Poetry

It is difficult for me to give this book a fair review as I'm already familiar the poem and the accompanying paintings from the short film belonging to the National Film Board of Canada. The book is a fair substitute.

Ted Harrison's paintings were done for the poem and show the story. The artwork is great to look at but I can't help but miss the narration of Max Ferguson (Canadian radio personality) in the film version. Ideally, this is a book to read and share aloud as a this poem feels much better to me recited rather than read. ( )

I remember reading this poem in middle school, like seventh or eighth grade, and everyone in my English class having a gross-out reaction to it. This poem is about a prospector in the Yukon Territory of Alaska during the late 19th/early 20th century gold rush and his friend, Sam McGee. The territory is so inhospitable that Sam McGee asks his friend to cremate him when he dies because his body couldn't stand to be buried in the cold ground. The prospector ultimately makes good on his promise and cremate Sam McGee in a makeshift crematorium. This poem is morbid but has a comical moment at the end when the prospector opens the crematorium door to check on Sam and find him smiling in the furnace asking him to close the door because this is the first time he's felt warm. So I think it was the gallows humor that threw everyone in my class off guard. I would totally recommend this for students in upper elementary school or middle grades. The poem itself has a great rhyme scheme and has a linear narrative that is easier to follow than some of the more abstract poetry. The kids might also get a kick out of the sarcasm and dark humor. ( )

I would use this as an independent read for 4th grade. I would use this as an independent read for 4th grade because younger students may not understand it because of the sarcasm or language used throughout the text. ( )

Poetry: Picturebook
Service, Robert W. The Cremation of Sam McGee. Illust. by Ted Harrison. Greenwillow, 1986. Unp. Upper elementary and up
This famous narrative poem is about a Prospector and his friend, Sam McGee, in the time of the Gold Rush. He promises Sam to cremate him when he dies but when it happens he can’t figure out how until he comes to Lake Lebarge in the Yukon Territory. The humorous poem is told in the first person view and has a friendship theme.
AK: Gold Rush, Northern climate, dog sled
Activity: Ask students if they liked the book-both the poem and the illustrations. Ask them which parts they liked the best. Did it seem funny or scary? ( )

A classic poem probably read by many schoolchildren at some point in their lives, this book tells the story of Sam McGee and his ultimate peril of freezing to death near Lake Lebarge. All events of this poem discuss Sam McGee asking his friend not to leave him if he is to die, but to be sure to cremate him if he does so. Ultimately he does die and is cremated in this humorous and catchy poem. When I was in elementary school, this was one of the many poems that my grandmother taught me about .

This classic poem by Robert Service tells the tale of Sam McGee from Tennessee, a prospector looking to get rich in the unforgiving Canadian wilderness.

The Cremation of Sam McGee is a poem by Canadian poet, Robert W. Service, first published in 1907. The Kids Can Press edition was first published in 1986 and includes illustrations by Canadian painter, Ted Harrison.

The Cremation of Sam McGee is written in the form of a narrative poem, which chronicles the death and cremation of a prospector, Sam McGee, during the Yukon Gold Rush of the late 19th and early 20th century. In the poem, the character of Sam McGee is from the warm American south, but he is drawn to cold north Yukon territories because of the promise of gold. It is written from the point of view of Sam McGee’s friend who makes a promise to the dying McGee, that he will cremate his remains. Through the masterful use of figurative language and rhymes, poet Robert W. Service created in his poem, one of the most memorable portraits of the Canadian North. In regard to the illustrations, Ted Harrison’s art perfectly complements the text of the poem by helping to establish the mood and setting. His distinctive artistic style brilliantly captures the wide empty spaces of the Yukon.

Robert W. Service’s The Cremation of Sam McGee is definitely a must read for Canadians of all ages, since it is one of the hallmarks of Canadian poetry. I would also highly recommend the Kids Can Press edition to anyone interested in the poem, because the illustrations by Ted Harrison add a wonderful extra dimension to the classic work. ( )

The Cremation of Sam McGee is a narrative poem. The language is rich and itself paints a picture of what it is like in the arctic. However, it also waxes fantastical towards the end, possible so as not to depress the reader overmuch. The illustrations are wonderful, incorporating movement and allowing the reader to better understand the setting of the poem itself. The book would be a hard read by itself for a child under 4th grade, but it is a wonderful poem for read-aloud for younger grades as long as you stop once in a while to ask the kids what is going on. ( )

This classic Canadian tale told through Service's poetry is beautifully illustrated by Harrison creating a dynamic book. While a rather morbit tale, the humour in Service's poetry lighten the subject. Some content not appropriate for younger children.

Reaction: Service’s written words coupled with Harrison’s vivid, colorful paintings of the North give a magical, almost spiritual feel to the whole story. While Harrison’s paintings are in contrast to the cold North (as described by Service), the humorous, rhythmic lines of the poem match Harrison’s vibrant, majestic and fun colors. This is an entertaining read aloud children and adults will enjoy over and over again! ( )

"Sam McGee" is a classic. I have heard it referred to many times but have I had not read the entire poem until now. It is a fantastic poem with a clever twist for an ending. It may move right up there with "Casey at the Bat" as favorites I read to my class. This book does a fine job with the poem and the illustrations enhance the story. The illustrations are in full color, usually full page, and they are vibrant and colorful. A great book to have in a classroom and share with the class...especially on a cold winter day.

This is a great old poem, where two companions in the cold of the great North, find out what being a friend really means. Sam is always cold, so much so that he persuades his friend to cremate him if he dies. He perishes and his friend tries to take his friend back to civilization for a proper cremation, but finds the trail too rough and long, so he cremates Sam in an abandoned boat. The great lines come when the friend just has to peak in to see if the corpse is finally gone, but instead sees his friend, basking in the warmth of the raging fire, who tells him "it's the first time I've been warm." Macabre, but gorgeous.

A poem about a friendship and keeping a promise. The artwork adds to the imagery in the story, and helps the reader connect certain things in the story they might not know the meaning of without the pictures. This is a favorite poem in my family, and I was glad to see that someone addapted it to a childrens book.

A picture book, with illustrations by acclaimed painter Ted Harrison, an English artist who has lived in the Yukon since 1968. His simple outline drawings and vivid colours portray life in the arctic in a glowing, magical style that has won international recognition and numerous awards. The picture book style appeals to children, however the grim, black-humour subject of the famous poem by Robert Service is more suitable for teens or adults. ( )