In this post, we feature Naomi Shihab Nye, the current Young People’s Poet Laureate, whose award-winning titles include the poetry collection A Maze Me: Poems for Girls and the Newbery Honor Book Habibi. You can hear her speak about the inspiration for her new collection, Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems, and try her fun “invitation to imagine” activity. You’ll also find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems
- Written by Naomi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Rafael López
- Published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
- Release date: September 29, 2020
Beloved, acclaimed poet Naomi Shihab Nye is the current Young People’s Poet Laureate, serving until August 2021. This celebratory book collects in one volume her most popular and accessible poems from the past forty years, including “Kindness” and “Gate A-4,” as well as additional favorites and new poems. Illustrated by award-winning artist Rafael López, this collection introduces the poet’s work to new readers and will serve as a comprehensive edition for classroom and family sharing. Writing prompts and tips offer further inspiration for young poets.
From the poem “Jerusalem,” featured in Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems:
There’s a place in this brain
where hate won’t grow.
I touch its riddle: wind, and seeds.
Something pokes us as we sleep.
It’s late but everything comes next.
Read a longer excerpt from Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems, written by Naomi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Rafael López.
Explore Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems
Listen to Naomi Shihab Nye talking with TeachingBooks about creating Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.
- Listen to Naomi Shihab Nye talk about her name.
- Listen to Rafael López talk about his name.
- Read along with an audiobook performance of Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems.
- Explore TeachingBooks’ collection of activities and resources for Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems.
Invitation to Imagine
TeachingBooks asks each author or illustrator on our Virtual Book Tour to share a writing prompt, a drawing exercise, or just an interesting question to spark curiosity and creativity. Enjoy the following activity contributed by Naomi Shihab Nye.
Imagination Activity with Naomi Shihab Nye
Over the years, I could see I do a few things repeatedly when sitting at a clean page or opening my notebook. I often scribble a list of questions. Questions are little doors opening. Then I write some phrases or full lines describing details I have witnessed or experienced recently. So easy to do. Little things I don’t want to forget. I combine elements, make similes and metaphors:
The sky this morning was . . .
Sleeplessness is like . . .
And by then, the energy starts flowing. So, I urge anyone of any age to make a few little “clumps” on the page—three groups of things. Then pick parts you like best from each clump, and start combining them! You may add or subtract anything you like! It’s very simple.
Finish This Sentence . . . with Naomi Shihab Nye
As part of our Virtual Book Tour, TeachingBooks asks authors and illustrators to complete short sentence prompts. Enjoy Naomi Shihab Nye’s response.
“A surprising thing that helps me write is . . .”
A surprising thing that helps me work is having a candle lit next to me on the table. I like the flicker. I usually start writing in the early morning dark so it’s a nice companion.
“A favorite question from a young reader was . . .”
A favorite question from a young reader was: What’s hard for you? I realized we could ask ourselves this question on any given day and probably have a different answer. What’s hard today? That is another interesting place to begin. Often you can work out what’s hard while writing!
Thank you!
To wrap up this Virtual Book Tour, we thank Naomi Shihab Nye for signing a book for all of us.
More Connections to Naomi Shihab Nye and Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems
- Discover books like Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems on TeachingBooks.
- HarperCollins’ page about Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems, written byNaomi Shihab Nye and illustrated by Rafael López.
- Buy Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems, written by Naomi Shihab Nye and illustrated by Rafael López.
- Naomi Shihab Nye on Twitter.
Explore all of the titles featured in the TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour: one link with author interviews, lesson plans, activities, and more!
All text and images are courtesy of Naomi Shihab Nye and HarperCollins Publishers and may not be used without expressed written consent.
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