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Half-caste and Other Poems (Poetry)

Half-caste and Other Poems (Poetry)

by JohnAgard (Author)

  • Used

    Hardcover 2004

    $3.44

  • Used

    Paperback 2005

    $3.44

  • New

    Paperback 2005

    $11.47
Synopsis

Half-Caste is one of the poems on the AQA GCSE English syllabus and thus studied by every student following this major syllabus. As a consequence it and its author are among the best-known in secondary schools. John Agard is also very active touring England with GCSE Poetry Live , day-long events of poetry discussion and performance reaching some 80,000 students each year. Half-Caste and Other Poems is aimed directly at the audience for GCSE Poety Live . Built around this seminal poem, it is a mixture of old and new poems that address core issues and experiences for young people. Race and cultural identity is a primary theme and shapes the book. But although he includes poems such as Checking Out Me History about the way the black perspective on history has been ignored, John is just as interested in celebrating the richness of human diversity in poems full of wit, compassion and hope. There are poems about violence, the environment, relationships, politics and grief, alongside poems full of fun, looking at everyday events from quirky, unexpected points of view. It's an accessible and inspiring book by a poet who knows and respects his audience. This collection is as near a definitive summation of his talent as he's yet produced.

$3.44

Save:$9.84 (74%)

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1 in stock

More Information

Format: Hardcover
 Pages: 80
 Edition: illustrated edition
 Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 16 Sep 2004
ISBN 10: 0340893826
ISBN 13: 9780340893821
Children’s book age: 12+ Years

Media Reviews
He explores issues of race and identity, violence and grief, love and life. -- Carousel 20060301 A performance poet, Agard uses rhyme, repetition and refrains that make his work sing. -- The Book Horn Inc 20051128 Agard eloquently voices a universal concern as he describes 'stepping in a big ship/not knowing how long the journey/or that you're stepping into history'. -- School Library Jounral-US Review 20060101 Normally poetry is not our thing, but we took the time to really read many of the poems in this book. ('For the Record')! had only 27 words but rhymed well, was amusing and has stuck in our brains. -- Teen Titles (Edinburgh City Council) 20060501 One of my favourite poems from this book is A Hello from Cello ... I like music, play an instrument and overall am quite musical so I found I could relate to this poem really easily... The poems in this book are quite good as they show you what goes on in real life. We particularly liked the poem My Move Your Move because it uses a chessboard as an analogy of the relationship between black and white people in society... He writes different views of the world today in his poems... Normally poetry is not our thing, but we took the time (really) to read many of the poems in this book... We thought the book was good as it makes you think about what is happening in the world today. -- Teen Titles 20060501
Author Bio
John Agard was born in Guyana and emigrated to Britain in 1977. He has worked as an actor and a performer with a jazz group and spent several years with the Commonwealth Institute, travelling all over Britain giving talks, performances and workshops. He has visited literally thousands of schools. His poem 'Half-caste' is on the AQA Englsih GCSE syllabus, and every year he tours the country performing with other top poets for GCSE students. His children's poetry includes WE ANIMALS WOULD LIKE A WORD WITH YOU, POINTS OF VIEW WITH PROFESSOR PEEKABOO, LAUGHTER IS AN EGG, and COME BACK TO ME MY BOOMERANG. He lives in Sussex and is married to Grace Nichols, herself a respected Caribbean poet. They have a daughter.