Hope is an Arrow by Cory McCarthy and Ekua Holmes - ADVISABLE

Hope is an Arrow: The Story of Lebanese American Poet Kahlil Gibran by Cory McCarthy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes PICTURE BOOK, BIOGRAPHY Candlewick. 2022. $19. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

The poet Kalil Gibran was born in Lebanon in the late 1800s. His family moved to Boston when he was 12, and he began to produce art but returned to Beirut to study. His dream was to bring people together despite their differences, and after returning to America, moved to New York and wrote a book called "The Prophet." He was a respected and important poet. 

Hope is an Arrow is interspersed with Kahlil Gibran's poetry, reflecting his feeling related to the difficulties of his life. Ekua Holmes' artwork - beautiful collage - is detailed and reflects the time period. Although I had read The Prophet in college, I was not familiar with the life history of its author, nor did I know he was also an artist. Includes an extensive author's note which connects a broader story to the passages introduced in the text.

Lisa Librarian