By Valerie Bloom (author) , Ken Wilson-Max (illustrator)
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Winner of the 2022 CLiPPA (CLPE Children’s Poetry Award) | Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2022 ages 7-10
Poet Philip Gross, chair of the CLiPPA judges, said “ Stars with Flaming Tails is like a passport to the whole world, and beyond. This is poetry that can go anywhere, from the personal to the planetary, the surreal to the scientific, with its invitation to us all to look, and to laugh, to listen to our feelings, and to think. And meanwhile, almost without noticing it, we’re being handed the keys to the craft of writing for ourselves.”
I travelled once around the world
On stars with flaming tails,
And touched the colours of my dreams
Along some silver trails.
Look out for best friends, pancakes, and Grandad singing; discover a river dolphin, a poison dart frog and the most dangerous animal in the world; imagine a talking nose, meet the Zimbats of Zingley Dell and find the colour of your dreams.
Valerie Bloom is a poet whose work sings with irrepressible joy and humour. -- Sian Williams - Children's Bookshow
Best friends, making friends, pancakes, wild animals and much more in this first solo collection from Bloom in several years, paired with Wilson-Max for the first time. -- The Bookseller - Fiona Noble
No matter how you're feeling, you'll find something to suit your mood, or to lift you out of it perhaps. Ken Wilson-Max's black and white illustrations serve the poems well, providing an additional reason to smile wherever you open the book - Red Reading Hub
Super! There's a huge variety of poems here...that demonstrate empathy, conservation and family. It's fun and full of imagination and we love the riddles and wordplay. - Let Them Be Small
Valerie Bloom's perfectly painted words, accompanied by Ken Wilson-Max's thought-provoking and evocative illustrations make this a collection for every child to enjoy and find themselves in. -- Charlotte Hacking - CLPE
Otter-Barry Books are the publishers with poetry at their heart and have put together this delightful book with two amazing people. It shows how they live up to their aims of pushing boundaries and publishing books that children will love. - Dolphin Book Blog
No matter how you're feeling, you'll discover something to suite your mood, or to lift you out of it perhaps. Ken Wilson-Max' black and white illustrations serve the poems well, providing an additional reason to smile wherever you open the book. - Red Reading Hub
Valerie Bloom is one of Achuka's favourite poets and this is her first solo collection or several years. Bold black illustrations from Ken Wilson-Max throughout...Bloom's mastery of rhythm and rhyme and the natural way in which she slips from the concrete to the figurative, will have readers spellbound...Very highly recommended. - Achuka Book of the Day
Funny, thoughtful and perceptive, this joyful and richly varied collection of poems by Jamaican-born poet Valerie Bloom will inspire curiosity and laughter in pupils, alongside a deep sense of wonder at the beauty and mystery of life -- Teach Primary It's a corker! -- Pie Corbett Full of wonder, friendship, nonsense and delight. - - Imogen Russell Williams - Guardian
A poignant and highly recommended anthology of poetry for children, filled with verse which is as moving as it is fun to read aloud...A must-have collection by Valerie Bloom...who has managed to put into words how we all feel. - Booktrust - Books We Love
Definitely a book that I would recommend children aged 8-11 read, for the sense of exploration and curiosity it can instil in reader, its take on wordplay and poems targeting the emotional quotient of kids and of those with messages for the environment. - Armadillo
A lovely collection, beautifully illustrated. -- Rick Charlesworth - Primary English Lead, UKLA London rep
An excellent, varied collection. - Books for Keeps
I highly recommend the book for both its verses and illustrations. It will bring laughter and pleasure in its reading and rereading. - IBBY
A wonderful collection of poems full of empathy for others, conservation, the environment and rich, imaginative wordplay. - Library Girl & Book Boy
Valerie Bloom was born in Jamaica and came to England in 1979. One of the UK's finest poets for children, she has performed extensively in both Britain and the Caribbean in schools, universities and theatres.
A brilliant performance poet, Valerie has also written novels and several picture books. She also received an MBE in 2007 for her services to poetry.
70 Children's Books Celebrating our Love of Poetry
Q&A with Valerie Bloom, Winner of the 2022 CLiPPA (CLPE Children's Poetry Prize)
UKLA Book Awards - 2022
UKLA Book Awards 2022
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education Poetry Award (CLiPPA) 2022
This Is Not a Small Voice
And Everything Will Be Glad to See You
The Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice
Centrally Heated Knickers
I travelled once around the world On stars with flaming tails, And touched the colours of my dreams Along some silver trails. Look out for best friends, pancakes, and Grandad singing; discover a river dolphin, a poison dart frog and the most dangerous animal in the world; imagine a talking nose, meet the Zimbats of Zingley Dell and find the colour of your dreams.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Stars With Flaming Tails and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-10 years old
Stars With Flaming Tails features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Recommendations, Poetry Books for Children, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage poetry, anthologies, annuals
Ebook, Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Stars With Flaming Tails was written by Valerie Bloom and published by Otter-Barry Books Ltd
Stars With Flaming Tails has 96 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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