Scared?

Neal Zetter and Joshua Seigal combine forces in this collaboration of poems which explores the 'darker side' of life. Not afraid of tackling uncomfortable subjects, each of these poets offers words which could lead to important discussions, will challenge and perhaps, comfort those who read them.

'Max is Not in School' explores the relief felt by a child as they realise that this will be a day when they do not have to endure Max's constant attacks whilst 'Bully!' exposes the lurking insecurity of the bully, offering reasons - not justifications - for their actions. There are poems about family relationships - 'Circle Time', 'the d I vorce', 'When Dad Turns into an Incredible Hulk' whilst 'Gifted' and 'The Orange Table' offer insights into life at school.

There are so many poems here which open doors to potentially difficult discussions, developing empathy and building understanding as they encourage children to consider things from the point of view of others whilst giving a voice to those who might need it. Although this sounds deep and dark, there are lighter moments to be found here too. Despite its name, 'The Seriously Scary Poem' really isn't and 'Skeleton in the Cupboard' plays with words, not fears. 'Tyrannosaurus Came to Tea' is inspired by Judith Kerr's classic and anyone who has had a cat is sure to recognise their feline friend in 'Catastrophic', whilst 'Exclamation Mark!' is a light-hearted look at punctuation.

With poems which can be used across the curriculum, this is a great collection for teachers of UKS2 upwards, but is also perfect for exploring at home. Are you brave enough?

96 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+