Press Start to Play: A collection of interactive poems for young gamers

With this year's theme of 'Play', Press Start to Play is perfect for celebrating National Poetry Day! Many of the poems reference gaming tactics and terms, making the collection instantly appealing to gamers.

However, a closer look shows that there is far more to these poems. Clever use of word play and analogy allow for the exploration of 'deeper' topics and thought-provoking poems amongst the humour!  'What If?' is a wonderful pondering poem, exploring all the possibilities created by posing those two words and how they can help to inspire writing.  Similarly, 'Bad Mr Block' personifies the feeling of being unable to write - he's the 'antagonist', stopping 'the tracks of my thought train'. 'Stealing Ain't Thieving in Writing' (I can't bring myself to leave out the apostrophe!) encourages children to think about tropes in writing. This offers a great starting point for teachers to encourage children to think about the stories referenced in the poem, comparing them and adding their own ideas, encouraging them in the 'seven stories' idea and know that they can use these structures to build their own.

There are so many poems to enjoy here, in a range of styles, drawing on different games and offering something for everyone. A section at the end of the book encourages children to experiment with ideas and play with poems of their own. The focus on a fun, light-hearted approach is engaging and interactive.

The whole collection would make an excellent addition to any library or classroom shelf and there are many poems here which could be used in class. A cartoon flipbook has been added to the edge of the pages, adding to the fun of the read! A brilliant, highly imaginative collection!

128 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+