This Poem Is a Nest

Praise

★ ”Each nestling [poem] is a warm, accessible, bite-size poem. Some are playful and some are profound. Young writers will be motivated to find their own nestlings and to think deeply about the power of words. Wright’s soft illustrations are gentle, and the ink washes create a lush, dreamy feel. A beautiful, emotional, and incredibly creative poetry book that inspires reflection, dreaming, and writing. A must for libraries and schools.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★ “A gifted poet demonstrates the remarkable versatility of words through one kind of found poetry. ‘[N]ested’ poems are hidden inside larger poems like nesting dolls. These short poems cover simple themes, such as colors, days, seasons, and animals, as well as more complex ones. The invitations to think metaphorically and to discover poetry that might be right at hand are friendly and clear… The repetition of words becomes an echo of a familiar melody running throughout the collection as they become the molecules of new poems and become fresh again. Wright’s art in full-page section-introducing illustrations, along with spot illustration and margin art, gives a warm and lighthearted dimension to the pages. Delightful. ” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ ”Latham… suggests poems are nests in which poets ‘gather words, ideas, and dreams, and then . . . set about weaving, arranging, and structuring.’ A lengthy 37- line opening poem, titled “Nest,” solidifies this concept by combining imagery of birds and poets at work throughout the seasons. Latham then uses this anchor poem as a source for 161 very short found poems or ‘nestlings.’ These nestlings… encourage metaphorical thinking in young readers, while Wright’s grayscale, loosely drawn illustrations enhance these sentiments. Latham ends her work with tips for budding poets to create or find their own nest poems and nestlings, such as using verbs as nouns (or vice versa), joining words to make unique words, and experimenting with the placement of words on the page. This clever poetry exercise will inspire reflection, recreation, or simple enjoyment.” —Booklist, starred review

“Language arts teachers and others will find this book a charming exemplar with which to teach poetry. Found poetry is an accessible entry-point into authoring poems. Student readers will feel less intimidated by the art form after studying this book and following its advice.” —School Library Connection