BOOKS
When Poems Fall From the Sky
Written by Zaro Weil
Illustrated by Junli Song
Publication: JUNE 2021
Hardback: 210 x 175mm | £15.00 | 160pp
Published by ZaZaKids Books and Troika Books
Full colour
ISBN: 978-1-909991-95-8
Ages: All ages BIC: YDP
Rights Available: World
The poems, story-poems, raps, rhymes, haiku and little plays inside this fantastical anthology about nature, published in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are a riot of imagination, humour and joy.
In exquisitely illustrated full colour pages trees, birds, animals, rivers, flowers, mountains and insects each share their own magical stories. And the stories they tell, the ‘poems’ that fall from the sky, subtly and powerfully illuminate our hope and collective role as guardians of our earth. Original, inspiring and intimate When Poems Fall from the Sky celebrates the marriage of science and poetry.
Imagine the greatest botanist wizard flying off with all the seeds in the world to save the planet or a mushroom punk- rock band rapping about super-hero spores and the wood- wide-web. Or Mother Nature herself pointing out some remarkable symbiotic relationships. Imagine a nightingale, a tree, a seed singing its very own story in its very own words or a flower garden playing uproarious rhyming games with the sun. Picture a raucous, rowdy and hilarious performance when all 10 quintillion bugs on earth try to line up for a parade. Then imagine a dance with the moon and a butterfly’s song to the wind.
At its heart, When Poems Fall from the Sky is a tender and thoughtful love-letter to earth and deserves a special place on every child’s bookshelf.
Polka Dot Poems
100 Weird and Wonderful Nature Haiku
Written by Zaro Weil
Illustrated by Lucy Wynne
Publication: June 2021Published by ZaZaKids Books and Troika Books
Paperback with flaps: 225 x 180mm | £12.99 | 160pp Full colour
ISBN: 978-1-909991-15-6
Ages: 4-8 BIC: YDP
Rights Available: World
This joyful book is an exuberant, humorous and eye-popping poetry primer for young children. It is written by acclaimed poet Zaro Weil and exquisitely illustrated in full colour by Lucy Wynne.
The 100 simple, yet highly evocative haiku, are based on the natural world and conjure up nature in all its diversity from the wonderfully ordinary to the positively weird. From dogs, kittens, rainbows and wind, to pangolins, Venezuelan poodle moths, aye-ayes, puffins, platypuses, sun bears and mud puppies, every page pulsates with pure delight and excitement.
Exploring the colourful words, shapes, colours and rhythms, children will be drawn into a dynamic and captivating poetic world. A world where language and meaning magically merge.
A glossary at the end of the book explains amazing facts about some of the more wonderfully strange creatures.
Polka Dot Poems is an exciting introduction to nature at its most companionable and heart- thumping best. It’s an absolutely must-read book for young poetry explorers and nature lovers everywhere.
FIRECRACKERS
Written by Zaro Weil Illustrated by Jo Riddell
Publication: October 2020 Paperback: 225×188 | 208pp RRP £10.99
Published by ZaZaKids Books in association with Troika Books
ISBN: 978 1909991 330 Age: All ages
‘Fun! Magical! Wonderful!
BOOKTRUST
An explosion of Fantastical Poems, Raps, Haiku, Rhyming Plays (and more) to spark imagination
Written by Zaro Weil Illustrated by Jo Riddell
Publication: October 2020 Paperback: 225×188 | 208pp RRP £10.99
ISBN: 978 1909991 330 Age: All ages
“Brilliant, Magical. A Treasure Trove of Fun, Whimsical, Quirky, Imaginative, Stunning, Thrilling, Fizzles and Sizzles with Delights, Explosive, Colourful, Thoughtful, Bouncy, Fun, Reflective, Joyful…” *
* Praise quotes compiled from the following sources: Armadillo Magazine, Tamara Mcfarlane, Rachel Rooney, Jill Bennett. Red Reading Hub, BookTrust, English Association- UKLA, Playingbythebook.net, ReaditDaddy, Andrea Reece, Lovereadingg4kids, Poetry Zone, The School Librarian, Wes Magee for Carousel Magazine, Alison Kelly, Reading Zone
Published for the first time in paperback and by popular demand, Firecrackers is a classic and much loved poetry anthology for children which has been universally praised by parents, educators and children.
This Aladdin’s Cave of word delights is written by Zaro Weil and generously illustrated by Jo Riddell. Jo’s over one hundred and thirty evocative and gorgeous line drawings and ink washes draw the child deeper and deeper into that mysterious world where the everyday becomes magical. And poetical.
Firecrackers is a generous heart thumping page-turner; a multi-layered and joyful celebration of the natural world where the sounds and intricacies of language and word play have full scope.
The 99 poems, rhymes, raps, haiku, ballads, rhyming plays pulse with excitement and wonder.
Inside Firecrackers’ captivating, thoughtful and often uproarious pages, children begin to conjure up a host of images; entering that enticing, mysterious and ever so curious world of poetry. A world where concepts, language and rhythms conspire to spark both imagination and understanding.
This cherished book, packed with out-of-this-world and unforgettable poems, will not just spark a child’s imagination. It will send it soaring.
CLiPPA POETRY AWARD WINNER 2020
CHERRY MOON
LITTLE POEMS BIG IDEAS MINDFUL OF NATURE
Written by Zaro Weil
Illustrated by Junli Song
Publication 1 May 2019
Hardback: 210 x 175| 180pp |£14.00
Published ZaZaKids Books in association with Troika Books
ISBN 978 1909991 94 1
BIC:YDP
Age 7+
Rights Available: World
This wondrous prize wing poetry collection captures eye-popping moments, tender observations and a thousand whimsical reflections on the sheer joy of the natural world. Cherry Moon bubbles with excitement and creativity. Discover parades of beast doodles, preposterous penguins, talking blossoms, razz0dazzle birds, humble fleas and a host of other exotic and everyday creatures who literally jump off the page and into our hearts. thought-provoking, sensitive and delightfully original, Cherry Moon poses big questions about life with poems and other small gatherings of words:encouraging children of every age to explore the power, enchantment and sheer wonderfulness of the natural world.
SPOT GUEVARA HERO DOG
Written by Zaro Weil
Illustrated by Katy Riddell
Publication: April 2019
Published by ZaZaKids Books in association with Troika Books
Illustrated in full colour throughout
ISBN: 978 1909991 89 7
THEMA: YFP
Age: 7-9
Rights Available: World
This is Spot’s story and he tells it in his own words. Born rough on the street of Brooklyn, New York, Spot realises from and early age that he is destined to become a dog adventurer. He vows he will go everywhere and do everything. One terrible day Spot’s family are carted off by the dog police. Spot is heart-broken and realises his mission is to find them no matter what it takes.
As he courageously makes his way over the Brooklyn Bridge to the Bog Apple, Spot’s adventures begin. Living as a dare-devil street dog, Spot meets some extraordinary new friends, a few terrible enemies and transforms into a true dog hero who stops villains and rescues anyone who needs rescuing. Spot Guevara Hero Dog directs us all into the heart of an amazing dog.
This is a sweet and tantalising action-packed tale with over-the-moon colour illustrations by Katy Riddell.