Pause for Poetry: Courage in a Poem
It’s no secret that I love poetry and relish savouring a new collection. ‘Courage in a Poem’ is not only a beautifully presented book, but also offers words of wisdom, comfort and hope. In the introduction, the poems are described as ‘little parcels of empowerment’ and it is easy to see why as they offer such a range of empathetic and inspiring words.
In ‘Your Epic Self’, Kate Wakeling fills the reader with positivity, reminding them that although this ‘epic self’ might not surface every day, it is always there, just beneath the surface. The words of Chief Dan George sing of all the beauty of life which made his heart soar, reminding us to look at the world around us and find inspiration and joy in nature.
‘Afro Hair Haiku’ is formed from a series of haiku, exploring the beauty of Afro hair and the importance of letting ‘it grow the way it wants to grow: confident again.’ whilst in ‘The Cancan’, Mandy Coe celebrates the amazing feelings of empowerment and freedom which dancing gives. Each poem needs dwelling on and lingering over- and each could be used with classes as the focus for discussion, to enhance a lesson or as a thought to end a day.
There are also poems which would work well as models to inspire children’s own writing. For example, Laura Mucha’s ‘You’re Never Too…’ is an absolute gift for adding additional lines to either individually or as a class, encouraging children to think about both Laura’s ideas and those that they are building.
Containing work from a wonderful range of poets, I am delighted to see that Little Tiger have chosen to keep the work rooted in the places they were written by preserving the subtle differences between British and American English, allowing children to appreciate how language reflects culture, place and time.
Bursting with vibrant artwork from four talented and creative illustrators, every page is a joy to look at, with colour and energy framing the words. This is a collection which will resonate with many, offering words of comfort, wisdom and courage.
Courage in a Poem: Poems About Empowerment
Cecilia Knapp, Debjani Chatterjee, Valerie Bloom, Mandy Coe, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kate Wakeling, Elizabeth Acevedo, Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Joe Cook, Jason Reynolds, Nikita Gill, Laura Mucha, Janet Wong, Nikki Grimes, Mahogany L. Browne, Matt Goodfellow, Sophia Thakur, Rachel Plummer, Jay Hulme and Chief Dan George
illustrated by Annalise Barber, Mariana Roldan, Masha Manapov and Nabila Adani
Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838914394