This poetry book isn't just one story made up of poems. It is a huge collection of poems from different poets from around the world. The themes to the poems are Words and Silences, Dreams and Dreamers, Families, This Earth and Sky in Which We Live, Losses, and Human Mysteries. I would use this book in a 4th or 5th grade classroom because of the complexity of some of the poems. It would be good to use for a more advanced lesson in poetry for older students but wouldn't be a good introduction lesson to poetry for younger students.

Was given to Z to read by a wise friend because it doesn't have as many "dead white guys" as a lot of the anthologies that are geared toward younger readers. Lovely, lyrical, sometimes emotionally/politically raw poetry . . . and Z loved it. ( )

This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World, selected by Naomi Shihab Nye, contains poems from 129 poets in 68 different countries. The collection’s table of contents is separated by topic: ie., “Words and Silences”, Dreams and Dreamers”, “Families”, This Earth and Sky In Which We Live”, “Losses”, and “Human Mysteries”. From the beginning, the selection creates a reading atmosphere allowing the human connection to resonate. No matter what part of the world one lives, we experience strong similarities. An impressive feature in the back of the book, the author includes a brief set of notes on each of the poets included in her book. This is a wonderful starting point for students interested in finding out more about the poets. Following the several pages of notes, Nye includes a map of the world identifying the countries from where the contributors came. Next, she includes a page of further reading suggestions. Also in the back of the book is an index to the countries so students can easily search for the countries represented in the collection. Finally, there is an index to the poets. This is a great collection for a high school library. ( )

The Same Sky is an extremely versatile book, one that can be used by high school aged students in an English or Social Science course, or both at the same time. Were I to use it in the classroom, I would encourage its use during a section on World History, but have its introduction be in a Language Arts course. The poems making up the book provide insight to the feelings, emotions and thoughts of individuals across the world.
It seems clear that one of the editor’s goals must have been to unite the different cultures through a single media, poetry. The collection would also be great for library use and as outside reading.

Excerpt from one of my favorite poems of the book, The Land of Mists:

“Therefore in the land of mists
You should not try to see
You have to hear things
For if don’t hear you can’t live”

By Kwang-kyu Kim from South Korea

Great collection of poems. Very intriguing to see where each poem is and connect the feelings and stories from the different cultures.