MOTHER GAVE A SHOUT

A collection of over 100 poems from diverse sources, from ancient Greece to the present: rhymes, jingles, lullabies, and traditional poems of praise and celebration alongside contemporary narrative and lyrical poetry. Five poems by children complement the work of such well-known poets as Emily Dickinson, Sara Teasdale, and Gwendolyn Brooks. The poems are thematically arranged into sections with such titles as ``And a New Day Calling,'' ``The Moon and the Stars Above,'' and ``Here I Am!'' The collection is at its best focusing on female issues; the poems exploring relationships between mothers and daughters are especially memorable. Ray's decorative cover painting is strikingly attractive; her pen and ink sketches throughout are effective, but not well set off by the low-budget format and see- through paper. Originally published in England, the book makes a strong attempt to include poems reflecting various cultures; though there's a paucity of Latino and Asian voices here, it's still a valuable addition to multicultural literature, with broad appeal for children as well as their teachers and parents. (Poetry 9-13)