The Moon's Gorgonzola

A collection of poems for younger children which is designed to be accessed by individual readers or enjoyed as a group. The poems are organised by subject which could be helpful for teachers wanting to use them with a class and who are keen to find a poem on a particular theme. There are also a range of poetry types within the collection so it’s easy to find puzzle poems, list poems or those with a chorus that could be good for call and response performances. The book has tips for using the poems or for performing them as well as some facts about the subject matter and there’s a helpful summary of ways to use the collection as a starting point for writing at the end of the book.

The simplistic style of the poetry and the design of the book make it particularly accessible to the very youngest readers and there are some delightful poems which really lend themselves to group reading. Train Ride to the Sea with its repeating rhythmic ‘we’re off to the sea / on the train today’, followed by a variety of responses (‘Fish and chips, Fish and chips’ or ‘buckets and spades, buckets and spades’) will be enjoyed and improvised on by many a class of children. There are other poems that are similarly destined to become class favourites such as Broccoli Price appealing to children’s sense of fun and the absurd.

Zoe Williams’ illustrations are used to great effect throughout the book and are particularly impactful when they are take up a full page such as the illustration for Firework Night and Sitting at the Harbour. A very handy book for teachers to have in a lower key stage one class, sure to spark ideas and provide inspiration for poetry writing.