Poetry from Around the World
Poetry is a great way for children to explore language, discover different writing styles and even find their own voice. With their diverse rhythms and rhymes, imagery, narrative and mystery, poems can be enjoyed over and over again.
Turning our attention to poetry that has been translated from another language into English is far more of a challenge. Finding poetry books that have been translated or rewritten into English is much harder and sadly there are too few available. The complexities of translating verse from its original language are not to be underestimated as it often requires the text to be completely rewritten. If the original text was written in rhyming couplets or quatrains then the translator and publisher may want to ensure that it rhymes in English whilst still being faithful to the nuances of the original.
However, despite the limited availability of poetry in translation we have managed to select 36 titles across the different age categories that will hopefully ensure there is something for everyone.
As well as including some exceptionally stunning picture books translated and rewritten in rhyme we have also included several nonsense verse titles from India, even though they were originally written in English.
One or two of the titles cross-over into different age groups, particularly the books in the Under 5's and 6-8 age groups. This is because some of the books in the Under 5's list can also be used in the classroom with older children.
Whilst trying to ensure there are as many new titles as possible we have also included some that may now be out of print because they are worthy of a mention and most are still available to buy over the internet.
We will continue to update these lists as we receive new titles but we hope that our diverse selection will give you a flavour of poetry from around the world.
Introduction to the
Under 5's Booklist
In this Under 5's booklist, there is a selection of titles that are ideal for parents, grandparents and carers to share with their children as well as for use in reception classes. Whether it is The Big Yawn from Germany with its delightful rhymes about animals in the Zoo settling down for the night, Slovenian author and illustrator Lila Prap's distinctive Animal Lullabies and Daddies – a perfect book for fathers to share with their children at bedtime – or When I was Born, from Portugal with its poetic prose about the wonders of discovering the world for the first time, they all offer something to savour.
Five books from India, with their unique style of artwork and handmade paper, have been included. Catch that Crocodile!, One, Two, Tree, Tiger on a Tree, and To Market To Market! written by the award-winning nonsense verse author Anushka Ranivankar. Monkey Photo – with the delectable monkey photographing his friends and (enemies) is written by Gita Wolf. These books are perfect for sharing with young children, not only for their rhyming verse but also for the vibrant rich colours of the stunning illustrations by Indian artists.
Two tales about elves and fairies, by German author and illustrator Daniela Drescher, provide an old fashioned gentleness. With exquisite watercolour illustrations In The Land of the Elves and In the Land of the Merfolk follow a magical world in verse.
Animals also feature with Hedgehog, Pig and the Sweet Little Friend from Sweden by award-winning illustrator Lena Anderson – a story of getting lost and finding your way home – and Elfrida from Austria about a vain sheep who wants to change her appearance that will have children giggling from the start.
To capture a flavour of lullabies and nursery rhymes from around the globe – My Village: Rhymes from Around the World compiled by Danielle Wright from New Zealand is a beautifully illustrated book of international nursery rhymes. Hush, Baby, Hush by Katherine Hendersen is a selection of lullabies collected from a whole host of different countries, providing a translation as well as the text in the original language.
Two books that are not distributed in the UK but have still been included on the list are the evocative bilingual Winter Afternoon from Argentina by Jorge Luján in English and Spanish and The Tortoise Who Wanted to Sleep from Spain, an enchanting funny story about caring for others. Both are in verse with exquisite illustrations that any young child will really enjoy.
One of the most stunning and exciting new rhyming picture books to come out recently is the wacky Happiness is a Watermelon on your Head by Bulgarian author and illustrator Stella Dreis and expertly rewritten in rhyme by Daniel Hahn. This will prove a firm favourite with children from the start as both the rhyme and illustrations make this a perfect book to share.
Introduction to the 6-8 Booklist
In this booklist for 6-8-year-olds, you can find classics, nonsense verse, rhyming and non-rhyming poetry.
Whether you are looking for classics such as Struwwelpeter by Dr Heinrich Hoffman (first published in translation in 1848, a cautionary tale with a moralistic content in rhyming verse and some gritty comical illustrations) or the stunning 'Moomin' books by Tove Jansson (translated and rewritten in verse by Sophie Hannah) then you are in for a real treat.
The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My and Who will Comfort Toffle with their sophisticated novelty design featuring cut-through holes and riot of colour together with the rhyming narrative are well worth investing in, either for parents to share with their children or to use in the classroom. A more recent publication, The Dangerous Journey is another sumptuous title although it does not have the novelty design of the previous two.
Seven titles from India, with their unique style of artwork often made on handmade paper, have been included: Anything But a Grabooberry, Excuses Excuses, Excuse Me, is this India? , Today is MY Day, Wish you Were Here and The Rumour are all by award-winning nonsense verse author Anushka Ranivankar. The latter is published by Karadi Tales which is not distributed in the UK but is available to buy over the internet. The Spectacular Spectacle Man about Chashmuddin the street spectacle seller is by Indian writer and illustrator Vishakha Chanchani. They cover a range of subjects from typographical tricks, travel, folk tales and nonsense verse.
Two books originally included in Outside In: Children's Books in Translation (2005) were The Moon has Written you a Poem from Portugal, distinctive both for the poetic language translation by Maurice Riordan and the dark, brooding illustrations by André Letria and Yours and Mine, a poem adapted into a picture book with unusual surreal illustrations by Peter Geibler.
Talking with Mother Earth, published by Canadian publisher Groundwood Books, is a bilingual book from El Salvador in English and Spanish, it is a raw, honest and powerfully moving poem with rich, lavish illustrations bursting with colour.
Happiness is a Watermelon on your Head is a stunning and exciting new rhyming picture book by Bulgarian author and illustrator Stella Dreis and expertly rewritten in rhyme by Daniel Hahn. Flower Heaven is a charming unusual tale based on a poem by German writer Sophie Reinheimer about what happens to flowers when they arrive in Flower Heaven and Hedgehog's Home is a poem about a very feisty and determined little Hedgehog who loves his home by an ethnic Serbian writer from the former Yugoslavia, translated and rewritten in English for the first time. Pumpkin Grumpkin is a collection of nonsense verses from around the world compiled by well-known children's poets John Agard and Grace Nichols.
Introduction to the 9-12 Booklist
In this booklist for 9-12-year-olds, there are titles that are particularly ideal for classroom activity.
Four anthologies are included: A River of Stories is a beautiful collection of stories and poems from the 54 Commonwealth countries stunningly illustrated by Jan Pienkoski. All the Wild Wonders: Poems of our Earth contains 33 poems from around the world that celebrate nature and the planet while Side by Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World is an innovative collection of 40 new poems that connect a work of art with a poet's words.
Sheep Don't Go to School edited by Andrew Fusek Peters is an older title but still worth getting hold of, as it features a whole host of poems translated from Eastern European languages.
The Aspiring Poet's Journal from France is a must-have for any classroom as it is packed full of ingenious exercises, advice, suggestions, examples and plenty of encouragement for any aspiring young poet. There is an idea for every day of the year accompanied by wacky illustrations by Hervè Tullet.
In the Land of Punctuation from India is a unique book based on the German poet Christian Morgenstern's poem centred on punctuation, perfectly complimented by Indian artist Rathna Ramanathan's superb typographical illustrations.
I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail is a classic British poem from the 17th century. Known as 'trick verse' because it seems not to make any sense when it is read for the first time Although read when the sentences are broken up with punctuation it starts to become logical.
Another book that can be used for poetry as well as art, Under the Spell of the Moon: Art for Children from the World's Great Illustrators. Included are a whole host of celebrated International artists who were commissioned to illustrate a text of their choice and the book includes both poetry and prose together with dual-language text.
(2012)
