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      <title>Wordsong Poetry</title>
      <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/</link>
      <description>Fresh voices in contemporary poetry

The only imprint in children&apos;s publishing in America dedicated to poetry, Wordsong captures the vibrant, unexpected, emotional connections between text and young readers. Our books range from the silly to the serious and are infused with the wordplay and imagery that allow readers to view the world in new and thoughtful ways.
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      <copyright>Copyright 2008</copyright>
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         <title>Black Stars in a White Night Sky has &quot;something for everyone&quot;</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Library Media Connection</em> features a review of JonArno Lawson's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/black_stars_in_a_white_night_s.html">Black Stars in a White Night Sky</a> in its April/May 2008 issue: </p>

<p>"Lawson has compiled a collection of poetry that spans many topics about life and includes a variety of writing techniques. There is something for everyone from the young to the old in this brilliant work. ... The imagery and language used in many of the poems bring them to life. The illustrations complement Lawson's text beautifully."</p>]]></description>
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         <pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:44:29 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title> A starred review for The Seldom-Ever-Shady Glades </title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The April/May 2008 issue of <em>Library Media Connection</em> features a starred review of Sue Van Wassenhove's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/seldomevershady_glades_the.html">The Seldom-Ever-Shady Glades</a>: </p>

<p>"[V]isits to the Florida Everglades inspired the author to describe its unusual beauty in poetic form. ... The result is breathtaking... This book would serve well as a read-aloud for any unit of poetry. Learners of all ages will enjoy the factual notes accompanying several poems...this book can be easily integrated in the science, language, and art curriculums. Librarians should recommend this to teachers looking for a book that can inspire young imaginations and creativity in their course of study. Highly Recommended."<br />
</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/a_starred_review_for_the_seldo.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/a_starred_review_for_the_seldo.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:00:32 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Praise for A Crossing of Zebras</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Library Media Connection</em> reviews Marjorie Maddox's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/crossing_of_zebras_a.html">A Crossing of Zebras</a> in its April/May 2008 issue: </p>

<p>"If you love to hear words dance, or can envision language in motion, you must pick up this book and read it aloud to someone who adores listening to fun and imaginative poetry. ... The words come alive by the rhythm they keep as they are read. The poetry is animated with rich language and is full of life. Recommended."</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/praise_for_a_crossing_of_zebra.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Barefoot&apos;s &quot;language pleases the ear&quot;</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The April/May 2008 issue of <em>Library Media Connection</em> features a review of Stefi Weisburd's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/barefoot.html">Barefoot: Poems for Naked Feet</a>: </p>

<p>"This quirky collection of 32 poems, all loosely connected by the theme of feet, shows a poet exercising her craft and unique perspectives on familiar experiences. Whether rhymed and metered or free verse, the language pleases the ear. ...[T]his is an appealing book with enough variety to speak to many readers. Recommended." </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/barefoots_language_pleases_the.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/barefoots_language_pleases_the.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:11:26 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title> A second starred review for Where the Steps Were </title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Publishers Weekly</em> awards Andrea Cheng's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/where_the_steps_were.html">Where the Steps Were</a> with a starred review in its March 3, 2008 issue: </p>

<p>"In a spare, eloquent novel in verse illustrated with her own bold block prints, Cheng (<em>Marika</em>) captures the moods of five inner-city third-graders as they prepare themselves for their school's impending demolition. ... Mixing sad and uplifting images occurring between the fall and spring of a school year, these poems pay tribute to hard-working educators and children learning to overcome obstacles and accept unwelcome changes." </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/a_second_starred_review_for_wh.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/a_second_starred_review_for_wh.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:09:39 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Praise for The Seldom-Ever-Shady Glades</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>This review of <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/seldomevershady_glades_the.html">The Seldom-Ever-Shady Glades</a> can be found in the February 15, 2008 issue of <em>Booklist</em>: </p>

<p>"Through exuberant poems and quilted illustrations, first-time author and illustrator Van Wassenhove offers an unusual tour of the delicate Everglades habitat. ... The best entries, however, need no commentary, as in this vivid verse: “The Florida Keys / grow canopies / of mangrove trees / for manatees.”  Van Wassenhove’s creative application of quilting techniques to depict the rippled surfaces and shifting hues of a wetland environment will draw fascinated gazes."</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/the_seldomevershady_glades_has.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/the_seldomevershady_glades_has.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:34:20 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>The Monarch&apos;s Progress is an &quot;attractive poetry collection&quot;</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>In the February 15, 2008 issue of <em>Booklist</em>, reviewer Carolyn Phelan writes of Avis Harley's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/monarchs_progress_the.html">The Monarch's Progress</a>:</p>

<p>"Cleverly written with obvious attention to craft, the poetry varies in form from rhymed couplets to acrostic verse to haiku and explores topics such as the physical differences between the larval and adult stages, the way monarch wings look when magnified, and the usefulness of having taste sensors in one’s feet. Accompanying each poem is a color-pencil drawing, often featuring precise lines and intense hues. ... This attractive poetry collection could be useful in either the science or language-arts curriculum."</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/the_monarchs_progress_is_an_at.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/the_monarchs_progress_is_an_at.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:25:22 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Praise for Barefoot: Poems for Naked Feet</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Reviewer Hazel Rochman reviews <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/barefoot.html">Barefoot: Poems for Naked Feet</a> in the February 15, 2008 issue of <em>Booklist</em>: </p>

<p>"The leap to metaphor imagines what feet feel like on an elephant, a butterfly, or a fly with a Velcro grip on the ceiling. Far from overwhelming the poetry, the watercolor illustrations extend the words and help explain them. Even some older grade-schoolers will enjoy this; it may get them to do some writing in the classroom and on their own."</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/praise_for_barefoot_poems_for.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:53:58 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>An &quot;uproarious collection...perfect for reading aloud&quot;</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The February 15, 2008 issue of <em>Booklist</em> reviews JonArno Lawson's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/black_stars_in_a_white_night_s.html">Black Stars in a White Night Sky</a>:</p>

<p>"For an older audience than the usual nonsense-verse crowd, this uproarious collection blends slapstick, puns, parodies, and sheer absurdity with lots of wry ideas. At the core is the delicious sound of words and rhymes. ... Grade-schoolers will appreciate the images (“He leaps like spit off a frying pan”), and the irreverence can be thought-provoking (“the path to conformity is different for each person”). Tjia’s surreal art, in black-and-white silhouettes, is as rhythmic and absurd as the verse, which is perfect for reading aloud."</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/a_delicious_sound_of_words_and.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/a_delicious_sound_of_words_and.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:45:14 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title> A starred review for Where the Steps Were </title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Kirkus Reviews</em> awards Andrea Cheng's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/where_the_steps_were.html">Where the Steps Were</a> with a starred review in its February 1, 2008 issue: </p>

<p>"A delicate verse cycle gives readers a series of snapshots of the lives of five children in an inner-city school. ... Cheng's free-verse poems give voice to the children, allowing them to speak their hopes, frustrations and fears; her powerful, blocky woodcuts accompany the poems, intensifying their emotional impact. ...Quietly lovely."</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/where_the_steps_were_receives.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/where_the_steps_were_receives.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:18:45 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Praise for The Monarch&apos;s Progress</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Kirkus Reviews</em> offers a favorable review of Avis Harley's <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/monarchs_progress_the.html">The Monarch's Progress</a> in its January 15, 2008 issue: </p>

<p>"Using a variety of poetic forms and devices, Harley follows monarch butterflies through a cycle of development and migration. ... The painted illustrations are attractive—it's hard to portray monarchs otherwise— and accurate. Young poets and naturalists should both be drawn to this." </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/praise_for_the_monarchs_progre.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/praise_for_the_monarchs_progre.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:25:03 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title> Black Stars in a White Night Sky receives a starred review </title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Kirkus Reviews </em>gives JonArno Lawson's newest title, <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/black_stars_in_a_white_night_s.html">Black Stars in a White Night Sky</a>, a starred review in its January 15, 2008 issue. The review reads: </p>

<p>"Staid design masks a terrific collection of poetic surprises... Displaying an uncommon ear for sound-play, Lawson also introduces a range of quirky characters... Tjia's monochromatic wash illustrations generally interpret these sparklers literally, but sometimes take imaginative leaps of their own. ...the poet's voice and sensibility are clear and consistent in this above-average gathering." </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/black_stars_in_a_white_night_s_1.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/black_stars_in_a_white_night_s_1.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Tough Boy Sonatas a 2008 Best Book for Young Adults</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/tough_boy_sonatas.html">Tough Boy Sonatas</a> was awarded a spot on <strong>Best Books for Young Adults 2008</strong> list, which is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Books on this list "meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens", as stated on YALSA's Web site. <br />
</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/tough_boy_sonatas_a_2008_best.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/tough_boy_sonatas_a_2008_best.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:54:30 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Miss Crandall&apos;s School a 2008 Notable Children’s Book</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/miss_crandalls_school_for_youn.html">Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color</a> was awarded a spot on the <strong>2008 Notable Children’s Books </strong>list.  </p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/miss_crandalls_school_a_2008_n.html</link>
         <guid>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/miss_crandalls_school_a_2008_n.html</guid>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:13:29 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Praise for Under the Kissletoe</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><em>Horn Book Magazine</em>, in its December 2007 issue, praises J. Patrick Lewis’ <a href="http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/books/poetry/under_the_kissletoe.html">Under the Kissletoe: Christmastime Poems</a>: </p>

<p>“Affable wit and infectious cadence bring fresh energy to traditional Yuletide images. Employing a variety of poetic forms, from limerick to concrete poem, Lewis limits himself to fairly simple rhyme schemes but keeps things lively with generous dollops of enjambment. ...Shepperson’s brightly shaded, borderline cartoon-y illustrations balance humor with warmth.”</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.wordsongpoetry.com/praise_for_under_the_kissletoe.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:31:55 +0000</pubDate>
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