Charles Waters (@waterscharles) shares DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD: POEMS, QUOTES, AND ANECDOTES FROM A TO Z. Charles and Irene Latham were last on this podcast two years ago to share CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?: POEMS OF RACE, MISTAKES, AND FRIENDSHIP. Their new book together, DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD, is beautifully illustrated cover to cover by Mehrdokht Amini. The layout of the book is stunning, beginning with a poem addressing a culturally responsive topic, explaining the poetic form, expanding on the poem with an anecdote, and then inviting readers to take one small action or do one small activity relating to the topic. It’s a powerhouse of a book and I think this interview will speak for itself in that regard. Plus, hearing Charles recite poems is one of my favorite things ever!
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ON TODAY'S EPISODE:
How can we make the world a better place? This inspiring resource for middle-grade readers is organized as a dictionary; each entry presents a word related to creating a better world, such as ally, empathy, or respect. For each word, there is a poem, a quote from an inspiring person, a personal anecdote from the authors, and a try it prompt for an activity.
This second poetic collaboration from Irene Latham and Charles Waters builds upon themes of diversity and inclusiveness from their previous bookCan I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship.Illustrations from Iranian-British artist Mehrdokht Amini offer readers a rich visual experience.
SHOW NOTES:
Charles Waters (Website)
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