A Poem in the Sky

A celebration by Benjamin Zephaniah as he finds poetry everywhere. The illustrations by Nila Aye pick up the joy that runs through every spread. Her images are child-friendly and relatable, her colour-saturated pages create an immersive atmosphere and her characters are full of bouncy humour. The whole production is stylish – the end papers taking the imagination into space populated by colourful constellations from the moment the covers open to the moment they close; there are poems everywhere. This is a joyous book. 

Creating picture books using poems by established poets (as opposed to rhyming texts by authors) is becoming much more familiar – and a great way to bring poetry into the limelight for a young age in a way that can also be enjoyed by adults who will be sharing the book. Surely it can only help build confidence. However, the choice of the poem, the poet – and the illustrator are all important. When everything works, it is unforgettable – and fun. At present we see these books are designed for the very young. This is not new – Milne, Lear, Rossetti  – even T. S. Eliot all wrote for this audience and their creations are often remembered for the brilliant pairing with an artist able to capture the spirit, life and character of the words. This stylish production clearly does this and its impact could encourage teachers and parents to look further – perhaps a way in for an older audience.