Tomorrow Land’s Poems for Children

Marg Gibbs                                                                                                                            Tomorrow Land’s Poems for Children is my first book collaboration with my sister Kim. I believed that the two of us could channel our strengths and skills as teachers to come up with this book. Kim’s background is as a primary teacher/ librarian and mine is as a secondary teacher.

The wonder of poetry is the playful combination of words and feelings. Tomorrow Land is based on time chapters or themes, six altogether: Before, First, Next, Now, Always and Last. Kim and I wrote poems to suit these sequences based on what if? time, space, imaginative places, journeys, and a sprinkle of magic.

Kim  Roberts                                                                                                                          Everyday life inspires me, so for many years my poems were about my four boys. They included their dad, friends, and events like holidays and birthday parties. The experience of this poetry collection was given to me by my sister after I had a stroke eight months ago. It gave me the purpose I needed to navigate a difficult time in my life.

Marg                                                                                                                                                                                                I have always loved reading poetry from Australian ballads, Dylan Thomas, John Keats, and Poems to Save the World With, chosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell. Apart from the luscious words, there’s music and dance about the form. I read rhyming and free verse poems and take pride in my extensive collection of modern and traditional ones at home. My grandchildren love to recite Roald Dahl, too.

Kim                                                                                                                                                                                              Marg and I were fortunate enough to self-publish. As a librarian, I love reading aloud to children, using my voice and expression to tell the story.

Marg                                                                                                                                                                                           For our book launch, I hope the children enjoy listening to me read Island of Cheeses, The Hairies and Tomorrow’s Toys. They have possibilities for engaging children with rhyme and discussion. There are poems to suit kids from 5-to 11 years and grown-ups.

Kim                                                                                                                                                                                                  The Midnight Librarian is something I’ve always dreamed about, not going home to school and sleeping there. My youngest son takes care of a small farm in Marburg. I am very hands-on and enjoy mucking about with them. Compost, worms, and farm-related things are the subject of Two for the Price of One and Wormy Wedding.

Marg                                                                                                                                                                                             In black ink, Kim’s son Peter Roberts illustrated Dragon’s Claw and Museum of Mummies. He has captured them so well. Daisy van Ghert, in the extended family, contributed to digital art in I Never Saw Her Again and The Land at the Bottom of the Sea. Both styles enhance the text. My collages are bright, bold, and layered with painted papers and cut-outs.

Kim                                                                                                                                                                                            When I’m not writing, I enjoy visiting op shops, photography and learning new technologies. Both Marg and I are curious about life, and we believe that connection to children and the community is essential.

Tomorrow Land’s Poems for Children is $26. It was published by M J Gibbs and KD Roberts. You can purchase a copy on Marg’s website, www.mjgibbs.com.au

Magic Fish Dreaming

Magic Fish Dreaming written by June Perkins, illustrated by Helene Magisson (GumBootsPearlz Press) PB RRP $17.99   ISBN 978-0-980731-18-7

Reviewed by Elizabeth Vercoe

Magic Fish Dreaming is a beautiful book of poetry, inspired by the people, creatures and country of Far North Queensland. To travel to FNQ through this delightful book of poetry is, quite simply, a treat.

Perkins is a Papua New Guinean Australian writer with a PhD on the topic of Writing Empowerment. She and illustrator Magisson have captured and delivered a series of age-appropriate vignettes that traverse clever, captivating poetry alongside divine pictures.

From dancing in the storm to finding ‘giggle poems,’ from discovering a secret fishing spot to glimpsing the flicker of a gecko, the ideas in this book encourage children to take time, to create space, to cultivate patience, to watch, to wait… to dance…

                                                                                        

‘Storm Dancers’ –

She said, “I’ll dance with you,”

as the cloud’s violent sneezes caused

a flood in her garden.

He said, “I’ll dance with you

One of those anti-rain dances

But we can’t dance too long

‘cause we don’t want drought.”

The text and illustrations intermingle, to weave their magic not just through the core ideas of the poetry, but in and around the very pages themselves. With gorgeous and sometimes surprising messages delivered in a unique and unselfconscious manner, this is a book that emanates joy in every reading.

Instant gratification, armchair travel and lightning-fast images and sounds are a way of life in 2017. Rich, nourishing books like this one that bring conversation and evoke spirit of place, country and critter not just one time but over and over again, are on a different space-time continuum.

This book is recommended for children of all ages (even really old ones!).

To This Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful

To This Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful by Shane Koyczan, illustrated by 30 various artists (Walker books)

HC RRP $19.95

ISBN 9781925081510

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Through tears, I read this poem and examined the illustrations on bullying and its detrimental lifelong effects. Consumed by sadness, with a heart pounding and filled with sorrow for all the people, especially children, that have been victims or perpetrators of bullying, I tuned into the YouTube video of the spoken edition of To This Day. Over twelve million hits and growing, this poem in all its forms, continues to make an impact on people worldwide.

I watched it twice then went into Shane Koycznan’s site to uncover any other work. Words fail me. I have been inspired and profoundly affected alongside the countless others, by his courage and commitment to his fight against bullying.

Shane was bullied unmercifully as a child. These painful experiences gave birth to this book. A spoken word poet, he admits that ‘writing was a way to escape my real life, a way to cope with cruelty and indifference.’

Illustrated by 30 artists, this book is extraordinary and powerful in every sense. These words have been life-changing for many readers and listeners. Included are testaments from several of the contributing artists on their experiences with bullying. To This Day is seen as one of the most influential books on this heartbreaking issue that continues to plague so many people all over the world.  

Bulling facts from bullying.org and bullingstatistics.org

Goldilocks on CCTV

Goldilocks on CCTV by John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 16.95

ISBN 9781847804990

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Award winning playwright, poet and children’s author (a few of his many talents), John Agard is an overall performer of the written word; a master of language. This is reflected in his new edition of poetry which follows his wicked The Young Inferno, which updates to modern, Dante’s magnificent work.

In Goldilocks on CCTV, Agard transmogrifies in a surprising and eloquent way, familiar childhood fairytales into rap, or hip hop rhythm, with a new slant on each tale. He begins by stripping away the original framework of the tale, to build a new one with the same basic equipment for modern verse lovers. Imaginative mixes, wordplay, role reversal, imitation, and re-evaluation of all you read in your childhood takes place here.

Totally magical and creative, he brings the past into the now and assuredly will draw further on the new audiences that are drawn to this modern style. This out-there verse is perfect for performance when captured or spoken in the correct rhyme and rhythm.

The fantastic, bizarre and inventive art/illustrations in black and white by Satoshi Kitamura, are shadows to the clever lyrics/text.

Prometheus Unplugged

Prometheus Unplugged by Alan Murphy (AvantCard Publications)

PB RRP (Euro11) approx. AUS $16.00 plus P&H

ISBN 9780956173423

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Talented Irish poet Alan Murphy’s latest offering is as surprising and impressive as his last book, Psychosilly. Musical in theme, text, rhyme and rhythm, this collection will entertain teenagers and others that harbour an interest in eclectic lyrics that are as unique and individual as they are.

Subjects range from Ozzie Osborne, fleas at a rock concert, lullaby rap, rock lobsters, scarecrows and so much more. Greek flavour is added to Prometheus Unplugged with Orpheus and Sisyphus Rocks.

This set of 33 poems is filled with endless clever and original thought, imaginative word play, musical language and innuendo, and rock and roll references.

The artwork/illustrations are brilliant patchworks and carefully considered collages of musical appendages. The book is a creative assembly of ideas and words which fall into place perfectly due to the master strokes of this talented artist.

The Billy That Died With Its Boots On and Other Australian Verse

The Billy That Died With Its Boots On and Other Australian Verse by Stephen Whiteside, illustrated by Lauren Merrick (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 19.95

ISBN 9781922077431

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Here is proof that poetry is alive and well. In my opinion, there isn’t enough of it around, so I’m overjoyed when something like this comes along. We ought to have a ‘return to poetry’ revolution and get our children reading more of this entertaining and valuable genre.

Each poem is a short, well crafted story in verse; full of interest and simultaneously educational. The Sash tells how Ned Kelly saved the Shelton boy from drowning and was given a green sash as thanks. Simpson and His Donkey gives a salute to this historical and heroic event, and The Fire, told through a terrified child’s eyes, is about a family fleeing a bushfire.

Stephen Whiteside has written over 1000 poems for adults and children. His work is meant to be read aloud and in this collection, there are two poems at the end for performance. Short and long, wide and narrow, every poem is a careful construction.

There are so many themes and subjects included here. Not a boring word can be found in the 154 pages of 65 poems listed under 15 categories. These poems are clever, insightful, humorous, moving and highly readable. This book is a good investment that will gather interest over and over again.

The Monster Sale

The Monster Sale: Poems by Brian Moses (Walker Books)
PB RRP $12.95
ISBN 9781847803665
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Brian Moses’ interesting collection opens with the title poem, and continues with equally exciting and gut-wrenching things that children love to drool about. But the collection isn’t only about monsters and ghoulish things. It has a tremendous variety of extremely clever, word-bending poems about animals, inanimate objects and crazy things like hiccups and school poems.

Writing poetry for children is a challenge. For some it appears to come naturally, but when they appear easy that is when construction has been worked hard on.  Moses’ poems are witty, lively and interesting, and they are sure to encourage children to read poetry due to the clever use of words and sound.

There’s always a favourite in every collection, and the clever word play in Tyres ‘Do tyres get tired of the road?’ is an example of how words can be used and re-used in various contexts. A lot of that happens in this book.

The 43 poems in this creative list of rhyming and free verse are thought-provoking and entertaining, and certainly the stuff that children thirst after. Ideal for the 4-100 age group.

Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems

Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems by Lorraine Marwood (Walker Books)
PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 9781922077424
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Lorraine Marwood, the winner of the 2010 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction for her novel Star Jumps, has lived most of her life on a dairy farm. Being close to nature has nurtured a strong bond with her surroundings and made her senses alert to every living, moving thing. This is visible in every word and its nuance in her new poetry book, Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems.

Welcome to this ‘eat and drink garden’ of ‘so many flying objects’ that will ‘never collide’. It is a brand new collection of ninety poems on 141 pages, under seven headings. They are interesting, intelligent and insightful poems that entertain whilst presenting to the reader, an intimate view of animals and insects, their surroundings and unusual habits.

Poetry is a magical medium that demands skill from the writer for its message to be relayed to the reader. Marwood is a gifted wordsmith whose clever use of assonance and alliteration has added a musical rhythm to every piece in the book.

These poems are suitable for ages 8-108.

A is Amazing

A is Amazing: Poems About Feelings edited by Wendy Cooling, illustrated by Piet Grobler (Walker Books)
HC RRP $29.95
ISBN 978-1-84780-255-2
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Poetry within pictures is always a great way to cultivate an interest in another word form in children. This excellent collection of 33 poems by 29 poets from around the globe is about feelings. It begins with the letter A and goes though the alphabet. Each letter represents a feeling, at times with two or more poems beginning with the same letter. There are varied styles but each one has a specific focus on the feeling. The illustrations, created with pencil and watercolours complement the text, bringing visual life to the words and a double experience to the reader.

In R for Rotten, the poem is titled, I’m in a Rotten Mood by Jack Prelutsky. The illustration shows a young girl sitting on a chair, arms crossed over her chest with a forlorn look on her face. Her dog is keeping away, but looks at her over his shoulder from across the room. The window is grey, and dark with shadows, matching the girl’s mood. It ends –‘I’m in a rotten mood today, a really rotten mood today, you’d better stay away from me, I’m just a lump of misery, I’m feeling absolutely rude - I’M IN A ROTTEN MOOD!’

Under V for Very Strange, there are four poems on a double page. The strangest one is GHEAUGHTEIGHPTOUGH spells potato by Michael Rosen. This set of poems concentrate on language and how letters create words in differing ways and through various turns of phrase. These are the types of surprises awaiting the reader: happy and sad, moody and mixed up, loneliness and joy, celebration and loss.

This anthology of poetry has been carefully collected with a deep understanding of human feelings by Wendy Cooling who is the founder of the Bookstart Programme, a national programme which gives free books to each child in the UK. She has been awarded the Eleanor Fargeon Award for a lifetime devoted to children’s literature. Poetry of every kind is ageless. Therefore this book is ideal for the 8 -108+ age group.

A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Sing, Speak and Shout

 A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka (Candlewick Press/Walker Books)
PB RRP $ 16.95
ISBN 978-0-7636-6083-3
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

All the poems in this book have been chosen because they are ideal for reading aloud. The poets range from Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll. They are a delightful selection of word sounds, up and downs, loud and soft, happy and sad, tales of woe and tales of triumph. In The Loch Ness Monster’s Song, there is language that will make you laugh out loud because you can’t say it, as there is in parts of Jabberwocky.

The poems are entertaining and ridiculous, clever and creative as in Pasta Parade and Corinna. There are Limericks and Tongue Twisters; List poems, Bilingual poems; Poems For One Voice, Poems For Two Voices, Poems For Three Voices and Poems For a Group. You’ll find Rhymed Poems and Short Stuff.

This selection is outstanding! Children will love the sounds and have fun with this book simply because that’s what it’s created for. It’s also educational and encourages the reader to learn a poem by heart The cover is as crazy and lively as the poems in the book.

The wonderful watercolour illustrations in thick brushstrokes complement each page. The end pages show patchwork pieces of patterned cloth and letters of different writing styles floating upon a bright red background.

There is always a favourite. Mine is Favourite! It’s about ‘an olive drab corduroy coat’ that ends: ‘I may have looked funny – But I called myself Honey – In my olive drab – horizontal – wide-wale - barrel buttoned - plush coloured – corduroy coat’. (I had a coat like this as a child.)

Who says children have all the fun? I love this book! Its contents filled me with laughter and joy. It is the ideal gift for anyone wanting a pick-me-up, or for no reason at all except for enjoying the surprising selection of wonderful work contained within. Ideal for readers of 5 to 105+

Rock and Roll Elephants

Rock and Roll Elephants by Bill Condon, illustrated by Ian Lamont (Hands Up Books)
PB RRP $10
ISBN 9780955558931
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

This little pocket book of poetry gems by award-winning author Bill Condon will have kids turning pages and giggling away. Off beat humour and clever twists are the order of the day with poems featuring many childhood favourite topics such animals, body parts and food. However, my favourite poem, Auntie Dot, features none of those and is also one of the shortest in the collection:

The world's tidiest person

Is my Auntie Dot.

When she got the measles

She numbered each spot. 

Ian Lamont's black-and-white illustrations appear on every page adding to the humour of the poems. This is a book that will be enjoyed by children of all ages, whether it is read to them or read independently.

Rock and Roll Elephants can be purchased here.

Hist!

Walker Classics: Hist! by C. J. Dennis, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe (Walker Books)
PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 9781921977749
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Another generation of readers is being given the opportunity to embrace and enjoy poems from their parents’ and grandparents’ childhood. These immortal works are represented through the outstanding Walker Classics series of reissued books.

 Hist! was featured in my Victorian Readers Fourth Book when I was at school. Imagine my delight when I saw this wonderful production of that marvellous poem that we recited in front of the class more than half a century ago.

The outstanding linocuts were created by Gouldthorpe in 1991. The dark coloured pictures are positioned in jagged frames with borders of black images against a deep blue background.

The expressions on the children’s faces are priceless as their imagination runs wild at every sound they hear while crossing the Possum Park on a moonless night. It’s a daring adventure they’ve undertaken by torch light.

‘The clouds are low and gloomy. 

Oh! It’s just begun to mist! We haven’t any overcoats

And – Hist!

The first sound is the mopoke in the tree, then a pair of possums, a cat, and a frog behind a rock. But while they are scared witless, they think, ‘isn’t it a lark just to roam so far from home…’

The light from their house beckons as they exit the park. So does the supper on the table. So they run toward safety, knowing they’ve braved their fears. As they shout for joy at reaching home again, they are confronted by the stern faces of their parents waiting in silent reprimand. Even without the text, the poem’s story could be translated perfectly through the superb illustrations.

This reissue is a priceless present from the past to a new generation of young readers.

Psychosilly

Psychosilly by Alan Murphy (www.avantcardpublications.com)       

PB RRP (Convert from 10.99 English Pounds)

ISBN 978-0-9561734-1-6

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

A lot of incredible talent has emerged recently from Ireland. Alan Murphy is one of them with a second book containing an unusual style of experimental poetry for children and adults. It is highly entertaining, thought-provoking and unique. The collection is made of sixty-seven poems written mostly in free verse and some limericks are also included.   

Murphy’s work is similar in style to Rachel Rooney’s (The Language of Cat and Other Poems) in that it contains the unexpected, unconventional and always surprising, subjects, themes and incredibly original use of language.

It is verse ‘made to baffle and entice’. A book that defies the norm and dares to challenge the reader to think outside the square; to interpret words and meanings in an alternate way, and at times to simply accept things as they are. The artwork is in perfect sync with the poems; a maze of well- utilised collage in unconventional shapes, sizes and colours. Together they create a picture of the writer’s mind that shows daring, innovation and style. This is also reflected in the superb yet zany front cover.

The quirky, highly intelligent poems incorporate subjects such as the humorous In Praise of Buttocks, the uncommon use of a common object in Ode to Blue Tack, and the title poem Psychosilly which is mind-bending as intended.

The titles themselves are a string-bag of surprises: Hell is Homework, Buttons, and Puddles and Mud and Chairs, Ham Sandwich Haiku, An Alien from Inner Space Murphy is so comfortable with words that his inventive use of assonance and alliteration, and the fantastic word play is nutritional brain food for the reader.