Blow a Kiss, Catch a Kiss

Blow a kiss,

catch a kiss

put it in your heart…

Perfectly pitched for modern families and covering a range of topics that will be familiar to all, this anthology for babies and toddlers presents a collection of brand-new poems that already feel like much-loved classics.

Themes range from car journeys, supermarket shopping and screen use to windy days and bubble baths, and a joyful parade of busy and diverse characters enlivens every spread. Nicola Killen’s illustrations shine with playfulness, sincerity and warmth, and young readers will enjoy spotting familiar situation and objects. Special emphasis is given to emotions and their impact, and inventive, playful approaches help minds and hearts engage (as in the poem that starts Anger came a-bubbling, a-bubbling, a-bubbling / Anger came a-doubling, a-doubling, a-doubling, which is hard to read without laughing, and should be required reading for anyone in a strop).

Effective use is made of rhyme and rhythm throughout, but these poems are not constrained by form: they can be recited, or sung, or danced to, or acted out, and can be shared in different ways according to situation and mood. Many readers will add their own special touches – growly voices, fingers pitter-pattering like rain, a much-anticipated hug – and a sense of warmth and fun bubbles along throughout. Coelho recognizes the importance of such interactions in his dedication to the book – ‘for all those taking the time to read to their little poets. You rock’ – and his awareness of how these poems will be shared reflects his experience as a playwright and performance poet.

Rhymes and wordplay are so important for early language development, and traditional nursery rhymes are much-loved and will always have a place – not least because they introduce unfamiliar language and ideas that may excite and intrigue young audiences. But many traditional collections don’t reflect the experiences of modern families in a diverse world, and children need to see themselves and their daily lives represented in the books they read. The poems in Blow a Kiss, Catch a Kiss connect with contemporary family life and reflect it in a way that everyone will recognize and enjoy, and this anthology will be welcomed anywhere that adults and their little ones have time and space to interact. It will also please children as they grow: there is plenty here to draw on as they start school, for example, and begin to explore the wider world.