Pause for Poetry: When the Bell Goes

In this ‘rapping, rhyming trip through childhood’, Neal Zetter turns the clock back to his school days…which seem to have a lot in common with those of today! From mornings to teachers to lessons to home time, Neal brings his performance poetry skills to exploring school life in all its glory (or perhaps gory detail!)

Each poem is accompanied by a joke (What time is it when somebody eats your watch?) or fun fact which may or may not be true (Fire brigades and hospitals across the UK deal with an average of 19 people a week who, during a yoga session, tie themselves in knots from which they cannot escape) which relates to the poem.

The contents page is set out like a school time table with sections on subjects like clothes, playtime and afternoons as well as the less pleasant ‘sick’! Here, there is a poem about that well known ‘tummy ache’ which any teacher (or parent!) will tell you is still a major feature of the school day, one about the class nosepicker and that constant ssssssniffing!

There’s a playtime poem which acknowledges those of us who don’t love football (yay!). ‘Lists’ is a poem about creating- well, lists- and would make an excellent model to inspire children to create their own. A class could have great fun rewriting ‘Good Morning’ to suit its own members whereas ‘Fake News’ offers the opportunity to rewrite history!

The collection is illustrated throughout by Emily Ford whose black and white drawings add to the fun of the poems. A great addition to class shelves!

When the Bell Goes: A Rapping, Rhyming Trip Through Childhood

Neal Zetter, illustrated by Emily Ford

Troika ISBN: 978-19099991576