This is the third in the Nosy Crow series of their big and beautiful poetry anthologies (see below for links) and it is a glorious celebration of female poetry writing. Ella is also the editor of the anthology Set Me On Fire: A Poem For Every Feeling, published by Transworld in November 2019. The Editor at Nosy Crow says: “Poetry always needs champions and Ella Risbridger is a modern-day Boudicca.

As a DJ might have to find the perfect track to get everyone onto the dance floor, this is our metaphorical 'banger' to kick off the poetry party! Expertly curated by Ella Risbridger and sublimely illustrated by Anna Shepeta, this sumptuous anthology of inspiring verse from a host of seminal female poets includes work by Christina Rossetti, Maya Angelou, Amanda Gorman and many more. 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 talented anthologist Ella Risbridger has poems for every mood and every moment.With sumptuous finishes including cloth binding, full colour illustrations throughout, textured paper jacket, ribbon marker, and head and tail bands. It was named a Book Of The Year 2019 by half a dozen publications, including The Times, The Daily Mail, and The Observer. Within the 141 pages of this very special book are poems you are asked to read very quickly ('Comet' by Kate Wakeling), or sing to a popular nursery rhyme tune ('Sing a Song of People' by Lois Lenski), ones about school ('Getting Ready for School' by Caryl Brahms or 'Mrs Hamilton's Register' by Carol Ann Duffy); there are poems by young children about God, and poems to interact with ('How to Eat a Poem' by Eve Merriam). Nosy Crow publish some beautiful children's books designed to be treasured for a lifetime and this is no exception.

Within her introduction, she tells us of the origin of her love of poetry after her beloved Granny had shared a poetry book with her when she was a young child. I first came across this anthology's curator, author Ella Risbridger, last year due to the success of her first kids middle grade book 'The Secret Detectives' (also published by Nosy Crow). 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 Limón, this outstanding collection from talented anthologist Ella Risbridger has poems for every mood and every moment. You'll find poems about Rosa Parks, Boudicca, Harriet Tubman, colonisation, slavery, star gazing, the weather, the seasons, colours, the ocean, climate change, animals and more! 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 talented anthologist Ella Risbridger has poems for every mood and every moment.When she’s not creating magical art, Anna likes to bake rainbow biscuits and watch detective series.

Ella Risbridger’s collection of old and new poems has been carefully chosen to grow a love of poetry in all reader’s hearts while Anna Shepta’s illustrations capture the mood of each perfectly. She goes on to paint a picture of the oppression of women and their creative talents, and especially their lack of equal rights to men. What Ella Risbridger had to say: “I hope the poems in this book light your way to all sorts of things. 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 Amineh Abou Kerech, this collection from anthologist Ella Risbridger has poems for every mood and every moment. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives.She encourages readers to follow in her footsteps and adore poetry, to re-read poems again and again, and find something new each time, and to even make anthologies of their own. Previous The Royal Rebel : The Life of Suffragette Princess Sophia Duleep Singh by Bali Rai, illustrated by Rachael Dean Next Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. I very much enjoyed reading her introduction and afterword where the reader will find much encouragement for equality and acceptance of women (including those who identify as female) and the much-needed level pegging of poetry along side fiction and non-fiction literature.

Think of these poems not like still pictures, but more like doors: things you can push on, and that will open on to other things. What really amazes me, is that with some of the poems together with the illustrations, I can almost smell the past, others I can imagine the future or others make me feel heavily grounded on my feet here in the present. A forceful, passionate and uplifting collection of poems by women and girls that is guaranteed to inspire, delight and empower.Covering a range of emotions and capturing a number of important ‘life’ moments, each of the poems in this collection will make as a strong an impact on readers of all ages. As with many children's picture books, this is absolutely the sum parts of the curator, the poems and the illustrations. Taking poetry as a filter for art and personal expression, readers are encouraged what they love about a poem they have read, who wrote it, why, why did it strike a chord. I defy anyone to read this poetry collection without feeling lighter, brighter and all fired up to conquer the world. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, as the breathtaking cover artwork by Anna Shepeta caught my eye months ago!