An exciting anthology of poems celebrating festivals from all over the world.
This exciting anthology of poems celebrates festivals all over the world. From Chinese New Year to Carnival, from Thanksgiving to Holi, and from Purnima to Diwali.
This book of poetry includes explanations of the festivals at the back of the book, and colourful and atmospheric illustrations by Shirin Adl.
BRIAN D'ARCY is an Anglo-Irish poet who has contributed to many anthologies of children's poetry and has had two collections published. He retired from lecturing at Sheffield Hallam University, after having previously lectured in Huddersfield, Blackburn and Lancaster. Brian is a member of the Mini Mushaira writers, has a passion for horses, retelling Irish folktales and writing poetry for children and adults. His poetry prizes include First Prize in the Edward Lear Centenary Limerick Competition. He lives in Sheffield with his wife Debjani Chatterjee, with whom he has edited Let's Celebrate! Festival Poems from around the World and Let's Play! Poems about Sports and Games from around the World.
Debjani Chatterjee has been called 'a poet full of wit and charm' (Andrew Motion), 'a national treasure' (Barry Tebb) and 'the UK's best-known Asian poet' (Elisabetta Marino). She has written and edited well over 60 books, including Animal Antics, Masala, Monkey King's Party and The Elephant-headed God & Other Hindu Tales - selected for Children's Books of the Year. Her multilingual interactive play The Honoured Guest was toured by Twisting Yarn Theatre. She enjoys performing her work at schools and children's libraries. Her residencies have included the Ilkley Literature Festival, Bedfordshire Schools, Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, Sheffield Children's Hospital and the Millennium Galleries. Sheffield Hallam University awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2002, in 2008 she received an MBE for services to Literature, and in 2012 she was an Olympic Torchbearer in the Arts & Culture category. She lives in Sheffield. For more about her books and work see
www.debjanichatterjee.moonfruit.com
SHIRIN ADL was born in Harlow, England, in 1975. She received a first class BA honours in illustration from Loughborough University, and won the Hallmark M&S division Talented Designer Award. She currently lives in Oxford with her husband.
Contents
Introduction
The Chinese Dragon by Catherine Benson
The Pancake by Christina Rossetti
Tossing Pancakes by Nick Toczek
Ice Festival by Brian D'Arcy
Carnival by Valerie Bloom
Three Loud Cheers for Esther by Debjani Chatterjee and Brian D'Arcy
Saint Patrick's Day by Brian D'Arcy
A Card for me Mom by Bashabi Fraser
Colours of Holi by Debjani Chatterjee
Baisakhi by Anonymous
Cherry Blossom Haiku by Uejima Onitsura and Kobayashi Issa
Easter Lily by June Masters Bacher
Grandma's Easter Eggs by Wes Magee
Dance, Dance by Anonymous
Poe-Tree for Arbor Day by Sue Hardy-Dawson
On Buddha Purnima by Bashabi Fraser
Ode to Tomatoes (extracts) by Pablo Neruda
Harvest by Joan Poulson
Harvest Festival by Simon Fletcher
Eid Mubarak! Eid Congratulations by Kazi Nazrul Islam
Moon Cakes for Trung Thu by Mandy Coe
Hallowe-en by Jill Townsend
Diwali by Debjani Chatterjee
Hannukah by Andrea Shavick
Thanksgiving by Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Pilgrims Came by Anonymous
Christmas Bells (extract) by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Christmas Pudding by Anonymous
Kwanzaa by Anonymous
About the Festivals