Moon Juice: Poems for Children

The Emma Press The charming front cover of this debut collection shows a little girl in search of moon juice. Blender in hand, her hopeful profile meets that of the quizzical moon. It's a gentle invitation into Kate Wakeling's debut collection, winner of the 2017 Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award (CLIPPA) and it heralds the first poem, 'New Moon' (p.1) in which the moon is evocatively described as 'clipped cup / from which to sip / a first drop / of freshly pressed / moon juice'. This collection is brim full of 'freshly pressed' poems! Kate Wakeling's voice is refreshing and alert to her child audience and it is delightful to meet an anthology that doesn't patronise the child reader with 'easy' hits but gives scope for children's imaginations. Look at the potential that lies in 'Skig the Warrior' (p.3). Skig was definitely a reluctant warrior, in fact he was 'more of a worrier' who 'didn't want to spear deer / or pillage villages / or hoot and toot when the crew looted somewhere new'. As well as the word play, there's space here for children's imaginative responses (what else can Skig do when he's not out pillaging with the 'rack and rabble'? In an interview with BBC4's Front Row, Wakeling talked about allowing language to be 'mischievous, to fizz and sing' and there is an abundance of fizzing language to be found here. In 'New Moon' (p.1) the moon is 'fickle flickerer'; a jungle cat (p.18) is 'Fire-eye / trick-tailed / sleep thief'; we are urged to race through 'Comet' (p.8): To be read as quickly as possible, in as few breaths as you can manage. This is a lovely, sprightly poem that is huge fun to read at speed. Elina Braslina's illustrations provide a feisty accompaniment to the poems and interviews with both her and the poet at the end of the anthology are a bonus. Go to CLPE website to hear the poet performing some of her poems and for rich teaching ideas.

Suggested Reading Age 7+