A collection of poems that explore childhood experiences — from the whimsical to the poignant.

Shannon Bramer's follow-up to her much-loved poetry book Climbing Shadows is a collection of poems that explore a range of childhood experiences. Many poems reveal what it feels like to be a child — to pretend and dream and play with abandon, as well as to hurt and regret and feel sorrowful. The poems are varied in form, and while some are simple and direct, others invite children to see the potential for play and discovery in words and language.

In the opening poem a child welcomes their newborn sibling, while the last poem is a surreal lullaby. In between we find poems about a child who listens to a toad, who feels left out, who loves the beach, who must practice piano, who accidentally breaks their mother's favourite plate, who doesn't want to eat their lunch, whose pet budgies have died, who visits their father on weekends, and more. (From Groundwood Books Ltd)

Shannon Bramer is a Toronto author of poems, plays and short fiction. She has published a number of poetry collections including Climbing Shadows and won the Hamilton and Region Arts Council Book Award for the 1999 book suitcases and other poems.

Irene Luxbacher is a writer and artist from Toronto. She has illustrated numerous picture books including Malaika, Carnival Queen, Malaika's Surprise and Malaika's Costume by Nadia L. Hohn, Treasure by Mireille Messier and Aunt Pearl by Monica Kulling.