alphabet poem: for kids!
Original price was: £12.00.£6.00Current price is: £6.00.
Emily Critchley, Michael Kindellan & Alison Honey Woods
In stock
alphabet poems: for kids! is a collaborative, experimental book of poems and collages that celebrates the sounds and imagery of letters and words as they emerge into meaning. Designed both as a child’s book of poetry and for adults looking to rediscover a language they have lost, this surreal and playful reimagining of an ABC book appeals to kids of all ages.
‘This book is pure joy, I am so happy it exists.’ – Rachael Allen
Description
alphabet poem: for kids! is a collaborative, experimental book of poems and collages. For children seeking their first book of poetry, or adults looking to rediscover a language they have lost, this playful reimagining of an ABC book is for youngsters of all ages.
Written for and dedicated to the authors’ children, these poems are love letters to the English language, drawing on avant-garde poetic traditions to celebrate the sounds and imagery of letters and words as they emerge into meaning.
Moving through the alphabet – each letter illustrated with a beautiful collage – this book is a journey through the foundations of our language.
Surreal, imaginative, playful and unlike any picture book of poetry you’ve read or seen before, alphabet poem is absolutely for kids!, no matter how old they really are.
‘Gertrude Stein informed us that the world is round. And these round poems (round in the way they run through sound) inform us how to circle the alphabet as if it were an egg, a thing to see (each elephant and emerald and eye) and hear. They do it delightfully.’ – Eleni Sikelianos
‘There is a poeto-mystical symbology wound within these small shell-like poems. Each one has something for the reader to puzzle out, to work towards to reach an “ah ha!” moment, and the journey is fun, whimsical and full of space & breath. This book is a dream for poets of any age, as it revels in the sheer joy of language & utterance. With the accompanying art – an absolute jewel.’ – Sascha Aurora Akhtar
‘alphabet poem delivers a playful, and frankly ravishing serving of love, linguistic and visual, to its readers. Gertrude Stein’s The World Is Round springs to mind, as does the work of Shel Silverstein and Stevie Smith – happy and high praise indeed. What makes alphabet poem all the more glorious is the fact that it is a collection in which all three voices come together to create a vibrant and exciting whole – there’s no parallel play going on between these pages! Bravo! This is a wonderful read – all the way from aaah to zzz.’ – Tim Atkins
Emily Critchley is the author of twelve poetry collections, including Arrangements (Shearsman, 2018) and Ten Thousand Things (Boiler House Press, 2017). She is Senior Lecturer in English and Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich and lives in London with her daughter. Her most recent manuscript, Home, is forthcoming with Prototype.
Alison Honey Woods is a visual artist, photographer and filmmaker. She lives in Toronto with her husband Chris, children Oliver and Poppy, and their dog, Wolfy.
Michael Kindellan is a Canadian-born poet and scholar. He lives in Berlin with partner Julia and their daughters Greta and Agnes.
