ACHUKA

children's & YA recommendations on the go

You are here: Home / Archives for poems

The Flying Machine of Dreams by Kate Wakeling ill. Viviane Schwarz

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 10 Aug 2026

Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
ISBN: 9781915659989

See also:
A Dinosaur At The Bus-Stop [ACHUKA Book of the Day 16 Aug 2023]
Cloud Soup [shortlisted for the CLiPPA Award]
Moon Juice [CLiPPA winner]

Almost a decade after her first award-winning collection of poetry comes this glorious picture-book-sized set of new poems for the very young. Strongly recommended for nursery settings, Early Years and KS1, as well as, of course for parents. These are poems that children will enjoy reading for themselves once they have had them read aloud enough times so that they become half memorised. 

The title poem about a flying machine that “can squirt green slime” and has “a whole separate room/that is just for ice cream” is a good example of how good a feel Wakeling has the audience targeted by these new poems.

Who will win the Magnificent Race of the Animals? Frog on roller-skates or zebra on a scooter? Find a morning moon, six ways to look at a leaf, beautiful bubbles and amazing shapeshifters. Have a feast of words, make a den and then guess the names of the night animals…

Kate Wakeling’s wonderful talent for revealing the excitement that hides in everyday things, combined with her soaring imagination and special way with words, make this a poetry book that fizzes with ideas and inspiration for young children, perfectly matched by Viviane Schwarz’s exciting and inventive illustrations.

Follow Kate on

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Kate Wakeling (@kate_wakeling)

Small Poems for Big Imaginations by Neal Zetter ill. Will Hughes

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 22 Jan 2025

Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
ISBN: 9781915659873

Neal writes: “My 14th poetry book, ‘Small Poems for Big Imaginations’, is a collection of 55 very short poems to engage the less-keen reader, while bookworms will love it too. It’s the School Reading List’s fictional book of the month for January and, as always, there’s plenty of word play and humour inside plus some more thoughtful poems. This is my third book published with Otter-Barry Books. ”

Small poems are fabulous fun
So I thought I would write this one
It will not be too long I think
Cos my pen has run out of

Neal Zetter’s new collection is an example of the fun, enjoyment and new understandings that poetry can bring. All the poems are short, direct and entertaining. Whether reading with a single child or a group, they arouse immediate interest and are perfect for reading aloud.

Year 6 children in a London primary school foolowed the production from draft to publication: here are some of the things they said about it:

  • “A book where you go up and down and swirl around”
  • “Neal’s poems challenge me, but I enjoy figuring out the jokes”
  • “His poems inspire me and make me want to ROAR with joy”

Neal Zetter is a London-based comedy performance poet, author, and entertainer who uses poetry writing and performance to develop literacy, confidence, self-expression, creativity, and presentation skills.

You can follow Will Hughes, the book’s illustrator on

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Will Hughes (@willustrations1)

This Is Not A Small Voice: Poems by Black Poets selected by Traci N. Todd ill. Jade Orlando

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 28 Nov 2025

Waterstones
Bookshop

“This stellar combination of poetry and art draws readers into the wide experiences of being Black.” SLJ
“A stunning collection of poetry by Black poets, celebrating Blackness across the world.” BookTrust


A beautiful, bold and moving gift collection of 100 poems by Black poets for the whole family to treasure.

Discover classic favourites and new stars in a book that belongs on every child’s bookshelf. This gorgeously-illustrated children’s anthology makes the perfect introduction to poets such as Lucille Clifton, Langston Hughes, Benjamin Zephaniah, Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou, Amanda Gorman, Caleb Femi and Joseph Coelho. It also features brand new work from celebrated writers such as Nikki Grimes and Carole Boston Weatherford.

Follow Jade Orlando, the illustrator, on

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Jade Orlando (@jadefrolics)

A Whale of a Time: A Funny Poem for Every Day of the Year chosen by Lou Peacock ill. Matt Hunt

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 21 Sep 2023

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“The beauty of this collection is the way timeless poems by famous names are tossed up, like confetti, alongside the work of fresh voices… Laughter is definitely the top priority here in this bright, lively and uplifting poetry anthology for children.” The Times

A brilliantly illustrated collection of 366 hilarious poems to keep you laughing all year round!

From rib-ticklingly funny to wryly witty, each poem in this uplifting collection is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and is perfect for reading aloud to share even more side-splitting hilarity with family and friends. Whether it’s a poem about socks or spaniels, eggs or elephants, this bright and brilliant collection will bring you cheer and laughter every day.

The spectacular range of poems for children includes work by John Agard, Maya Angelou, Hilaire Belloc, Colin West, Brian Bilston, Lucille Clifton, Wendy Cope, Roald Dahl, Edward Lear, Spike Milligan, Ogden Nash, Grace Nichols, Jack Prelutsky, Michael Rosen, Christina Rossetti, Benjamin Zephaniah and many more.

A wonderful gift for all ages, this beautifully produced anthology includes luxurious cloth binding and ribbon marker.

Follow the illustrator on : https://www.instagram.com/mathunt/

Book of Questions by Pablo Neruda ill, Paloma Valdivia tr. Sara Lissa Paulson

By Leave a Comment


One of The Best Children’s Books of 2022 – New York Times

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“…a wonderful picture book for a child who may no longer view herself as a reader of picture books. And for her parents and grandparents. There are books an older child might pore over on her own and ones that lend themselves best to conversation. “Book of Questions” — utterly different but not dissimilar in this way to Chris Van Allsburg’s brilliant picture book “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick” — is one of those. If you’re sharing “Harris Burdick” with a child, you talk about what’s going on, make up a story, dive deep. With the Neruda book, a child of the right age (older than 8, I’d say, and more likely 10) might find richness and joy in doing the same. This bilingual Spanish-English edition is the first illustrated selection of questions, 70 in all, from Pablo Neruda’s original poem (320 questions) The Book of Questions.” New York Times
“A gorgeous work that stretches the imagination and delights the senses.” KIRKUS

Holding the wonder and mystery of childhood and the experience and knowing that come with growing up, these questions are by turns lyrical, strange, surreal, spiritual, historical and political. They foreground the natural world, and their curiosity transcends all logic; and because they are paradoxes and riddles that embrace the limits of our ability to know, they engage with human freedom in the deepest way, removing the burden and constraint that somehow, we are meant to have answers to every question.

Gorgeously, cosmically illustrated by Paloma Valdivia, here Neruda’s questions, already visual in themselves, gain a double visuality that makes them even more palpable and resonant. So clearly rooted in Chilean landscapes as they are, the questions are revealed as a communion with nature and its mysteries.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram:

And Everything Will Be Glad to See You – Poems by Women and Girls edited by Ella Risbridger ill. Anna Shepeta

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A forceful, passionate and uplifting collection of poems by women and girls that is guaranteed to inspire, delight and empower. From well-loved poets, including Maya Angelou, Wendy Cope, Lucille Clifton and Christina Rossetti, to newer voices such as Amanda Gorman, Yrsa-Daley Ward and Ada Limon, this outstanding collection from anthologist Ella Risbridger has poems for every mood and every moment.

Ella’s selection is wide-ranging but accessible and will appeal to poetry lovers both young and old. With sumptuous finishes including cloth binding, full colour illustrations throughout, textured paper jacket, ribbon marker, and head and tail bands, this is the perfect gift to begin a lifelong love of poetry.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Anna Shepeta (@halber.mensch)

Joyful, Joyful: Stories Celebrating Black Voices ed. Dapo Adeola foreword by Patrice Lawrence

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“A joyful book, beautifully produced.” BfK 5 Star review

A colour-illustrated collection of stories and poems celebrating joy, showcasing 40 talented Black writers and artists from across the world. Curated by British Book Awards Illustrator of the Year Dapo Adeola, with a foreword by the acclaimed Patrice Lawrence. Joyful, Joyful is a book to sing about!

With stories featuring a mythical whale, a message from the future, a Halloween dance competition, a talking book, a miraculous discovery in a moment of lost hope, the joy of Jollof rice and much more.

The artwork is from an array of talented illustrators selected by Adeola including Ken Wilson Max, Dorcas Magbadelo, Odera Igbokwe and Denzell Dankwah, alongside stories and poems by the likes of Malorie Blackman, Alex Wheatle, Faridah Abike-Iyimide and Dorothy Koomson.

These short stories and poems are perfect for readers age 8-11, but can be enjoyed by all ages.

Contributors include: Adejoke ‘Joke’ Bakare, Alex Wheatle, Arantza Pena Popo, Ashley Evans, Awuradwoa Afful, Camilla Sucre, Camryn Garrett, Charis JB, Dapo Adeola, Denzell Dankwah, Dorcas Magbadelo, Doreen Baingana, Dorothy Koomson, Faridah Abike-Iyimide, Funmbi Omotayo, Hannah Lee, Jeffrey Boakye, Jess Nash, Kelechi Okafor, Ken Wilson-Max, Kofi Ofosu, Koleka Putuma, Maame Blue, Malorie Blackman, Matilda Feyisayo Ibini, Michael Kennedy, Nathan Bryon, Odera Igbokwe, Ojima Abalaka, Olu Oke, Patrice Lawrence, Rahana Dariah, Robyn Smith, Rosaline Tella, Sharna Jackson, Snalo Ngcaba, Terrence Adegbenle, Tomekah George, Tracey Baptiste, Trish Cooke, Yasmin Joseph and Zaire Krieger.

The Crossing by Manjeet Mann

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 5 Jan 2o22
Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week 30 Jan 2022
Costa Book Awards Category Winner
Shortlisted for 2022 CLiPPA Award

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

“Powerful, compassionate and ultimately hopeful.” Guardian

A novel about two teenagers from opposite worlds, The Crossing is a profound story of hope, grief, and the very real tragedies of the refugee crisis.

Natalie’s world is falling apart. She’s just lost her mum and her brother marches the streets of Dover full of hate and anger. Swimming is her only refuge. Sammy has fled his home and family in Eritrea for the chance of a new life in Europe. Every step he takes on his journey is a step into an unknown and unwelcoming future. A twist of fate brings them together and gives them both hope. But is hope enough to mend a broken world?

Follow the author on Instagram:

Carnival of the Animals by Michael Morpurgo

By Leave a Comment

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

Collaborating once more with iconic artist, Michael Foreman, Morpurgo’s poems are inspired by The Carnival of the Animals – a humorous musical by the French composer Camille Saint-Saens. Building on this classic framework, Michael has added many more animals – they speak in their own voices, full of humour and brio, to tell of their lives and the impact of humanity on their habitats.

With full colour illustrations throughout, this celebrated partnership has created a gift book with a strong ecological message that will also ignite a love of poetry in young readers and will appeal to fans of The Lost Words. Above all it is a celebration of the natural world in verse, a book to treasure and to inspire.

Michael Morpurgo has sold over 35 million books globally, many of them illustrated by Michael Foreman.

The Best Ever Book of Funny Poems chosen by Brian Moses

By Leave a Comment

ACHUKA Book of the Day 18 Mar 2021

Waterstones
Amazon
Bookshop

A new anthology of humorous children’s poems from Macmillan, curated by Brian Moses, who has been a Macmillan children’s poet for many years. Check out Lost Magic: The Very Best of Brian Moses, a collection which includes performance stalwarts such as ‘Walking with My Iguana‘ ‘The Lost Angels’, ‘Aliens Stole My Underpants’, ‘Behind the Staffroom Door’, ‘Lost Magic’, ‘The Sssnake Hotel’, ‘A Feather from an Angel’, and ‘Cakes in the Staffroom’:

Perfect d for reading aloud. Explore poems about pets, peculiar creatures, school, family, fantasy, dinosaurs, dragons, space, and just plain NONSENSE.

The anthology includes work by Brian Bilston, Sue Hardy-Dawson, Pie Corbett*, Paul Cookson, Liz Brownlee, Mike Jubb, James Carter and Rachel Rooney.

*Corbett’s Wikipedia entry is in need of amendment/updating