"Hope Through Heartsongs" by Mattie J. T. Stepanek Hyperion Books, 2002.
Mattie Stepanek is twelve years old, and has a rare form of muscular dystrophy. He began writing poems when he was five, and this is his third published volume. Mattie says in his introduction that "heartsongs are usually easy to hear when we are young, but we sometimes get too busy or hurt or angry to listen to them as we get older." The affecting heartsongs he shares in this slim book express hope, fear, sadness, and joy - often relating directly to circumstances in his life. His message, however, will resonate with both adults and children, and encourages everyone to look beyond daily details for the larger issues that encompass humankind.