Description
Product Description
This beautiful poetry collection introduces readers to the art of found poetry as the poet writes a 37-line poem, "Nest," then finds 160 smaller poems within it.
What can you find in a poem about a robin's nest? Irene Latham masterfully discovers "nestlings" or smaller poems about an astonishing variety of subjects--emotions, wild animals, natural landmarks on all seven continents, even planets and constellations. Each poem is a glorious spark of wonder that will prompt readers to look at the world afresh. The book includes an introduction detailing the principles of found poetry and blackout poetry, and a section of tips at the end. The joyous creativity in this volume is certain to inspire budding poets.
From School Library Journal
Gr 3 Up—Latham uses a single poem, which details the seasonal evolution of a bird's nest, as the foundation for 161 smaller "nestling" poems. Latham only utilizes words found in her "Nest" poem to create the other poems, and she keeps the words in the same order as they appear in the original work. The author also achieves the feat of using each of the words from "Nest" at least once. "Nest" is a gorgeous rush of sensory imagery, from "little bits of feather-fluff" to the "wild cathedral of forest" soaring above. The nestling poems center on subjects as diverse as losing a sports game, the color black, a herd of alpaca in the rain, and what to do when you feel hopeless. Each nestling 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. Latham offers friendly and encouraging advice on how to create nestling poems and reminds writers that they are both poets and poems themselves. Wright's soft illustrations are gentle, and the ink washes create a lush, dreamy feel. The illustrations of children pictured on each section's title page perhaps skew a bit on the younger side. However, this book can be enjoyed by any age. The children are depicted with light skin and dark skin. VERDICT A beautiful, emotional, and incredibly creative poetry book that inspires reflection, dreaming, and writing. A must for libraries and schools.—Shannon O'Connor, Unami M.S., Chalfont, PA
Review
★ "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
About the Author
Irene Latham is the winner of the 2016 ILA Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award. She is the author of hundreds of poems and nearly twenty current and forthcoming poetry, fiction, and picture books, including
Dear Wandering Wildebeest (winner of a Nerdy Book Award and a 2015 NCTE Notable Poetry Book) and
Fresh Delicious (winner of a Eureka! Award and a 2017 NCTE Notable Poetry Book.
Johanna Wright is a fine artist and illustr