A review by saschadarlington
A Year of Nature Poems by Joseph Coelho

5.0

A Year of Nature Poems may be compact, but it is a definite treasure for you and your child to share.

Each page has a poem with a short introduction that provides information about the subject of the poem. For instance, February’s poem is about frogs and the introduction gives a brief discussion of how the environment is changing and amphibians are decreasing in number. March is about the different types of daffodils, which the list poem cleverly describes. Likewise, the July poem is about a visit to the sea and the narrator being stung by jellyfish and how a changing climate may be increasing their numbers. While the introductions are intended to teach, they are not preachy, just informative.

"The leaves were piled

bonfire high –

whizzing russets, shooting oranges, exploding yellows

that she scooped

in armfuls

and cascaded over me

in a dry-leaf firework display

of love"

October

The poems are beautifully written, many reading as lovely stories, perfect for children eight and older who are curious about nature.

The artwork is stunning and perfectly compliments the poetry.

This would be an unforgettable gift for a parent and child to share.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.