What Is Poetry?: The Essential Guide to Reading and Writing Poems - Softcover

Rosen, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844287637 ISBN 13: 9781844287635

Publisher: Walker Books, 2016

Synopsis

A detailed and very personal guide to reading and writing poetry by one of the country’s leading children’s poets.

Over many years as a working poet, Michael Rosen has thought a great deal about what poems are, what they can do and the pleasure that comes from writing and reading poetry. In this invaluable handbook, he shares this knowledge and experience in book form for the very first time. Starting with a detailed analysis of a number of classic poems, he offers a real “writer’s guide” to writing and performing poems, as well as a wealth of technical information and tips. He then takes a fascinating look at a selection of his own poems and explains how and why he wrote them. Complete with an appendix of poets and useful websites, and beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Jill Calder, this is the only guide to poetry children and teachers will ever need.

About this title

About the Authors

Michael Rosen is a multi-award-winning poet, a popular radio broadcaster, distinguished critic and academic, and one of the most popular authors for children. He has written over 200 books in a career spanning over five decades, including the internationally bestselling We're Going on a Bear Hunt, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. His poems, about family life, childhood and a good deal of silliness, have reached millions through his exuberant online readings. Michael was the Children’s Laureate from 2007 to 2009, and is now Professor of Children’s Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Jill Calder is an award-winning illustrator with a passion for colour, ink, paper and pixels. Since graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 1991, Jill’s work has taken her around the world, most recently to Pakistan and Sri Lanka with the British Council’s Drawing Words exhibition of British picture book illustrators, curated by the then Children’s Laureate, Lauren Child. Jill’s book illustrations include Robert the Bruce, King of Scots by James Robertson, What Is Poetry? by Michael Rosen and The Sea by Miranda Krestovnikoff. In 2022, Jill’s first retrospective exhibition, "A Blink of Ink … the Creative World of Jill Calder" was held at Callendar House in Scotland, giving a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of some of her biggest projects over the years. Her work has also been displayed at the V&A Museum, the National Museum of Scotland, the Royal Brompton Hospital and the Royal Scottish Academy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Walker Books
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1844287637
• ISBN 13: 9781844287635
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Calder Jill
• Number of pages: 208