winner very much in line with the original intent of the award: to encourage and reward excellence in American children's literature. It could be argued that it's the quirky books like this one that most need the signal boost that an award like this provides (though of course that's not a factor the committee would have taken into account).
And A Visit to William Blake's Inn is a strange little book, to be sure. It is a series of loosely connected poems about a child who goes to stay at an inn whose proprietor is the eighteenth-century poet (and painter and printmaker), William Blake. The inn is populated by the fantastical beings that Blake portrayed in his visionary creations. The verse is formal and metered, the imagery is vivid, and the tone swings back and forth between whimsy and melancholy.
Two things strike me as odd and gutsy about the idea of writing a book of children's poems inspired by William Blake. First: those are some big shoes you're trying to fill. Adult readers are necessarily going to be comparing your verse to Blake's, and that's daunting, to put it mildly. Second: it's going to be filled with allusions that your child readers will miss entirely. There is some chance the target audience (9-12-year-olds?) may have read "The Tyger," but it's unlikely they will have the familiarity with Songs of Innocence and Experience that would be required to fully appreciate this book.
And yet, it works. The poetry is not true Blake, but it's apparently good enough to have fooled a whole generation of teachers. As for the allusions? As we say so often in this field, the poems stand alone. You don't need to know the source material to appreciate these dragons, angels, tigers, and rats.
And so, though I am a huge fan of Beverly Cleary in general and Ramona in particular, I can't argue with the 1982 committee's choice. A Visit to William Blake's Inn is a rare jewel of a book, and it deserves its medal.
Hello! As observant readers may have noticed, I have been silent in this space for several months. Perhaps I fell through a dimensional portal behind a Burger King, or perhaps a lot of sad things happened in my personal life, but either way, here I am. And I'm skipping ahead to the eighties, because... well, because A Visit to William Blake's Inn looked like a manageable read. Walk before I run, etc.
It also happens to be an excellent time to look back at the 1982 Newbery winner because for over thirty years it was the only book to have won both a Newbery Medal and a Caldecott Honor. This year, of course, Last Stop on Market Street duplicated that feat. Both books were total left-field choices for the Newbery, and both of them beat out some strong contenders for the gold medal (Ramona Quimby, Age 8, in the case of A Visit to William Blake's Inn).
I initially chose Visit as my 1980s selection because it's one of the few Newbery winners from the eighties that I hadn't read. Frankly, if it hadn't won the award, I wonder if it would have vanished into obscurity by now like so many other poetry books. In that sense, it's a winner very much in line with the original intent of the award: to encourage and reward excellence in American children's literature. It could be argued that it's the quirky books like this one that most need the signal boost that an award like this provides (though of course that's not a factor the committee would have taken into account).
And A Visit to William Blake's Inn is a strange little book, to be sure. It is a series of loosely connected poems about a child who goes to stay at an inn whose proprietor is the eighteenth-century poet (and painter and printmaker), William Blake. The inn is populated by the fantastical beings that Blake portrayed in his visionary creations. The verse is formal and metered, the imagery is vivid, and the tone swings back and forth between whimsy and melancholy.
Two things strike me as odd and gutsy about the idea of writing a book of children's poems inspired by William Blake. First: those are some big shoes you're trying to fill. Adult readers are necessarily going to be comparing your verse to Blake's, and that's daunting, to put it mildly. Second: it's going to be filled with allusions that your child readers will miss entirely. There is some chance the target audience (9-12-year-olds?) may have read "The Tyger," but it's unlikely they will have the familiarity with Songs of Innocence and Experience that would be required to fully appreciate this book.
And yet, it works. The poetry is not true Blake, but it's apparently good enough to have fooled a whole generation of teachers. As for the allusions? As we say so often in this field, the poems stand alone. You don't need to know the source material to appreciate these dragons, angels, tigers, and rats.
And so, though I am a huge fan of Beverly Cleary in general and Ramona in particular, I can't argue with the 1982 committee's choice. A Visit to William Blake's Inn is a rare jewel of a book, and it deserves its medal.
December 3, 2012
A Visit to William Blake’s Inn: Poems for innocent and experiences travelers is a 48 pages poem story telling book about the life of the writer Nancy Willard for her love for William Blake’s poetries and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen. In 1982, it won the Newbery and Caldecott Award and is the only book that had ever won both awards. In the beginning of the book, it narrates how, who and when Willard was introduced to Blake’s poems. At the beginning of the book it gives readers a understanding of Blake’s inn and some of his animal staffs that helped him to run his inn and to provide a comfortable place for their guests. There are many different experiences for the guest to do and to learn about Blake’s inn which leaves the reader to make their traveling experience enjoyable. It brings audience to understand and explore the exciting journey of the stay at Blake’s inn and how the guest and the inn functions with different animals pampering and welcoming the guest while cats are eating up in the chimney. Each page is a different story written about the day of what the guests do at the inn and how Blake treat his guests in poem verses with words that have a rhythm pattern –AABB. In the adventures at Blake’s inn, there is a lot of imagination used to create the inn a wonderful and thrilling place to be at and to learn and explore about the world of their own. In the inn, there are multiple of animals like tigers, bears, cow, cats, dog, fox, mouse, rabbit, sheep/lamb and a pot of talking sunflowers. At the end of the book, an epilogue is included that talks about the feelings of the travelers leaving Blake’s inn and how much fun they have had during their times with Blake and his crew.
The poem text is a useful reading for children to use their imagination to create an adventurous journey for themselves to explore with their idol as a host. It also helps children and readers to give themselves to know that a story can be written like a poem instead of a usual book and storytelling.Young readers might need help figuring out some of the technical words in the book.This reading text is suitable for children in primary and middle school ages because they will not have as a hard time as younger children in understanding the purpose of the text. This is a great way for children to use their mind and creativity to write their own storytelling in the form of poetry writing. Teacher should use this text when they are teaching about poetry to show students the different techniques of poetry writings so they can be inspired and influenced to see the creativeness of writings.
The poem text is a useful reading for children to use their imagination to create an adventurous journey for themselves to explore with their idol as a host. It also helps children and readers to give themselves to know that a story can be written like a poem instead of a usual book and storytelling.Young readers might need help figuring out some of the technical words in the book.This reading text is suitable for children in primary and middle school ages because they will not have as a hard time as younger children in understanding the purpose of the text. This is a great way for children to use their mind and creativity to write their own storytelling in the form of poetry writing. Teacher should use this text when they are teaching about poetry to show students the different techniques of poetry writings so they can be inspired and influenced to see the creativeness of writings.
July 7, 2018
Well, that was a heck of a strange book. This one won the Newbery the year I was born and I can't say that I mind at all that no well-meaning aunt or grandparent gifted this to me.
To enjoy this book, I feel you really must first be familiar with William Blake. A lack of knowledge is easy to rectify by simply searching for William Blake and Songs of Innocence and Experience. This book is known for the lack of moral resolution in the stories as a sort of rebellion against the morality tales popular in the time.
Now, I didn't read the entirety of Songs of Innocence and Experience , I simply don't have time at the moment, but I did peruse around 10 pages or so and they were all fairly thought provoking things. This contrasts strongly to this book which is more silly and ridiculous than thought provoking. However, I did not read all of William Blake's book, so, who knows? Perhaps this is strongly reminiscent of his work and I just happened to read the somber ones.
The thought that comes into my head though is "would a child enjoy this?" No, I don't really think so. There are probably some exceptions, but, my daughter would tolerate a few pages of this book and that would be about it. I would have enjoyed the original based on the 10 pages or so I read, but, I was a somber child at times and I did like poetry. I would have preferred Blake to Mother Goose.
I am glad this exists. While it will likely only appeal to adult readers and a very tiny subsection of strange children, it is still nice that it's around.
To enjoy this book, I feel you really must first be familiar with William Blake. A lack of knowledge is easy to rectify by simply searching for William Blake and Songs of Innocence and Experience. This book is known for the lack of moral resolution in the stories as a sort of rebellion against the morality tales popular in the time.
Now, I didn't read the entirety of Songs of Innocence and Experience , I simply don't have time at the moment, but I did peruse around 10 pages or so and they were all fairly thought provoking things. This contrasts strongly to this book which is more silly and ridiculous than thought provoking. However, I did not read all of William Blake's book, so, who knows? Perhaps this is strongly reminiscent of his work and I just happened to read the somber ones.
The thought that comes into my head though is "would a child enjoy this?" No, I don't really think so. There are probably some exceptions, but, my daughter would tolerate a few pages of this book and that would be about it. I would have enjoyed the original based on the 10 pages or so I read, but, I was a somber child at times and I did like poetry. I would have preferred Blake to Mother Goose.
I am glad this exists. While it will likely only appeal to adult readers and a very tiny subsection of strange children, it is still nice that it's around.
September 10, 2016
Genre: Poem- Fantasy
Format: Picture Book
Award: John Newberry Medal and Caldecott Honor
Summary: In this poetic Fantasy, there is an Inn that William Blake owns. His staff is filled with all kinds of animals who hold very important tasks. These tasks are things such as baking, washing the sheets, and showing people to their rooms. Dragons, rabbits, and angels are some of the staff that fulfill the roles in this place. This story is written as a poem, giving great adventure and advice to all all travel.
Critique: I thought the story line was difficult to follow. However, this is probably because it was in a poetic format. I would say it is very important to be educated on types of poems and being able to truly decree meaning and flow before reading books such as this one.
Prompts and Questions: Teacher should ask students about their knowledge on poems. There should be a time where they reflect and learn about different poetic patterns and the guidelines that come along with poetry. She should ask guiding questions such as, "What would you do if a bear was your bed?", or if a rabbit showed you to your hotel room? These will help the reader stay connected to the purpose of the text.
Craft Elements for reading and writing a lesson: Students will be asked to write their own fantasy poem. It can be on any topic and should resemble that of A Visit to William Blake's Inn.
Format: Picture Book
Award: John Newberry Medal and Caldecott Honor
Summary: In this poetic Fantasy, there is an Inn that William Blake owns. His staff is filled with all kinds of animals who hold very important tasks. These tasks are things such as baking, washing the sheets, and showing people to their rooms. Dragons, rabbits, and angels are some of the staff that fulfill the roles in this place. This story is written as a poem, giving great adventure and advice to all all travel.
Critique: I thought the story line was difficult to follow. However, this is probably because it was in a poetic format. I would say it is very important to be educated on types of poems and being able to truly decree meaning and flow before reading books such as this one.
Prompts and Questions: Teacher should ask students about their knowledge on poems. There should be a time where they reflect and learn about different poetic patterns and the guidelines that come along with poetry. She should ask guiding questions such as, "What would you do if a bear was your bed?", or if a rabbit showed you to your hotel room? These will help the reader stay connected to the purpose of the text.
Craft Elements for reading and writing a lesson: Students will be asked to write their own fantasy poem. It can be on any topic and should resemble that of A Visit to William Blake's Inn.
November 10, 2022
The poems were just a little too abstract for my liking. I can see why it won a Caldecott though!
Ages: 5 - 10
Cleanliness: mentions alcohol and there are dragons.
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Ages: 5 - 10
Cleanliness: mentions alcohol and there are dragons.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
March 1, 2018
The illustrations are fantastical, mystical, and dreamlike, and fit the whimsical poetry very well. I have a comment about one of the last poems: "Blake Tells the Tiger the Tale of the Tailor." If this is meant as a bedtime story, then it would probably succeed in putting a child to sleep. Granted, a tailor sews a house together out of a variety of animal skins and bird wings, which is different, but that does not a make for a very exciting tale. I didn't really have a favorite poem; most of them verged on fantasy or nonsense--flying cars with grass, a bear for a bed, a man who straightens bends in the road with starch, etc. And while I do like fantasy, these poems didn't really float my boat so to speak; in spite of all the awards this book won.
October 5, 2017
I took a class with Nancy Willard when I was in college, and I learned very early on in that semester that there is no one quite like her. Her whimsical worldview is very apparent in this collection of poems, all about a fictitious inn owned by William Blake and inhabited by various creatures. I had a hard time understanding this book at first, but once I realized it was literally about an inn and the characters who work there and stay there, I felt like I had unlocked the secret to appreciating the story. I think kids might not know who William Blake is right off the bat, but reading this book might encourage them to look for some of his work. Kids who have learned some of Blake’s poems already might also enjoy this unique and creative approach to his personality.
May 19, 2013
Delightful, and truly brilliant! Honestly, I was afraid I'd be disappointed, because I met the author and absolutely adored her; I had the opportunity to spend some extended time with her, as she was the author in residence at a program I was in last summer. In her late seventies now, Nancy Willard is vibrant, charming, and fun, and so is this book, which exceeded my expectations. Can't believe it took me this long to get around to reading it. I especially love the title because I think her poems would appeal to both young and old, and to those who have never read much poetry and to poetry lovers. Well deserving of the Newbery (one of the very few books of poetry ever to win; Willard earned the award in 1982).
December 17, 2009
I feel a little guilty passing judgment on this book without having read Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience. But likely its juvenile readers won't have read Blake either. Given that, this volume of Blake-inspired children's poetry is often delightful, at times confusing, and illustrated beautifully (in addition to winning the 1982 Newbery, it was a Caldecott Honor book that year, too). But I am not at all sure how this book would go over with children...I must find some and make them read it!
January 25, 2012
William Blake Inn is a great book. I love how the boy travels from place to place having a rhyming poem to go with the book. I also like how the book has lots of different things that the boy does. Because the book is so short you can't really understand what the author is trying to tell you. But overall it is a great funny book about a made up person named William Blake. I would recommend it to anyone from 5 to 12 years old. This is a different type of newberry book, because it is a LOT shorter and is a rhyming book. I really love this book
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