By John Agard, JonArno Lawson (author) , Satoshi Kitamura (illustrator)
"A meeting of minds and a wealth of words in a fantastic collaborative anthology."
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April 2024 Book of the Month
What a special treat to have a collaboration between three such greats in the world of children’s literature! Two internationally acclaimed prize-winning poets and a multi-award-winning illustrator. Satoshi Kitamura’s iconic artwork is the perfect partner to the witty and wise words that take us on such a wondrous poetic journey.
The poets alternate throughout, and the way they react and respond to each other seems truly conversational, with one idea sparking off a response. This is a masterpiece of anthologising since many of these poems have been published separately before, but here juxtaposed to show a remarkable meeting of minds.
They pose philosophical questions and provide thought provoking answers such as in Mind, What Exactly Are You? by JA and JL’s original reposte Never Mind. These are poets who clearly enjoy each other’s words, and both have a wicked sense of humour as demonstrated by the nonsensical Crocodile’s Tale and Mother Alligator’s Advice to Her Children .
What overwhelmingly comes across to the reader is the sense of curiosity and wonder about the world which is perfectly summed up by the final words from JL ..This strange world will never be anything less or anything but a forever and ever adventure. Bound to become a treasured addition to poetry collections at home and in schools.
Funny, thought-provoking and bursting with curiosity, Wise Up! Wise Down! is a lively conversation between two internationally renowned poets, illustrated by treasured artist Satoshi Kitamura.
Read the full description
How can laughter be more powerful than a sword? Why do days have names but not weeks? And do pigeons ever get a craving for cake?
Two friends, internationally acclaimed poets John Agard and JonArno Lawson, take us on an inspiring, hilarious and wonderous journey through poetry, asking questions and attempting answers as they discover that life really is a forever and ever adventure.
John Agard is a poet, performer, and anthologist. He was born in Guyana and came to Britain in 1977. He has won many prizes, including the Smarties Book Prize and the Queen’s Gold Medal and in 2021 was awarded the prestigious BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award for an outstanding contribution to children's literature. John is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and his work appears in an AQA anthology for GCSE English Literature. He is the author of the Carnegie-longlisted My Name Is Book and John Agard's Windrush Child. JonArno Lawson is an award-winning poet and writer who is the author of many books for children and adults, including Over the Shop, illustrated by Qin Leng and Footpath Flowers, illustrated by Sydney Smith. He has won the Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Children's Poetry four times and has also won the Governor General's Award for Illustrated Children's Books. He has taught children's poetry at Simmons College and lives in Toronto, Canada, with his family. Currently living in Japan, Satoshi Kitamura has created over 20 of his own picture books, as well as having illustrated many by prominent authors such as Hiawyn Oram, John Agard, and Colin McNaughton. His books have been translated into multiple languages, and he has won awards including the Mother Goose Award, Silver Award for the Smarties Prize, and the National Art Library Illustrations Award.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Wise Up! Wise Down! and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-12 years old
Wise Up! Wise Down! features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Funny, Poetry Books for Children, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage poetry, anthologies, annuals
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Wise Up! Wise Down! was written by John Agard, JonArno Lawson and published by Walker Books Ltd
Wise Up! Wise Down! has 135 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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