Twentieth-century poet Amy Lowell was known for her relatively straightforward verse and command of imagery—stylistic strengths that also make her work highly accessible, even to the youngest readers. As the speaker climbs an apple tree, the theme of persisting during a challenge seems clear enough; but then we discover that she is climbing toward a “sparkling” town above, and the scene changes from simple to metaphorical. Paolo Domeniconi’s enchanting, reality-bending art is the perfect complement to the scenes described by Lowell, and children will eagerly imagine themselves to be in the protagonist’s shoes.
