Inspirational & Religious Poetry - General & Miscellaneous

Hope Through Heartsongs

Name: Hope Through Heartsongs
Author: Mattie J. T. Stepanek
ISBN: 9781401394899

by Mattie J. T. Stepanek (Narrated by), Mattie J. T. Stepanek

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Overview

The celebrated child Mattie J.T. Stepanek continues his internationally inspiring poetry with Hope Through Heartsongs. For those who haven't followed Stepanek's rise to fame, this young phenomenon writes poetry that is wise beyond his years and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live. Indeed, as Gary Zukav marvels in the book's foreword, Stepanek's wisdom seems to extend beyond what most human beings master in a lifetime. "A heartsong is something deep inside each of us," Mattie Stepanek explains in his introduction. "It's our sense of why we are here and how we can keep going. It's like a purpose. It may be to live as a mommy or a daddy, or a firefighter or a delivery person, or a child with a disability who teaches others about patience and love and acceptance."As a child living with muscular dystrophy who has lost all three of his siblings to the same disease, Stepanek knows the landscape of loss and grief. How easy it would be to wallow in despair, yet Stepanek has chosen hope--not the wide-eyed hope of the innocent, but the hope consciously chosen in the face of human suffering and troubling global problems. Many believe that global healing has to start with the little people and move its way up to the leaders. What better place to begin than with the words of this amazing child? You may be tall I may be small, But inside we are the same length of strength --Mattie J.T. Stepanek, June 1998--Gail Hudson

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Editorials

Jimmy Carter

Mattie will inspire readers of all ages with thoughts and images that bring both tears and expanded hearts.

VOYA

Mattie J. T. Stepanek, the thirteen-year-old author of his third volume of poetry, finds solace and hope in heartsongs, his ideation of "why we are here and why we keep going." Suffering from muscular dystrophy, he began writing as a toddler as a way to deal with the tragedies in his life. His poetry, which has been lauded on ABC, C-SPAN, Oprah, and the New York Times best-seller list, is poignant and thoughtful but ultimately the poetry of a teenager. There are some nice images in this most current volume. In "It Happened Anyway," a poem cataloging his feelings of powerlessness surrounding the death of a sibling, Mattie writes, "We wish we could have prevented it, / And stopped his death, and saved him from / Never needing birthday candles...", deftly illustrating the finality of death. His much-praised kernels of wisdom and observation, a result of inordinate pain and turmoil in his life, are the main draw, and they will be heartwarming to some, clichéd to others. The strength in this book lies in the fact that many teens love stories of real people overcoming tragedies and will relate to the raw emotions and honesty of Mattie's poetry. Public libraries will want at least one volume by the unique teen, whose goal is to spread peace and hope. Readers who slurp up the Chicken Soup books, revel in the words of Dave Pelzer, and relate to the philosophies of Gary Zukav will relish this new volume of heartsongs. Index. Illus. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J S (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2002, Hyperion/Disney, 62p,
— Blayne Tuttle Borden

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Teens will be touched by the poetic observations of this preteen author. Both he and the words he chooses are exceptional in many ways. Stepanek has a rare form of muscular dystrophy, but his writing and positive outlook are more powerful than his physically debilitating disease. Readers are introduced to his views about illness, imagery, relationships, peace, prayer, fear, and perseverance. All are filled with hope, reflecting his philosophy to "remember to play after every storm." A selection written on and about September 11, 2001, is included. A few illustrations are added to the mix of poems, which are dated by month and year.-Karen Sokol, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.