Pause for Poetry: Tuesday

This week, I will be pausing for poetry every day in celebration of National Poetry Day on Thursday 6th October. The theme this year is the Environment, offering plenty of poems to choose from and plenty of inspiration for writing.

However, because poetry is not just for poetry day, I will be sharing a couple of favourite poetry books each day this week. It has been very hard to choose…

This is a collection packed with a wonderful range of poems about some of the amazing women and girls who have helped to shape our world. Young (Tallulah Bryan), from the past (Boudicca) and the present (Sara Pickard), well-known (the Bronte sisters) and unnamed (match girls) - these inspiring figures are celebrated in poetic form. There are also poems discussing the role of women in fairy tales and clothing and fashions.

Although about women, this is not a collection just for girls; there is something for everyone here.  Many of the poems start with some background information, placing the character into context and many would make a perfect starting point for lessons across the curriculum. 'Malala' by Michaela Morgan would make an excellent focus for discussion about human rights and could be used in conjunction with the wonderful picture book about her life, 'For the Right to Learn'.

The three poets responsible for this collection each bring their own voice and style, creating a diverse range of work. This is a must-have for any school or library!

Reaching the Stars- Poems about Extraordinary Women and Girls

by Jan Dean, Liz Brownlee and Michaela Morgan

Macmillan    ISBN: 978-1509814282

This beautiful picture book is an emotional tribute to the history and experiences of African Americans, both past and present. Kwame Alexander’s poetry takes the reader on a journey through the little known – the left out- history of those who are unforgettable, unflappable, undeniable and unafraid. Unspeakable events are also recorded in these pages. The images convey the horror whilst the words state that simple fact.

The Undefeated doesn’t just acknowledge familiar names-Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali, Ella Fitzgerald- it also commemorates the unnamed victims of the slave trade, the black soldiers who fought during the civil war, those held in slavery. The book ends on a positive note- it is for the undefeated, those whose futures are yet to come. Kadir Nelson’s powerful, evocative images adorn each page, each a work of art. At the end of the book, there are biographies of those included in the book, making the perfect starting point for further research.

This is an amazing book – a must for every library and classroom. Its message is powerful and essential: black lives matter.

The Undefeated Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Andersen ISBN: 978-1783449293

‘Shaping the World’ was the idea of Liz Brownlee, who approached poets with suggestions of historical figures they might wish to write about. Many had their own ideas and so the collection was developed.

The poems in this book are a wonderful mix of poignant and humorous: each powerful, each unique. The amount of thought and attention to detail that has gone into each is just stunning. Mat Goodfellow’s poem about Shakespeare brilliantly combines information about the man with Matt’s personal experiences and feelings. In Laura Mucha’s poem about Alexander Fleming’s petri dish, she has chosen to lay the words of her poem out to reflect what his discovery.

This is a collection which lends itself to use across the curriculum. The poems could be used as a starting point for learning about a particular figure, to be shared during a lesson on a particular subject, as the basis of an assembly or for PSHE sessions. Each poem is accompanied by a page with information about the famous figure, their achievement and a quote. A guide for how the poem should be read is also included which is an excellent idea!

‘Shaping the World’ is an excellent, diverse collection of poems, celebrating forty remarkable people and their achievements.

Shaping the World: 40 Historical Heroes in Verse

chosen by Liz Brownlee

Macmillan ISBN: 978-1529036862

More tomorrow!