By Sarah Ziman (author) Part of the Troika Firsts series
"A vibrant poetry collection that’s bound to please."
Paperback Temporarily Out Of Stock £8.99 £8.09
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November 2024 Debut of the Month
Amid the current concerns around the decline in children’s reading for pleasure, poetry is a bright spot and young readers will be surprised, engaged, made to laugh and above all entertained by this collection, which is every bit as vibrant as its pink cover.
It starts with a hi-ku and ends with a bye-ku, with a lie-ku halfway through for good measure. The poems are loosely themed around the school year and subjects – all keenly observed – include school lunches, friendships, rivalries between friends, new school shoes and the huge emotion of the leavers’ assembly. Others detail family life and they’re all inventive, perceptive and often quite moving.
The fun the poet has with words is likely to inspire readers to try writing poems themselves too.
In this debut collection for children Sarah takes the reader on a vibrant journey based on her acute observations of everyday life and language. Loosely arranged across a school year - September through Halloween, Christmas, Spring, Summer holidays, a new school year/just before secondary - Sarah's witty observations, juxtapositions, and playful use of language pervade every poem and bring a vivid charm and freshness to every page.
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This debut collection heralds the emergence of a strikingly new and inventive voice in children's poetry.
Thought-provoking poems which explore a range of observations about growing up, our use of language and our experiences at home and school.
Witty playful and inventive poetry – children will be entertained and enthralled by the word play, similes, juxtapositions and humour and sometimes the absurdity of everyday feelings thoughts and experiences.
A perfect collection for reading and sharing in the classroom.
’I love these poems - what a fabulous, fun-packed, fantastic collection. Why did my brain make me write that? Because it’s true!’ Brian Bilston
Sarah Ziman was born and grew up in the South Wales valleys and is STILL learning Welsh. She wrote her first picture book at the age of 6, having been heavily influenced by the Happy Families series by Allan Ahlberg, and discovered poetry when her dad bought her a copy of Please Mrs Butler (also by Allan Ahlberg). She had a poem published in a book when she was 11, followed by one which travelled around as a poster on the London Underground when she was 13. She then had a little break of about 30 years, which she mostly spent lazing about eating crisps.
She won the YorkMix Poems for Children Competition in 2021, has been highly commended for the Caterpillar Poetry Prize three times, and her poems can be found in magazines and anthologies worldwide. Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It ' is her first solo collection for children.
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Brain-tickling cleverness and not a letter out of place.
From the initial poem, ‘Hi-ku’, to the closing ‘Bye-ku’, this collection is cram packed with smart word play, attention to crafting, and keen observation. Those two poems stand like apt bookends either side of others that will intrigue and often move the reader. The intervening Lie-ku, introduces a more serious purpose for the form, but is no less playful, despite the sullen tone and sad implications. These poems, alone, indicate the mind of a poet who enjoys experimenting with verse form. ‘Poet Who Doesn’t Know It’ is a gift to every teacher introducing basic verse form and language categories. However, it isn’t heavy with forced learning, instead it’s an enjoyable mischief. Ziman also employs the power of white space and text variation to great effect.... Read Full Review
A must-have poetry collection for children, to be read time and time again.
Masterfully written and aesthetically presented!
If your child is looking for something humorous, uplifting, and entertaining, then this book is definitely for them. It’s perfect for switching off and unwinding with after a long day at school.
I’ve always enjoyed poetry, and this book is filled with some of the cutest, funniest, and most charming poems I’ve ever come across. But it’s not just the words themselves that light up the pages. The poems are presented in such a visually stimulating way that they come to life and dance in front of your eyes, adding a whole new dimension to the words.
Sarah Ziman is a master of poetry and a magician when it comes to getting words down on paper! I hope she’ll be writing many more collections like this one.... Read Full Review
In this debut collection for children Sarah takes the reader on a vibrant journey based on her acute observations of everyday life and language. Loosely arranged across a school year - September through Halloween, Christmas, Spring, Summer holidays, a new school year/just before secondary - Sarah's witty observations, juxtapositions, and playful use of language pervade every poem and bring a vivid charm and freshness to every page. This debut collection heralds the emergence of a strikingly new and inventive voice in children's poetry.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It? and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old
Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It? features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, School Stories, Poetry Books for Children, Children’s / Teenage poetry, anthologies, annuals, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children's and Young Adult Fiction
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It? was written by Sarah Ziman and published by Troika Books
Why Did My Brain Make Me Say It? has 79 pages
Yes it is part of Troika Firsts series
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
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