NEW AND NOTABLE POETRY BOOKS
what is hope? - a cbc "hot off the press" selection!
How can we help children feel more confident? With poetry! Give children a daily dose of hope simply by sharing the 40 ekphrastic poems in this book. Inspired by a wide variety of diverse and inclusive black-and-white photos, these poems explore the many places where hope pops up in our lives: when we play a sport, water a garden, do volunteer work, visit a hospital, or even when we take a test.
This book is a Children's Book Council "Hot Off the Press" Selection for August 2023. This monthly list curated by the CBC features new titles that are identified as great resources for teachers, librarians, booksellers, and parents.
Our Pomelo Poets
The voices in this book represent popular names in the children's poetry community and new talents, too: Verrena Diane Anderson, Dolores Andral, Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Rebecca Balcárcel, Robyn Hood Black, Sandy Brehl, Joseph Bruchac, Rose Cappelli, Kelly Conroy, Patricia Cooley, Cynthia Cotten, Mary E. Cronin, Linda A. Dryfhout, Alyssa Eisner, Joanne Emery, Lauren Emick, Janet Clare Fagal, Patricia J. Franz, Theresa Gaughan, Stephanie Gimble, Sherilyn Howard, Elizabeth Kuelbs, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Vikram Madan, J. David Martinez, Rochelle Melander, Kenn Nesbitt, Abby Oqueli, Lou Piccolo, Deborah Reidy, Suma Subramaniam, Linda Picaro Tarantino, Pamela Taylor, Linda Kulp Trout, Joyce Uglow, Sylvia Vardell, Vicki Wilke, Matthew Winter, Janet Wong, and Sarah Ziman.
As with other books in the "WHAT IS" series (WHAT IS A FRIEND?, WHAT IS A FAMILY?), as well as our books in the "THINGS WE" series (THINGS WE DO; THINGS WE EAT; THINGS WE FEEL; THINGS WE WEAR), 100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund.
what is HOPE?
ISBN 9781937057220
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 6" x 9"
Pages: 108
Grade Level: Grades 3 and up
You can buy our books at Amazon and receive them in a few days—or, If you don't need them immediately and would prefer to order from a small business that specializes in school orders, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. Visit QEPBooks.com and, while you're there, look for our other Pomelo Books titles with a "Vardell Wong" search!
celebrate families
what is a family? - a companion book to what is a friend?
DNA can tell us who our family members are, but we all know that family means more than just genetics. The 40 ekphrastic poems in this book—inspired by a wide variety of diverse and inclusive black-and-white photos—explore extended families, blended families, classmates and sports teams as families, animal families, and family occasions such as birthdays, holidays, weddings, funerals, and much more.
Our Pomelo Poets
The voices in this book represent popular names in the children's poetry community and new talents, too: Alma Flor Ada, Gail Aldous, Alexia M. Andoni, Chris Baron, Willeena Booker, Sandy Brehl, Judy Bryan, Elenore Byrne, F. Isabel Campoy, Kate Coombs, Cynthia Cotten, Mary E. Cronin, Leslie Degnan, Janet Clare Fagal, Theresa Gaughan, Rajani LaRocca, Renée M. LaTulippe, Rebecca Gardyn Levington, Molly Lorenz, Rochelle Melander, Jack Prelutsky, Joan Riordan, Donna JT Smith, Anastasia Suen, Pamela Taylor, Joyce Uglow, Fernanda Valentino, April Halprin Wayland, Vicki Wilke, Matthew Winter, Janet Wong, and Helen Kemp Zax.
As with the companion book WHAT IS A FRIEND? and also our books in the "THINGS WE" series (THINGS WE DO; THINGS WE EAT; THINGS WE FEEL; THINGS WE WEAR), 100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund (IBBY.org).
what is a family?
ISBN 9781937057190
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 6" x 9"
Pages: 108
Grade Level: Grades 3 and up
You can buy our books at Amazon and receive them in a few days—or, If you don't need them immediately and would prefer to order from a small business that specializes in school orders, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. Visit QEPBooks.com and, while you're there, look for our other Pomelo Books titles with a "Vardell Wong" search!
A Children's book council "hot off the press" SELECTION!
THINGS WE WEAR — THE FINAL BOOK IN OUR "THINGS WE" SERIES
We began our alphabet series with the action-packed THINGS WE DO, featuring kid-friendly verbs like CLAP (Joseph Bruchac), DANCE (Nikki Grimes), EAT (Jack Prelutsky), and FLY (Carole Boston Weatherford). The response to "Eat" byJack Prelutsky was so enthusiastic that we decided to devote a whole book to food with THINGS WE EAT, where we included many global staples such as RICE (Jacqueline Woodson). We then explored our emotions in THINGS WE FEEL, honoring our wide range of emotions, even our WORRIED (Naomi Shihab Nye) times. We're now ready to help kids celebrate another favorite topic: CLOTHES, with gems by Douglas Florian, Padma Venkatraman, and 24 additional voices.
What Do We Wear?
In this book, we wear not just clothes — but aprons, boots, costumes, dresses, earmuffs, flip-flops, glasses, helmets, ice skates, jeans, kippahs, life jackets, masks, necklaces, overalls, pajamas, quilts, raincoats, saris, t-shirts, uniforms, visors, watches, x-ray aprons, yukata, and zippers! Readers (and preschool "book-lookers") will see themselves very clearly in the wide variety of children and activities depicted in these diverse and inclusive photos.
Our Pomelo Poets
The poets featured in this book are: Robyn Hood Black, Willeena Booker, Sandy Brehl, Judy Bryan, Rose Cappelli, Janet Clare Fagal, Karen Elise Finch, Patricia J. Franz, Theresa Gaughan, Xelena González, Katey Howes, Molly Lorenz, Amy Milholland, Moe Phillips, Donna JT Smith, Holly Thompson, Linda Kulp Trout, Fernanda Valentino, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Padma Venkatraman, Jenna Waldman, Vicki Wilke, Matthew Winter, Janet Wong, and Helen Kemp Zax.
As with other books in this series (THINGS WE DO; THINGS WE EAT; THINGS WE FEEL), 100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund.
THINGS WE WEAR
ISBN 9781937057046
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 8.5" x 8.5"
Pages: 79
Grade Level: PreK - Grade 2
If you would prefer to order from a small business that specializes in school orders, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. While you're there, look for our other Pomelo Books titles with a "Vardell Wong" search!
a children's book council "HOt off the press" selection!
what is a friend?
To learn to be a good friend, kids need models of friendship. The 41 poems in this book guide us in reaching out, sharing ourselves, asking for help, giving support, and just having fun. These poems also show us that friends come in many forms; we can find them in our families, at school, on sports teams, through community service, on vacation, in pets, in nature — and even in ourselves.
Many talented voices are represented in this book: Gail Aldous, Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Robyn Hood Black, Willeena Booker, Sandy Brehl, Carol Bullman, Kelly Conroy, Mary E. Cronin, Linda A. Dryfhout, Janet Clare Fagal, Karen Elise Finch, Nancy Bo Flood, Patricia J. Franz, Marilyn Garcia, Van G. Garrett, Theresa Gaughan, Sara Holbrook, Irene Latham, Rebecca Gardyn Levington, Molly Lorenz, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Carmela A. Martino, Guadalupe García McCall, Rochelle Melander, Heidi Mordhorst, Elisabeth Norton, Joan Riordan, Laura Purdie Salas, René Saldaña, Jr., Michael Salinger, Donna JT Smith, Anastasia Suen, Pamela Taylor, Linda Kulp Trout, Fernanda Valentino, Charles Waters, Vicki Wilke, Matthew Winter, Janet Wong, Helen Kemp Zax, and Sarah Ziman.
As with our books in the "THINGS WE" series (THINGS WE DO; THINGS WE EAT; THINGS WE FEEL), 100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund (IBBY.org).
WHAT is a friend?
ISBN 9781937057169
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 6" x 9"
Pages: 108
Grade Level: Grade 3 and Up
Buy from your local indie bookseller at Bookshop.org!
If you would like to order from a small business that specializes in school orders, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. At the same time, learn the books in our "THINGS WE" series (Things We Do; Things We Eat; Things We Feel; and Things We Wear) that also are fundraisers for the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund.
KEYSTONE TO READING - 2023-24 PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN LIST
THINGS WE FEEL - GET KIDS TALKING ABOUT EMOTIONS
Can we ask you a favor? If you know Preschool and Kindergarten teachers in Pennsylvania, will you tell them that this book is on the 2023-24 Keystone to Reading Book Award list for Preschool and Kindergarten — and we need them to register to vote? Teachers can apply to be a Voting Classroom here. Thank you (and fingers crossed)!
Kids have been feeling a mix of complex emotions lately, which makes THINGS WE FEEL perfect for sharing. In this alphabet book you'll find poems from A to Z along with full-color photos that will help kids talk about feeling amazed, brave, curious, determined, excited, frustrated, grateful, happy, inspired, jealous, kooky, lonely, mad, nervous, and more. The poems are ideal for children in preschool through Grade 2 (ages 3-7) and can also be used as mentor texts for older students. Share the poems to jumpstart family talks at home or in classrooms. Parents, caregivers, and educators will find useful tips and resources to help make learning even more fun, and this book will also be a favorite resource in an ELL classroom. Pomelo Books is "Poetry PLUS"!
This anthology includes a diverse and inclusive blend of established and new voices: Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, Willeena Booker, Rose Cappelli, Kelly Conroy, Karen Elise Finch, Douglas Florian, Patricia J. Franz, Katey Howes, Carol-Ann Hoyte, Michelle Kogan, Elizabeth Kuelbs, Marty Lapointe-Malchik, Carmela A. Martino, Juli Mayer, Rochelle Melander, Lisa Varchol Perron, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Schriebman, Anastasia Suen, Pamela Taylor, Linda J. Thomas, Fernanda Valentino, Vicki Wilke, Matthew Winter, and Janet Wong.
As with other books in this series (THINGS WE DO and THINGS WE EAT), 100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund (IBBY.org).
things we FEEL - to help kids talk about emotions
ISBN 9781937057039
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 8.5" x 8.5"
Pages: 79
Grade Level: PreK - Grade 2
If you would like to order from a small business that specializes in school orders, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. While you're there, look for the other books in this same series, Things We Do and Things We Eat.
featured On the Poets.org summer books list!
THINGS WE EAT - a book of alphabet poems featuring food
⭐️ A Children's Book Council Hot Off the Press Selection
⭐️ Featured on the POETS.org Summer Books List
What things do we love to eat? In this book you'll find poems from A to Z, featuring food names and photos that will make kids want to eat an AVOCADO, BAGEL, COOKIE, DUMPLING, and more as you read the delicious poems. This poetry anthology is ideal for students in preschool through Grade 2 and can also be used as a mentor text for older students. Share it as a family at home or in classrooms to promote diverse nutritional choices and smart eating. (Well, mostly smart: we wanted to include some familiar treats such as cookies and (cupcakes with) icing, too.) Parents, caregivers, and educators will find useful tips and resources in the back matter to help make learning even more fun, and this book will also be a favorite resource in an ELL classroom. Pomelo Books is "Poetry PLUS"!
The poets in this book are a diverse and eclectic blend of established and new poets: Gail Aldous, Rebecca Balcárcel, David Bowles, Sandy Brehl, Carol Bullman, Yangsook Choi, Kelly Conroy, Nicola Davies, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Linda A. Dryfhout, Theresa Gaughan, Mary Lee Hahn, Georgia Heard, George Ella Lyon, JoAnn Early Macken, Elisabeth Norton, Lisa Varchol Perron, Jama Kim Rattigan, Joan Riordan, Pamela Ross, Donna JT Smith, April Halprin Wayland, Vicki Wilke, Janet Wong, Jacqueline Woodson, and Sarah Ziman.
100% of the profits from this book will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund (IBBY.org). Please consider making a direct donation via USBBY.
things we eat - for mealtime read-alouds
ISBN 9781937057312
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 8.5" x 8.5"
Pages: 79
Grade Level: PreK - Grade 2
If you would prefer to order from a small business that specializes in school orders, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. While you're there, look for the other book in this same series, Things We Do!
a fundraiser for the ibby children in crisis Fund
THINGS WE DO - a book of alphabet poems featuring verbs
⭐️ A Children's Book Council Hot Off the Press Selection!
What things do we love to do? In this book you'll find poems from A to Z, featuring action words and photos that will make kids eager to CLAP, DANCE, JUMP, LAUGH, WAVE, ZOOM, and more as you read the playful poems. This poetry anthology is ideal for students in preschool through Grade 2 and can be shared by families at home or by teachers in classrooms. Parents, caregivers, and educators will find useful tips and resources to help make learning even more fun. This book will also be a favorite resource in an ELL classroom. Pomelo Books is "Poetry PLUS"!
The poets in this book are a diverse and eclectic blend of established and new poets: Beth Brody, Joseph Bruchac, Jen Bryant, Mary E. Cronin, Linda A. Dryfhout, Margarita Engle, Janet Clare Fagal, Marilyn Garcia, Nikki Grimes, Carol Labuzzetta, Marty Lapointe-Malchik, Grace Lin, Molly Lorenz, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Pat Mora, Linda Sue Park, Moe Phillips, Jack Prelutsky, Janice Scully, Linda Kulp Trout, Padma Venkatraman, Leslie Stall Widener, Carole Boston Weatherford, Janet Wong, Jane Yolen, and Helen Kemp Zax. In addition to writing, their varied backgrounds include careers as teachers, librarians, lawyers, health care workers, scientists, film producers, artists, and more.
100% of the profits from this book will be donated to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund (IBBY.org). Please consider making a direct donation via USBBY.
things we do - a perfect gift for a young child
ISBN 9781937057305
Retail price: $16.99
Trim size: 8.5" x 8.5"
Pages: 79
Grade Level: PreK - Grade 1
If you would prefer to order from a small company, QEP Books is the place! You will receive first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria. While you're there, look for other titles by Pomelo Books such as PET CRAZY: A Poetry Friday Power Book!
Bookshop.org is the preferred online bookstore of many people who want to support a local indie store— and we're happy to be able to offer our books there, too!
winner! Kids' choice book awards - best book of facts!
HOP TO IT - SHARE THIS BOOK WITH YOUR FAVORITE KIDS
Breathe. Stretch. Wiggle. Dance. March. Stomp. Reach! EVERYONE needs regular brain breaks. Keep kids moving while you teach language arts, STEM, social studies, and more—with poems!
HOORAY FOR BRAIN BREAKS!
Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving is an anthology of 100 poems by 90 poets—with fun facts sprinkled throughout, thematic mini-lessons, and extensive back matter featuring useful tips to help maximize student learning. You can share a new poem or two each week of the school year—and come back to share your kids' favorite poems over and over! Poems involve the whole body and incorporate a wide variety of movements—including deskercise!
You'll find poems on current topics such as life during a pandemic, virtual learning, staying connected with friends, and standing up for what you believe in. Take a "30-second indoor recess" (or "brain break") whenever you need it!
See the list of contributing poets here.
145 pages; 8.5"x11"; $19.99
Buy this book now from a local independent bookseller, Amazon, Bookshop, or QEP Books (800-323-6787 or qepsupport@qepbooks.com).
a 2022 ncte poetry notable
Good Luck Gold & MORE - a fundraiser to fight racism
⭐️ A Children's Book Council Hot Off the Press Selection
⭐️ A 2022 NCTE Poetry Notable
Good Luck Gold & MORE contains all 42 poems from the classic Good Luck Gold and Other Poems, originally published by Macmillan—plus 50 new pages of text. Wong's original book was the first-ever collection of Asian American-themed children's poems to explore issues of identity and race. In these 50 new pages of memoir, musings, and social studies connections, Janet Wong offers a fresh look at her poems and invites young readers to dive more deeply into the "stories behind the stories." Ideal for Grades 4 and up.
100% of the profits from this book will be donated to groups that #StopAsianHate and promote bystander action, such as Hollaback!
Like A Suitcase of Seaweed & MORE, a 2020 NCTE Poetry Notable, each poem and prose piece is accompanied by a simple writing prompt that will inspire classroom student discussion and writing. Find sample writing prompts with suggested curriculum connections for Good Luck Gold & MORE here and selected poems here.
Janet Wong (janetwong.com) is a Yale-trained lawyer who switched careers to write for children. She is the 2021 winner of the NCTE Excellence in Children's Poetry Award, a lifetime achievement award that is one of the highest honors a children's poet can receive.
give Good Luck Gold & MORE to your School library!
ISBN 9781937057763
Retail price: $11.99
Trim size: 6" x 9"
Pages: 99
Grade Level: Grades 4 and up
Please consider ordering from QEP Books, our favorite distributor! They charge $5 for shipping, but they also offer discounted prices—so if you order a handful of books, you'll pay for shipping and still save money. They have a wide variety of professional books from Stenhouse, Corwin, and more—and selected trade books, too. They offer first-rate customer service; call 800-323-6787 and ask for Catherine or Maria.
GREAT MORNING! Poems for school leaders to read Aloud
What People Are Saying
"As is the case with all of the Pomelo Books offerings, the concept of this anthology is brilliant in its simplicity and effectiveness." —Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, poet and prominent blogger
"I wish I could put a copy on the desk of every administrator" —Paul Hankins, high school language arts teacher
GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud
GREAT MORNING! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud is an anthology of 75 poems by 50+ poets—with intros and intriguing facts for each week of the school year.
Topics include:
School Forms ✼ Safety ✼ Inclusion ✼ Picture Day ✼ Health + Wellness ✼ Community ✼ Leadership ✼ Diversity ✼ Transportation ✼ Volunteers ✼ Compassion ✼ A Fresh Start ✼ Birthdays ✼ Recess ✼ Teachers ✼ Reading ✼ Art ✼ Music ✼ Technology ✼ Science ✼ Willpower ✼ JustJoking ✼ Literacy Everywhere ✼ Clean Up ✼ Mindfulness ✼ Surprise! ✼ Reaching Out ✼ Fun + Games
The 50+ poets who contributed poems to this book are:
Alma Flor Ada, Brod Bagert, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, Robyn Hood Black, Susan Blackaby, Merry Bradshaw, Lydia Breiseth, Joseph Bruchac, Kate Coombs, Cynthia Cotten, Kristy Dempsey, Margarita Engle, Janet Clare Fagal, Catherine Flynn, Xelena González, Lorie Ann Grover, Mary Lee Hahn, Avis Harley, Jane Heitman Healy, Sara Holbrook, Ann Ingalls, Julie Larios, Renée M. LaTulippe, B.J. Lee, Suzy Levinson, Elaine Magliaro, Kenn Nesbitt, Eric Ode, Linda Sue Park, Ann Whitford Paul, Greg Pincus, Jack Prelutsky, Bob Raczka, Heidi Bee Roemer, Caroline Starr Rose, Laura Purdie Salas, Michael Salinger, Darren Sardelli, Liz Garton Scanlon, Michelle Schaub, Laura Shovan, Buffy Silverman, Eileen Spinelli, Traci Sorell, Elizabeth Steinglass, Holly Thompson, Linda Kulp Trout, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Carol Varsalona, April Halprin Wayland, Carole Boston Weatherford, Kay Winters, Allan Wolf, Virginia Euwer Wolff, Janet Wong, and Jane Yolen.
See a Letter for Parents for schools to send home to families.
178 pages; 7"x10"; $29.99
Read the post by Michelle Heidenrich Barnes at Today's Little Ditty.
Read the review by Paul Hankins on Goodreads.
A SUITCASE OF SEAWEED & MORE
What People Are Saying
"With its new content, this poetry collection now offers layers of meaning both literary and practical, making it a strong resource for teachers of creative writing, school libraries, and anyone interested in exploring identity and belonging." —Kirkus
A Suitcase of Seaweed & MORE
A Suitcase of Seaweed by Janet Wong was originally published in 1996 by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, as thirty-six poems plus three prose pieces. It received many accolades and was named an NYPL Book for the Teen Age and also an NCSS Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.
While the entire text of the original book is presented here in A Suitcase of Seaweed & MORE, more than half of this book is brand new. You’ll find snippets of story about the inspiration behind the poems, extensions of the themes, and general musings, as well as writing prompts to get young readers thinking, talking, and also writing about their own identities. Wong’s “Advice for Writers” will inspire them to write their own books, too!
99 pages; 6" x 9"; $11.99
Publisher: YUZU, an imprint of Pomelo Books
Read "Classroom Connections with Janet Wong" at Today's Little Ditty.
See an excerpt from this book.