"An entertaining, empathetic and lively collection of poetry."
April 2026 Debut of the Month
What a perfect title for a debut poetry collection! Fresh is exactly how it feels and what a lucky debut poet to have the inimitable Chris Ridell illustrating each one of the 55 poems here.
The black and white line drawings and the attractive design and layout of the pages really do add to the pleasure of reading this slim volume. The range of themes covered is perfectly pitched to the primary age group, with responses to nature and everyday situations at home and at school, which will certainly resonate with young readers.
There are poems that will help children understand their feelings, dealing with subjects such as sadness, loss, coping with friendship, anxiety and the fear of losing out, but also lots of ‘fun stuff’. I particularly like the Mind Maths, Dinner Maths, Bus Maths and Weather Maths poems, which are hilariously relatable for all ages.
Young or aspiring writers will find both comfort and encouragement in poems like Inspiration and in Direction: ‘Not every little thing goes to plan’ ‘But/ Two steps forwards, one step back/ is still the right direction, is still on track’ and there are some wonderfully memorable imagery and phrasing. In Fresh Start ‘ Folded up socks not stretched out by feet’ and from Fridays at the Park ‘ I’m living a moment that will morph into memory.’ A truly delightful collection that genuinely has something for everyone and from a poet to watch with interest.
Taking inspiration from everything from cat fleas to cloud gazing, Fresh is a lively collection of poems written for children ages 8-12 which explores starting over, the natural world, expressing your feelings and kindness.
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Taking inspiration from everything from cat fleas to cloud gazing, Fresh is a lively collection of poems written for children ages 8-12 which explores starting over, the natural world, expressing your feelings and kindness. As well as the 'fun stuff' many of the poems touch on mental health and wellbeing, covering subjects such as shifting friendships, sadness, loss, coping with worry, and being left out. Complete with stunning black and white illustrations from former UK Children's Laureate Chris Riddell.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Fresh and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-12 years old
Fresh features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, PSHE: Self-Awareness, Self-Esteem and Wellbeing, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Poetry Books for Children, Children’s / Teenage poetry, anthologies, annuals, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Fresh was written by Rhiannon Oliver and published by Firefly Press
Fresh has 92 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
