Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees

In his second collection of poetry, Alex Wharton (Children’s Laureate Wales 2023-2025) offers the same mixture of playful humour and poetic joy that made ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’ so popular with adults and children alike. This collection has the added element notes in which Alex explains some of the styles and techniques he has used, encouraging everyone to have a go themselves- and above all, enjoy poetry! The book has a wonderfully interactive quality- Alex speaks directly to the reader, sharing his ideas, his love of music, creating poetry and songs, supported by illustrations by Rhi Smith.

And then, of course, there are the poems themselves! There are poems here crying out to be performed with others, with a partner or independently. There are those which would make great models to inspire the reader’s own creations. There are poems to giggle over and poems to ponder. For teachers, this collection offers so much support whether the teacher is confident with and experienced at teaching poetry or nervous and new to the (joyful!) task.

‘Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees’ is an essential addition to any poetry shelf!

Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees

Alex Wharton, illustrated by Rhi Smith

Firefly Press ISBN: 978-1915444585

You can read my review of ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’.

Pause for Poetry: Wednesday

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 wonderful collection of poems by Alex Wharton. There really is something for everyone here, each full of closely observed details and beautifully captured emotions.

‘Weeping Willow’ is one of these. The gentle flow of writing captures the majesty and elegance of these trees perfectly. Part of the magic of an excellent poem is its ability to connect you to moments and memories and this instantly took me back to the weeping willow in my grandparents’ garden whose ‘slow waterfall of leaves’ I used to hide beneath and feel completely safe and calm- usually with a good book.

Other poems are full of fun, keenly exploring the everyday -’Dear Brother’, ‘Jellybean’, ‘Kingfisher’- wonderful for reading aloud and performing. And then there are others- ‘Man in Town’, ‘Lost Smile’, ‘Midnight Wish’, ‘Sometimes’ ‘Trapper Boy’- beautiful and poignant which make you pause and think.

Each of these poems is deserving of mention and there are so many which could be used in school to inspire as well as to be enjoyed. Poems written by children who won a poetry competition are also included at the end of the book- offering even more inspiration for aspiring poets of the future. There are plenty of appealing illustrations throughout the collection by Katy Riddell.

In the foreword, Philip Gross writes, ‘These poems do what all good poems do. They get inside you.’ Wise words- and so true of this amazing collection.

Inspiring, thoughtful, poignant and fun, ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’ is a stunning collection of poems where words truly weave their magic.

Daydreams and Jellybeans

Alex Wharton, illustrated by Katy Riddell

Firefly ISBN: 978-1913102432

With ‘If I Were Other Than Myself’, the physical book is a pleasure to hold and its cover is eye-catching and intriguing. The silhouette full of stars reaching to the sky inspired lots of conversation before the book was even opened. Each poem is accompanied by Sue’s wonderful illustrations, with words and pictures carefully arranged. There are shape poems, poems inspired by other poets, poems about nature, poignant poems, funny poems…Many of the poems are linked by common threads.

There are so many poems worth noting here, so many which could be used to inspire, to move, to comfort, to amuse, that it is hard to select a few to comment on; however, the following are three which I have/ am planning to use with children.

‘Book Thief’ opens the collection. Celebrating the wonder and escapism stories offer, it is a joy in so many ways. Children identify and discuss many of the stories instantly, but puzzle over or dispute other references as they explore the stories they know, often coming to the conclusion the poet might be mingling different tales for her work. It is an easy step from reading to writing their own versions exploring the characters they know and love. Perfect for making reading recommendations to their friends- and not a book review in sight!

Hauntingly beautiful, ‘The Selkie Child’ is a magical poem, drawing on Celtic folklore and sure to lead to the reading and exploration of these tales. Wonderful as a performance piece, the poem also expresses a powerful sense of loss and longing.

‘Moonshine’ is a shape poem which celebrates the timelessness of the moon and all that it has seen. The use of a darker font for certain letters provoked much discuss and theorising- was there a secret poem or code hidden in these letters? Were they shaded to mimic the surface of the moon? The illustration, with its reflected, blurred poem in the water, offers ideas for poetry presentation. The poem itself encouraged lots of discussion about the passing of time, how many things change, how some are constant…

There are so many delights in ‘If I Were Other Than Myself’, making this not only the essence of reading for pleasure, but also a valuable collection for teachers and parents.

If I Were Other Than Myself Sue Hardy-Dawson

Troika Books ISBN: 978-1909991859

‘Riding a Lion’ is a fabulous collection for inspiring a joy of word play, imagination and reflection. Themed into six sections, the poems offer something for every mood and emotion- and plenty for teachers to work with.

It is always so hard to choose a few poems to comment on from a selection of so many, but here are a few which I am really looking forward to exploring with my class.

‘After the Storm’ is composed of two tanka- a Japanese verse form which has five lines with syllable count 5/7/5/7/7. Although I love the challenge of inspiring children to write quality Haiku (another, better known, form of Japanese poem with three lines and a syllable count of 5/7/5), tanka are often more successful. This poem offers much to discuss. From the title to the last line, a wealth of emotion has been captured here which children will readily empathise with and relate to. Taking an emotional situation like this and capturing it in verse can be very powerful, encouraging much discussion of emotions and the vast array of words we have for capturing them.

‘A Sloth’s Diary’ is a great example of how much fun poetry can be. Careful observation of an animal’s traits and habits can lead to simple, but effective work which is a delight to share. ‘The Climber’ is another example of observation through carefully chosen words.

‘One Shoe Tall and Three Shoes Wide’ makes a fantastic starting point for discussion and story telling. Rich in detail and mystery, the box in the poem is sure to inspire children to describe their own magical containers with curious contents. As with many other poems in the collection, this would also make a brilliant performance piece.

A rich collection of writing, ‘Riding a Lion’ is a wonderful addition to any classroom.

Riding a Lion

Coral Rumble, illustrated by Emily Ford

Troika ISBN: 978-1912745029

National Poetry Day tomorrow so expect an environmental theme!

Hay Festival: Alex Wharton

Lat week, I had the great pleasure of seeing Alex Wharton at the Hay Festival. His poetry collection, ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’ is one of my favourites and I have used many of his poems in school with great success.

Full of energy and enthusiasm, Alex had the audience instantly captivated. He started with his poem, ‘Jellybean’ and soon had us all performing with him. Whilst queuing for the event, the man behind me had expressed concerns to his friend about whether the two little boys he was taking in would manage to stay engaged for the whole session- he need not have worried! They loved it, even taking part in reading a poem on stage with Alex!

Alex’s love of the natural world shines through his work and he explained how being in nature helps him to make ‘space and freedom’ in his brain to create- something which he encouraged the audience to try. He likened poetry to a therapy, saying that when we write, it helps us to untangle our feelings- something I have often found when using poetry with children in school.

Alex shared a selection of his poems, offering insights to the inspiration behind them, and encouraging everyone to join in and have fun. His passion for poetry was infectious, making this an excellent and enjoyable session for all. Most excitingly, he mentioned a new collection might be on the way soon…

Whether you consider yourself a poetry lover or not, ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’ is a must have collection for everyone!

You can read my review of ‘Daydreams and Jellybeans’ here.