I imagine many of you have sweet memories of evening reading. It's nearly time for bed but first, it's time to read, or tell, favorite stories. Along with a voice from someone loved, that voice might also bring a song memory. However, the evening isn't always the time we read. A quiet moment can be found anytime to stop, to read words that remind us what a wonder of a world we live in. Nancy Tupper Ling's new anthology will help do just that!
I asked Nancy if a past memory, perhaps as a young child, motivated her to begin gathering these lovely poems so that others, family members or teachers, could share with their young ones how special the world they live in is? She answered with words and a poem!
One poem entitled “Tonight . . . “ from our For Every Little Thing collection was inspired by a beautiful day our family spent in San Francisco. This city is where my husband grew up and where most of his family still lives, so we visit often. When my daughter, Elizabeth, was about six years old, we walked down Lombard, the famously crooked street, and eventually ended up by The Marina, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. We had just experienced a quintessential San Francisco day.
That’s when Elizabeth said the words that lead to my poem’s creation. “Mama,” she said. “Tonight I will dream of the purple flowers, the ones that made you smile today. They’ll dance overhead. Their blossoms looked like fingers waving to the people. And I will dream that an orange fox sits beside me.”
Her words struck me then (enough to write the poem), but I also kept them close when creating FOR EVERY LITTLE THING with June! For a young child to treasure such specific things that happened in her day…so much so that she planned her nighttime dreams around them, that is the type of gratitude we hope this anthology fosters. Both a spontaneous and a planned gratitude are what we envisioned for our young readers. Let’s not pass by these simple gifts that we’re given daily. Let’s stop, breath, observe, and perchance dream. It's exciting to share a new book and even more exciting to share one that fits my idea of a special pleasure, reading to children. I've read to all ages because I'm a teacher. I love when I finish and more than one child asks to borrow the book. Then, of course, we have to make a list to take turns. Also wonderful are the times I've read to my own children, and now grandchildren. Sharing books through a read-aloud means creating unique and special memories.
June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling have gathered, as the cover says, "poems and prayers to celebrate the day" into this new anthology, For Every Little Thing. In our recent months of challenges, there may be times when children hear the bad news and need reminding that there are many things to appreciate every single day!
The contents divide into seven parts such as "The World Around Us", "Night", and "Family and Friends". From the first to the last, sixty-six poems and prayers take readers traveling through the day from morning wake-up to evening goodnight. These poets bring the wondrous world to us through all their words.
In "Waking Up Prayer", Susan J. Erickson writes "I like to wake up when the snow falls against my window/like confetti from an angel's party". I imagine rushing for the book to re-read that poem at first snow.
In "Simple Graces", Jill Noblit MacGregor writes "Simple graces are everywhere, under rocks and in the air–/in crashing waves and tall, tall trees, simple graces for all to see." and readers search for their unique "simple graces".
In "Great Owl of Dreams", Maura D. Shaw asks an owl: "Bring me the dream in your mother beak."
And after sleep comes, Suzanne Wiggins Bunch ends her poem "Sea of Dreams" with "Waves of dreams that build and billow/return me to my comfy pillow./And though I've traveled wide and deep, I did it/while I was asleep."
Along with wondrous words, reading aloud a book with illustrations brings more to appreciate, in this book when viewing sumptuous and varied creations by Helen Cann that accompany the poems. Small things, skyscapes, imaginary and joyful scenes, night and morning scenes brighten the pages. You will love them as you read.
It's a book to cherish for oneself, for a gift, for young and old. Thanks, Nancy and June for bringing this anthology to us all!
