Under the Moon & Over the Sea
A Collection of Poetry from the Caribbean
Age 5+
Poetry
An award-winning collection of poetry vividly evoking the experience of living in the Caribbean – and of leaving for other lands.
This prestigious anthology, which won the 2003 CLPE Poetry Award, conjures up the sights and sounds, tastes and tales of the Caribbean; the experience of living there – and of leaving for other lands. A companion to the acclaimed A Caribbean Dozen, this book contains more than fifty poems by over thirty poets, including John Agard, Grace Nichols, James Berry, Valerie Bloom and Benjamin Zephaniah.
Creators
John Agard and Grace Nichols were brought up in Guyana and moved to Britain in 1977. Both are well-known writers and performers of poetry. Their poetry collections for Walker are A Caribbean Dozen (9781406334593) and From Mouth to Mouth (9780744583830) and a new collection of nonsense poems from all around the world, Pumpkin Grumpkin. John and Grace live in Sussex.
With black and white illustrations by Cathie Felstead, Jane Ray, Christopher Corr, Satoshi Kitamura and Sara Fanelli.
Reviews
More than fifty poems that conjure up the Caribbean are contained here, with marvelous illustrations to match.
Yellow Brick Road
A rare gem that shines in every aspect, this book could inspire new poetry from students.
Book Links
More than 30 poets conjure island life — the sea, storytelling, food, nature and the experience of travelling away from home.
Publishers Weekly
Spirited and physical, the poems seem to beg readers to read them aloud, to enjoy their many turns of wordplay, their repetition, and their musical Caribbean dialect. . . . UNDER THE MOON AND OVER THE SEA proves that poetry can be a good time and still pose serious questions.
Riverbank Review
Not only is this a delicious banquet, it’s unusually successful at evoking a certain place, a goal many anthologies strive for but few meet. There’s a very clever interweaving of the concrete and the emotional throughout the anthology that conveys to readers not just what one would see in the Caribbean but what one would relish, what one would regret, and what one would miss from far away. Both poignant and jubilant, this is a luscious and satisfying collection.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
A collection of more than 50 poems guaranteed to chase away any winter blahs . . . Agard and Nichols . . . have once again created an exuberant tribute to one of the world’s enchanted places.
School Library Journal
This anthology is a lively mix of rhythms, stories, and descriptions that illuminate the geography and culture of the region, while providing a variety of linguistic and visual delights . . . With poems and illustrations for many moods, this volume with its lively language and playful pictures is sure to please.
Kirkus Reviews
More than 50 poems give an intriguing flavor of Caribbean life in UNDER THE MOON AND OVER THE SEA . . . The verses range in tone from exuberant to prayerful to wistful.
Washington Parent
