Sun Time Snow Time: Poetry for children inspired by Caribbean and British life

By Grace Nichols and David Dean

'A delightful gathering of cross-cultural poems' Irish Examiner
'The rhythms and language of these poems will continue to delight children' School Librarian Magazine

From tropical summer to icy winter, this wonderful collection of children's poetry evokes the sights, sounds and seasons of two very different places. Perfect for reading aloud and reciting with children aged 7 and above, these joyful poems reflect life in the Caribbean and Britain from the voice of a best-loved poet.

Grace Nichols' first collection of poetry for children, Come on into my Tropical Garden, was published in 1988. Give Yourself a Hug followed in 1994. Sun Time Snow Time combines these two collections in a single-volume edition.

Book Band: Dark Red

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Aug 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781408193013

Grace Nichols

Grace Nichols is one of Britain's most highly-acclaimed poets. Born in Guyana, she moved to England in 1977. She has won many prizes, including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Her A & C Black titles include Come on into My Tropical Garden and Give Yourself a Hug. Grace Nichols was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and has lived in England since 1977. She has written many books for both children and adults and has won, among other awards, the 1983 Commonwealth Poetry Prize. She was poet-in-residence at the Tate Gallery, London (1999-2000). Grace Nichols performs her work internationally and is one of the poets on the UK national curriculum.

Book preview

Contents

Foreword

Sun Time

Come on into my Tropical Garden

Alligator

I Like to Stay Up

Moon-Gazer

They Were my People

Poor Grandma

Riddle

Granny Granny Please Comb my Hair

Cat-Fight

My Cousin Melda

Wha Me Mudder Do

Moody Mister Sometimish

Mango

Banana Man

Drinking Water-coconut

Mama-Wata

Star-Apple

Early Country Village Morning

The Sun

Sky

I am the Rain

Honey-B Bottle

Lizard

Dinosaurs

Cow’s Complaint

The Fastest Belt in Town

Old Man’s Weary Thoughts

Parakeets

I’m a Parrot

Doctor Blair

For Forest

Sea Timeless Song

Crab Dance

Snow Time

Morning

Sun Is Laughing

Feeling Hungry

Me And Mister Polite

First Spring

Daffodils

For Dilberta

Roller-Skaters

My Gran Visits England

Listening To My Big Sister’s Denim Rave

In With The Rhythm

‘Summer Is Hearts’ Says Sammy Selvon

Berries

Mister Goodacre’s Garden

Counting Sleep

In The Great Womb-Moon

Carnival-Time

Tube-Trapped

When My Friend Anita Runs

Sea-Rock

Autumn Song

Tree-Money

Gull

The Dissatisfied Poem

The Day They Turned The Clock Back

Snowflake

Making My First Snowman In My Mother’s Pink Rubber Gloves

Stormman

Hail Me!

Weather-Moan

Spell To Bring Out Back The Sun

Grown-Up Parties

Dream-Lady

Listening To A Tale About A Mum And Dad

Give Yourself A Hug

About the Author

Foreword

Children often ask me where I get my ideas for writing poems. Ideas come from all around: from things remembered vividly from my childhood; from the natural landscape of creatures and happenings all around me; from things people say; from mythology and dreams; and of course from reading books.

You could say my imagination was first awakened by tropical things, as my early childhood (up to the age of eight) was spent in a small village along the Atlantic coast of Guyana, in South America. Whenever it rained heavily our yard became flooded, and one of the best memories I have of myself as a child is standing in rippling sunlit brown water and watching the shapes of fish go by below the surface. Poems are a bit like