All the Wild Wonders: Poems of Our Earth by Wendy Cooling

All the Wild Wonders: Poems of Our Earth Reviews

• 
  Claudia G-D

  Collection of poems written by various poets that express the importance of thinking about our actions as humans and how we can celebrate the beauty of the planet but also put its existence in danger. The key message I got overall was that everyone has a responsibility in the world to maintain its beauty and to prevent destroying nature.
  
  Man, the mad magician by Andrew Fusek Peters is a very short but incredibly powerful poem about how the seagull becomes a blackbird because of pollution from oil etc. Although it is only 4 lines the message is put across so clearly. A few of my other favourite thought provoking poems from this collection are Captivating creature by Gina Douthwaite which starts by saying how captivating elephants are using their trunks for a shower and then goes on to talk about what elephants are doing in captivity in a circus or zoo. I think this is a really well written poem because it shows the difference in an elephants life in the wild and in captivity and how unnatural wearing a tutu and dancing and juggling balls is for the elephant. As well as this Question by Tony Chen and Song of the open road by Ogden Nash are also incredibly short but powerful poems.
  
  Overall I think this whole collection can stimulate a great deal of discussion in the classroom and would be good when celebrating Earth day or linking to a topic. I think these poems have shown me that although we want children to read funny silly poems and enjoy poetry it is also important that they can see how a short bit of poetry can have such an important message about our responsibilities to protect the world and the creatures in it. Children can clearly see that there are different genres of poetry all used for different purposes, whether that be a funny poem to make us laugh and smile or a more serious poem to convey a key message about threats to nature.
• 
  Tiffany Russ

  All the Wild Wonders:Poems of our Earth is a beautiful poetry anthology comprised of poems only about the environment. With poems written by many well-known children's poets and captivating watercolor illustrations by Piet Grobler, this is a collection of poems a classroom can't do without. This collection is appropriate for any age, though the complex metaphors and imagery in some poems make it more suitable for 2nd grade and up. In the classroom, this book can be used within a study of poetry, as a part of a unit about the environment, or just as a fun read. A great use for this book would be to read it around Earth Day and to have children compose their own Earth poems!
• 
  Jo Oehrlein

  A mix of well-known poets and those less well-known.
  
  The poems themselves are very uneven in quality.
  
  The overall tone of the poem collection tends to a very environmental/anti-pollution/things are dying attitude.
• 
  Kelsey B

  3.5*
• 
  Jill

  This is a lovely anthology of thirty-six poems that are grouped into subjects relating to the natural world around us, offering different perspectives about both the beauty of the world and the threats to our environment.
  
  Some use humor to make a point, like this short limerick:
  
  

  Song of the Open Road
  By Ogden Nash
  
  I think that I shall never see
  A billboard lovely as a tree.
  Perhaps, unless the billboards fall,
  I’ll never see a tree at all.”

  
  
  
  Two poems on the elephant by Gina Douthwaite will give kids lots to think about. One is called “Captivating Creature” and the other is called “Captive Creature.”
  
  The first poem in the book by Elizabeth Honey, which is also the title poem, probably conveys the anthologist's sentiments the best. A mother is wishing for her new baby all the wild wonders and she ends the poem:
  
  
  

  For this wish to come true
  We have much work to do
  All the wild wonders
  All the wild wonders
  For you my sweet babe.”

  
  
  
  Delicate and whimsical watercolors by illustrator Piet Grobler accompany each poem.
  
  A list in the back gives a brief identification of each poet, chosen from the past as well as the present, and displaying a remarkably diverse set of contributors.
  
  Evaluation: This poems in this book will undoubtedly be very pleasing to children, and will also provide subtle lessons on the importance of cherishing and protecting nature.
  
  Rating: 3.5/5
  
• 
  Fromwordstoworlds

  Call me naïve but I still believe that the younger generations will learn to respect and love our planet. It is not easy but we are all in search of a better world.
  
  Addressing children’s innocence and unaltered ability to connect with nature, Wendy Cooling, a devoted promoter of children’s literature, has chosen 35 poems to celebrate the beauty of our planet and to indicate the risks that threaten it.
  
  Who am I?
  
  The trees ask me,/ And the sky,
  And the sea asks me/Who am I?
  
  The grass asks me,/ And the sand,
  And the rock asks me/ Who I am.
  
  The wind tells me/ At nightfall,
  And the ram tells me/ Someone small.
  
  Someone small/ Someone small
  But a piece of it all.
  
  (Felice Holman, USA)
  
  No matter how small, we are all parts of the universe and as most of the messages of these poems say we should appreciate and defend all beauties of nature, be they trees, vulnerable creatures, seas and oceans or the wind.
  
  The first poem in the book, which also gives the title of the anthology, is a mother’s manifesto, a touching poem about fighting to preserve Earth’s beauty and individuality.
  
  See full review on blog:
  
  https://fromwordstoworlds.wordpress.c...
• 
  Lori Gravley

  35 poems, varied authors, with beautiful watercolor illustrations. Poems praising nature and wondering about its future.
• 
  Kelsey Tarwater

  An important collection of poems that will help teach our next generation valuable lessons about Earth. Will encourage critical thinking and can open a discussion about what we can do to make a difference, as well as exposing students to poetry.
• 
  Mollie Franzen

  A collection of poems about our environment that encourages kids to enjoy nature, ask lots of questions, and to embrace the beautiful world around them.
  
  Ages 6-10