AtoZ Challenge; X is for XXX by Colin West
Colin West studied Graphic Design and Illustration at various art colleges. His first book, a slim volume of nonsense verse, Out of the Blue from Nowhere, was published by Dennis Dobson in 1976 – I am the proud owner of one of these! He went on to write and illustrate some sixty children’s books, some of which were favourites with my children, and now lives in Sussex and writes and draws for his own amusement, mainly.
However, he has published two rather wonderful recent collections The Funniest Stuff and Bonkers Ballads, both of which are stuffed with Colin’s delightfully witty poems and charming, colour illustrations.
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Here is the fun poem and wonderful illustration Colin sent for the poetry feast:
XXX
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© Colin West
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#AtoZ Challenge; W is for Celia Warren
Celia Warren has been writing poetry ever since she learned to read, and has been published in hundreds of children’s anthologies. Her collections are all for young children and many of her poems and stories form infant readers in mainstream school reading programmes all over the world. She has compiled two anthologies: The RSPB Anthology of Wildlife Poems illustrated by a range of fabulous artists, (Bloomsbury) and A Time to Speak and a Time to Listen (Schofield and Sims). Celia loves reading and performing her poems to anyone who’ll listen! Her latest book, Don’t Poke a Worm till it Wriggles, illustrated by Sean Longcroft, A&C Black, is all about worms! Celia’s website is here.
Celia has sent two of her wonderful illustrations to go with her lovely poem!
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If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge, please follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change Blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
#AtoZ Challenge; V is for Vexing Rex by Joshua Seigal
Joshua Seigal is a London-based poet, performer and educator. He has three published books and has performed all over the world. He has held residencies at numerous schools, is an official National Poetry Day Ambassador, and was shortlisted for a National Literacy Trust Award and the Laugh Out Loud Award. Joshua works with children of all ages and abilities, as well as running training days for teachers and doing comedy and spoken word performances for grown ups. His website is here and his book, I don’t Like Poetry, illustrated by Chris Piascik, here. His latest book is I Bet I Can Make You Laugh, published by Bloomsbury and illustrated by Tim Wesson.
The poem Joshua has sent appears in I Bet I Can Make You Laugh (I bet he can!):
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Vexing Rex
If you want to annoy my dog
(and I mean really, really annoy him),
don’t bother taking his dinner.
He’ll look bemused, maybe let out
a whine, but he can handle it.
Nor is it any use to snatch his toy,
or to cut short his walk –
he’ll get confused, maybe sulk
for a time, but he’ll face it with patience.
No, if you want to really, really annoy my dog
just blow
very softly
on his head.
He’ll bristle and yelp
and bat the breeze with his paws…
He’ll snuffle and yap
and snap the gust with his jaws…
If you want to really, really annoy my dog,
a tiny little puff or air
will get him as growly
as a grizzly bear.
And it isn’t just my dog:
if you want to really, really annoy my dad
just do what I do
and climb in bed with him,
on a Sunday morning,
and blow
very gently
in his face…
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© Joshua Seigal
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge post then follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change Blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
AtoZ Challenge; U is for Useless by A. F. Harrold
A.F. Harrold is a children’s author and children’s poet who writes and performs for both grown ups and children. He can often be found in school halls pointing at children and sharing his poems, and even more often in the bath, thinking them up… His latest wonderful poetry book is Things You Find in a Poet’s Beard, illustrated by Chris Riddell in my favourite colour. A. F.’s Website is here and Twitter here.
Here is the brilliant poem beginning with ‘U’ that A. F. has sent for the Poetry Feast:
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Useless
I feel as useful as a kipper that’s been kept in a kettle,
as useful as a conker in your socks,
as useful as a top hat that’s been stuffed with orange jelly
and then balanced on the head of a fox.
I feel as useful as an ostrich on the number eighteen bus,
as useful as a desert in a pool,
as useful as a sausage that you’ve asked for assistance
with the homework that you’ve brought home from school.
I feel as useful as a cabbage that’s learnt to play cricket,
as useful as a llama on the moon,
as useful as a trifle that is sitting on the sideboard
saying ‘Eat me’ out of sight of a spoon.
But enough about me,
let’s talk about you…
.
© A.F. Harrold
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge post, please follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
AtoZ Challenge; T is for Nick Toczek
Nick Toczek is a British writer and performer who has had more than forty books and dozens of recording published. As well as being a poet, he’s a rock journalist (for the magazine RnR), a radio broadcaster with his own week show (on BCB Radio), a professional magician and puppeteer, and an authority on the activities of racist groups in the UK and in America. His Authors Abroad page is here, and his brand new website is here.
Here is the lovely poem Nick has sent for the Poetry Feast:
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GROWING
A branch begins as a twig.
A piglet becomes a pig.
When I’m older, I’ll be big,
Biggerty, biggerty, big.
An elephant starts off small,
And little bricks build a wall.
When I’m older, I’ll be tall,
Tiggerty, tiggerty, tall.
Maybe a baby just cries
Yet learns with its ears and eyes.
When I’m older, I’ll be wise,
Wiggerty, wiggerty, wise.
Our legs and our arms get long,
Grow muscles where they belong.
When I’m older, I’ll be strong,
Striggerty, striggerty, strong.
And anyone can be cruel,
A bully, a beast, a fool.
When I’m older, I’ll be cool,
Kiggerty, kiggerty, cool.
© Nick Toczek
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge poet then follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change Blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
AtoZ Challenge; S is for Roger Stevens
Roger Stevens is a National Poetry Day Ambassador, a founding member of the Able Writers scheme and runs the award-winning website www.poetryzone.co.uk for children and teachers, which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Roger (link to 3 Simple Steps to Perk up your Poems) has published 40 books for children. His book Apes to Zebras – an A to Z of Shape Poems (Bloomsbury) won the prestigious NSTB award in 2018. Recent books include The Same Inside; poems about empathy and friendship (Macmillan 2018), The Waggiest Tails; poems written by dogs (Otter-Barry 2018) and I Am a Jigsaw; Puzzling Poems to Baffle your Brain (Bloomsbury 2019). A book just published is Moonstruck; an Anthology of Moon Poems (Otter-Barry), in August there will be Be the Change; Poems About Sustainability (Macmillan) and there will be a “best of” collection later in 2019. Roger spends his time between the Loire, in France, and Brighton, where he lives with his wife and a very shy dog called Jasper.
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Here is the funny poem Roger sent for the poetry feast:
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Escape Plan
.
As I, Stegosaurus
stand motionless
in the Natural History museum
I am secretly planning
my escape.
At noon
Pterodactyl
will cause a diversion
by wheeling around the museum’s high ceilings
and diving at the curators and museum staff
while I
quietly slip out of the fire exit
and melt
into the Kensington crowds
.
© Roger Stevens
From The Monster That Ate the Universe, Macmillan 2004
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
If you’d like to blog hop to another AtoZ Challenge post please try this link.
#AtoZ Challenge, U is for Useless by A F Harrold
A.F. Harrold is a children’s author and children’s poet who writes and performs for both grown ups and children. He can often be found in school halls pointing at children and sharing his poems, and even more often in the bath, thinking them up… His latest wonderful poetry book is Things You Find in a Poet’s Beard, illustrated by Chris Riddell in my favourite colour. A. F.’s Website is here and Twitter here.
Here is the brilliant poem beginning with ‘U’ that A. F. has sent for the Poetry Feast:
.
Useless
I feel as useful as a kipper that’s been kept in a kettle,
as useful as a conker in your socks,
as useful as a top hat that’s been stuffed with orange jelly
and then balanced on the head of a fox.
I feel as useful as an ostrich on the number eighteen bus,
as useful as a desert in a pool,
as useful as a sausage that you’ve asked for assistance
with the homework that you’ve brought home from school.
I feel as useful as a cabbage that’s learnt to play cricket,
as useful as a llama on the moon,
as useful as a trifle that is sitting on the sideboard
saying ‘Eat me’ out of sight of a spoon.
But enough about me,
let’s talk about you…
.
© A.F. Harrold
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge post, please follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
AtoZChallenge; T is for Nick Toczek
Nick Toczek is a British writer and performer who has had more than forty books and dozens of recording published. As well as being a poet, he’s a rock journalist (for the magazine RnR), a radio broadcaster with his own week show (on BCB Radio), a professional magician and puppeteer, and an authority on the activities of racist groups in the UK and in America. His Authors Abroad page is here, and his brand new website is here.
Here is the lovely poem Nick has sent for the Poetry Feast:
.
GROWING
A branch begins as a twig.
A piglet becomes a pig.
When I’m older, I’ll be big,
Biggerty, biggerty, big.
An elephant starts off small,
And little bricks build a wall.
When I’m older, I’ll be tall,
Tiggerty, tiggerty, tall.
Maybe a baby just cries
Yet learns with its ears and eyes.
When I’m older, I’ll be wise,
Wiggerty, wiggerty, wise.
Our legs and our arms get long,
Grow muscles where they belong.
When I’m older, I’ll be strong,
Striggerty, striggerty, strong.
And anyone can be cruel,
A bully, a beast, a fool.
When I’m older, I’ll be cool,
Kiggerty, kiggerty, cool.
© Nick Toczek
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge poet then follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change Blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
AtoZ Challenge; S is for Roger Stevens
Roger Stevens is a National Poetry Day Ambassador, a founding member of the Able Writers scheme and runs the award-winning website www.poetryzone.co.uk for children and teachers, which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Roger (link to 3 Simple Steps to Perk up your Poems) has published 40 books for children. His book Apes to Zebras – an A to Z of Shape Poems (Bloomsbury) won the prestigious NSTB award in 2018. Recent books include The Same Inside; poems about empathy and friendship (Macmillan 2018), The Waggiest Tails; poems written by dogs (Otter-Barry 2018) and I Am a Jigsaw; Puzzling Poems to Baffle your Brain (Bloomsbury 2019). Books planned for 2019 include Moonstruck; an Anthology of Moon Poems (Otter-Barry), Be the Change; Poems About Sustainability (Macmillan) and a “best of” collection. Roger spends his time between the Loire, in France, and Brighton, where he lives with his wife and a very shy dog called Jasper.
.
Here is the funny poem Roger sent for the poetry feast:
.
Escape Plan
.
As I, Stegosaurus
stand motionless
in the Natural History museum
I am secretly planning
my escape.
At noon
Pterodactyl
will cause a diversion
by wheeling around the museum’s high ceilings
and diving at the curators and museum staff
while I
quietly slip out of the fire exit
and melt
into the Kensington crowds
.
© Roger Stevens
From The Monster That Ate the Universe, Macmillan 2004
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge post then follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
#AtoZ Challenge; R is for Coral Rumble
Coral Rumble has worked as a poet and performer for many years and now specialises in writing and performing for children. She has three collections, Creatures, Teachers and Family Features, Breaking the Rules, illustrated by Nigel Baines, and My Teacher’s as Wild as a Bison, also illustrated by Nigel Baines, and has poems in over 100 anthologies for young people. She performs and gives workshops art centres, books shops, libraries, theatres and festivals. Her website is here.
Here is the lovely poem Coral has sent for the Poetry Feast – it also has an ‘R’ in the title!
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LOOKING FOR RILEY
Riley had dragged the emptiness to school.
It would seem wrong to leave it in his bedroom
Where he had filled silent spaces with sobs.
Grandma had gone, but her songs hung in the air,
Small memories, pockets of comfort.
And now, in a dusty corner of the PE cupboard,
Riley sat and rocked and clutched his knees,
Resting his chin on his shiny, worn trousers
Stretching over his bent legs, hiding away
From questions he’d be asked, but couldn’t answer.
They were all looking for Riley, the teachers, Mrs Moore.
They would try to wipe his grief away, catch his tears
Before they hit the ground, before they made a mark
In the dust, before they stopped falling of their own accord.
So I hid with him, and somehow, it made him smile.
© Coral Rumble
If you would like to blog hop to the next AtoZ Challenge post then follow this link.
Children’s Poets’ Climate Change blog: Be the Change
Liz’s Blog: Liz Brownlee Poet
Liz’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizpoet
KidsPoets4Climate Twitter: https://twitter.com/poets4climate
Children’s Poetry Summit Twitter: https://twitter.com/kidspoetsummit
