Click on the title (in blue) to see which books are available at the Wellesley Free Library!
The Popcorn Astronauts by
Take a bite out of the calendar with this cheerful collection of delicious seasonal poems, each one an ode to a favorite food! The daring popcorn astronauts are brave beyond compare— they scramble into puffy suits and hurtle through the air. And when they land, we say hooray and crowd around the spot to salt the little astronauts and eat them while they’re hot. Dive into a watermelon lake and sing the praises of mac and cheese in this playful and poetic celebration of food. In spring, bow to the “Strawberry Queen” and eat “Only Guacamole.” In summer you’ll meet Bob the Ogre, who only eats corn on the cob, and in fall, you can learn “21 Things to Do with an Apple.” And then in winter, retreat from the cold at “The Cocoa Cabana!” Stellar team Deborah Ruddell and Joan Rankin deliver a whimsical celebration of the tastiest treats of life in this palatable poetry collection.
Falling down the Page by
From Eileen Spinelli's many goodbyes to summer at the shore, to Avis Harley's catalog of ways to say hello across the globe, to a close look at the birds and animals outside Valiska Gregory's window in winter, Georgia Heard has collected list poems from contemporary poets.
Wet Cement by
Who says words need to be concrete? This collection shapes poems in surprising and delightful ways. By using the arrangement of the words on the page to convey the meaning of the poem, concrete or shape poems are also easy to write!
Echo Echo by
A new book of unique reversible poems based on Greek myths from the creator of Mirror Mirror. What happens when you hold up a mirror to poems about Greek myths? You get a brand-new perspective on the classics! And that is just what happens in Echo Echo, the newest collection of reverso poems from Marilyn Singer. Read one way, each poem tells the story of a familiar myth; but when read in reverse, the poems reveal a new point of view! Readers will delight in uncovering the dual points of view in well-known legends, including the stories of Pandora's box, King Midas and his golden touch, Perseus and Medusa, Pygmalion, Icarus and Daedalus, Demeter and Persephone, and Echo and Narcissus. These cunning verses combine with beautiful illustrations to create a collection of fourteen reverso poems to treasure.
Guess Who, Haiku by
Guess Who, Haiku is a unique poetic guessing game illustrated by bestselling and beloved artist Bob Shea. Author Deanna Caswell's playful take on the inventive Japaense form of poetry offers clues about the creatures hiding on every page in this creative and clever picture book of charmingly illustrated poems for the very young. As readers meet a cow, a bee, a horse, a bird, a frog, a fish, a mouse, a cat, and a dog, they will be delighted to learn that they are the subject of the final poem. Parents will appreciate the simple guide to understanding the haiku.
Brown Girl Dreaming by
National Book Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. Praise for Jacqueline Woodson: Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery.The New York Times Book Review
When Green Becomes Tomatoes by
Seasons change from winter to fall in this book of poetry from the author of And Then It's Spring and If You Want to See A Whale, and charmingly illustrated by Julie Morstad. .
The Crossover by
"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander (He Said, She Said 2013). Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.
Inside Out and Back Again by
No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama. For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by . . . and the beauty of her very own papaya tree. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape . . . and the strength of her very own family. This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.
National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry by
In this collection of poetry, the wonder and beauty of nature is celebrated through the works of such contemporary poets and classic poets such as. Poems are accompanied by color photographs that capture the breathtaking power and splendor of Earth. A true treasure to enjoy over and over again.
How to Eat a Poem by
Focusing on popular verse from the nineteenth century through today, this anthology invites young readers to sample a taste of irresistible poems that will nourish their minds and spirits. Selected for both popularity and literary quality, seventy charming poems cover a wide range of subjects: poetry, books, words, and imagination; the beauty of the natural world; travel, adventure, sports, and play; love, friendship, sadness, hope, and other emotions.
Outside the Box by
This laugh-out-loud poetry collaboration from a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author and a Caldecott Honor illustrator is anything but ordinary. Dive in to Karma Wilson's latest collection of more than 100 poems-some humorous, some poignant, and all of them Outside the Box. Illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Diane Goode, Outside the Box has something for everyone. Appealing to kids and parents alike, poems such as "Sick Day," "My Pet Robot," "Balloonaphobia," and "Aliens Under My Bed" are sure to delight and entertain.
Where the Sidewalk Ends by
This classic poetry collection, which is both outrageously funny and profound, has been the most beloved of Shel Silverstein's poetry books for generations. Where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. There you'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.
All book descriptions have been provided by book publishers.