Emma Press Children's Poetry Books

Falling Out Of The Sky is a treasury of poems which retell classic myths, legends and fairytales from across the world. Hansel and Gretel's witch takes us behind the scenes of the construction of her gingerbread cottage, and Medusa explains how the snakes on her head rule out a lot of options in everyday life – wearing a hat, for example. Full of alternate viewpoints and spirited new versions of old stories, Falling Out The Sky is a friendly introduction to poetry as well as the joy of literature. In tales about the beginning of time to the end of the world, poets and characters speak directly to the readers, revelling in the possibilities of storytelling. These are poems which parents can read aloud to younger children, and which older children can read to themselves, delighting in the mischief and invention of the poets.

Meet Skig, who's meant to be a warrior (but is really more of a worrier). Meet a giddy comet, skidding across the sky with her tail on fire. Put a marvellous new machine in your pocket and maybe you'll be able to fix all your life's problems. Kate Wakeling's first book of poems for children is full of curious characters and strange situations. The poems she writes are always musical, sometimes magical, and full of wonder at the weirdness of the world. Moon Juice contains 25 poems and features bonus materials, including interviews with the author and the illustrator, and ideas for writing your own poems.

Meet Balam, a boy who could be a cat. Meet Lluvia, a girl who could be the dawn. Balam and Lluvia are siblings who catch fireflies, bid farewell to their pet fish in the bathroom, and wait for Ratón Pérez to collect their teeth. In Balam and Lluvia's House, the secret tastes and sounds of the everyday are waiting to be found. From the smell of crushed laurel leaves to the whispers of the peach tree in their back garden, every day is a day of discovery. Full of lively and reflective poems, this book invites the reader to run alongside Balam and Lluvia captivated by the world that surrounds them. Lawrence Schimel's translation brings the work of acclaimed Guatemalan author and playwright Julio Serrano Echeverría into English for the first time.

Bake a weird cake, pay a visit to the Deep, and get some inspiration for your very own word hoard! Anything is possible in the world of Cloud Soup, Kate Wakeling's breathlessly imaginative collection of poems for children. Quieter poems sit alongside riotously funny ones in this sequel to Moon Juice. Readers are encouraged to look more closely at clouds, water, dust and trees, and to reflect on the knottier areas of life.

Open this book carefully: as soon as you do, the wind will sweep you up across the city. You'll roam down empty streets, take a ride on the Metro and see magical things – but there's always time to stop and look about the world around you: the night, the rain, and the sea. These poems focus on everyday, small things – and breathe new life into everything that children see around them. A plastic bag dreams of becoming a cloud, raindrops go on holiday to the sea, and hats fill up with thoughts. The book builds an immersive, tender world – and through its gentle sense of humour and striking images it teaches children to look closely at everything they come across.. Suitable for children aged 6+.

What's your favourite food? Who's your best friend? Have you tried to grow a rock? Aren't beards weird? Did you ever move house and miss where you used to live? Didn't a lot change when the pandemic started? My Sneezes Are Perfect is a collection of poems in the voice of a small boy who wants to tell you about all the things he's learning, all the time. During the book, he moves from the Netherlands to America and has to adjust to his new life there. Then Covid-19 hits and his world changes all over again...

Can you imagine a world without bees? Did you know that dung beetles are awesome recyclers? Insects pollinate, recycle and are an important food source for many animals – they're tiny but mighty superheroes of the animal kingdom. This is an anthology of wild and wonderful children's poems which will educate and excite youngsters about the fascinating world of insects. With factual notes alongside the poems, and black line illustrations.

How big is the universe? Are there dogs in space? What if your friend – or your granddad – was an alien? Join the poets in wondering in Watcher of the Skies, a sparkling collection of poems about the outermost possibilities of space, life and our imaginations. Fully illustrated by Emma Wright and accompanied with helpful facts from space scientist Rachel Cochrane (Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh) and ideas for writing poems from Rachel Piercey, this is the perfect companion for any budding stargazer or astronaut.

A boy selkie who takes girlness off like a sealskin, an untameable kelpie, the warrior-wife of a princess, and a Loch Ness monster who is too busy having fun to worry about words like "girl" or "boy". This is the way the world is - with just a bit of Scottish myth and magic thrown in. Wain is a fully-illustrated collection of LGBT themed poetry aimed at teens (but suitable for all ages) based on retellings of Scottish folk tales. These poems immerse readers in an enriching, diverse and enchanting vision of contemporary life.