By Grant Snider
Chronicle, 2024
88 pages
978-1-7972-1965-3
Ages 7-10
A collection of original poems full of quiet surprises and small moments of pleasure is presented in comic format. Organized around the seasons, many of the short poems explore familiar scenes and subjects (e.g., nature, swimming, back to school, snow), but offer the delight of the unexpected in moments of reflection, fresh observation, and wondering. The poems also explore ways of seeing the world (e.g., “Other Oceans,” “Places to Feel Big,” “Autumn ABC’s”) and oneself (e.g., “Best Friends,” “I Can Be …,” “Confidence”). There are poems about poetry, too, and what it means to be a young writer or poet: “Write a poem. / Read it. / Put it in your pocket. / Forget it. / Days later … / reread it. / Wring out all that parts / that are sloppy. / Rewrite it.” (“How to Write a Poem #3”). The bright, uncluttered panel illustrations, done in pen and marker and colored in Photoshop, feature the same two children throughout: one brown-skinned with a dark ponytail, and one light-skinned with short black hair. Their recurring presence gives the volume the feel of a story collection, offering glimpses into characters who are kindred spirits. At once playful and insightful, inviting and inspiring, this elegantly simple but far from simplistic volume is a pleasure to look at, read, and reflect on. ©2024 Cooperative Children’s Book Center