Fresh voices in contemporary poetry

The only imprint in children's publishing in America dedicated to poetry, Wordsong captures the vibrant, unexpected, emotional connections between text and young readers. Our books range from the silly to the serious and are infused with the wordplay and imagery that allow readers to view the world in new and thoughtful ways.

Browse the Spring 2012 List

Latest news, reviews, and honors:

Every Second Something Happens

"Fun for reading aloud, the very short verses in this collection are easy, rhythmic, and immediate… The subjects are child-friendly (“I like mud”) and cover a wide range of feelings and dreams, and the sounds of the words are part of the meaning (“squishing, flying, slinking, thumping”). The anthologists encourage everyone to join in (“Can you move like the words in the poem while you’re saying them?”), and Hall’s clear colorful illustrations never overwhelm the words as they show kids in action… A great choice for sharing in the classroom or at home."     —Booklist

"Spread across a broad white page or two and accompanied by pleasant watercolor figures and vignettes, the poems come from widely varied poets, familiar and new… This slim volume will provide many moments of reading and listening pleasure."     —School Library Journal

Brushing Mom's Hair

"The author’s biographical note reveals that Cheng is a breast cancer survivor and drew from her own daughter’s experiences in these poems that show an insider’s knowledge of the disease. But Ann, the young narrator, describes the experience mostly through the “small stuff“ of daily life. With one or two words on each line, the poems are a fast read, but the chatty voice packs in emotion, all the more powerful because it is so tightly controlled. Wong’s small black-and-white pencil drawings on every page extend the poetry through the characters’ body language. A great choice for poetry classes, as well as for bereavement counseling."     —Booklist

Praise for Rules of the Game

School Library Journal reviews Marjorie Maddox's Rules of the Game in its May 2009 issue:

"[Maddox's] carefully constructed word pictures offer dramatic snapshots of infield flies and collisions between fielders, sacrifice bunts, balks and pitch-outs, stolen bases, and grand slams. ... Compact yet full of meaning, these selections offer glimpses of the game's pleasures and poignant moments. Sandford's black-and-white pencil drawings add to the drama, focusing viewers' attention on the gangly pitcher's calculating gaze or the single-minded pursuit of the pony-tailed infielder. Maddox's whimsical wordplay will be savored by casual sports fans and hardcore baseball addicts alike."