Water Songs: A Cascade of Poems

Featuring poems about the many songs of water, from the cracks of glaciers and the whirl of blizzards to the rushing of rivers and the crashing of the sea, Mandy Ross considers water in all its diversity in this illustrated collection of new poems. 

Suitable for primary school aged children, Ross’ poems vary in length and theme, from the onomatopoeia-filled 'We Sing Our Water Songs' to the assonance in 'How Wet Shall We Get?' (dabbling ducklings/muddiest mudlarks) and the questions of 'Sea, River, Pond or Pool?' – does the water feel welcoming, cool or fresh, soft or smooth, splashy or wavy, rippling or rushing, or wild and wet? – which focus on getting children to think about how they would best describe water.  

As well as being a gentle introduction to the concept of poetry, Water Songs is also a great vocabulary builder, featuring plenty of interesting new words to learn and say.

There are also poems here about water outside of its natural origin. 'Who Uses Water Anyway?' teaches young listeners about all the ways that humans use water: in turbines to make electricity, on building sites to make concrete, in the pipes that cool computer servers, and in the mills that weave cloth to make our clothes. 

A lovely book, especially good for a school project about water or the environment.