In the Land of Words: New and Selected Poems

This treasured poetry collection by Coretta Scott King Award-winning collaborators Eloise Greenfield and Jan Spivey Gilchrist journeys to a place where words, creativity, and imagination abound.

Featuring twenty-one poems illustrated with sewn fabric collages, this tribute to the written word invites readers to look within themselves to discover what inspires them.

Eloise Greenfield, winner of the National Council of Teachers of English Excellence in Poetry for Children Award, says: The words can come from a memory, or a dream, or something I see or hear or wonder about or imagine. . . . Maybe there's a place where words live, where our minds and hearts can go and find them when we want to write or read. I like to imagine that there is such a place. I call it "The Land of Words."

Includes an author's note, a table of contents, sources, and an index.

The words can come from a memory, or a dream, or something I see or hear or wonder about or imagine. . . . Maybe there's a place where words live, where our minds and hearts can go and find them when we want to write or read.

I like to imagine that there is such a place. I call it "The Land of Words."

In this collection of twenty-one poems, NCTE Excellence in Poetry for Children Award winner Eloise Greenfield journeys to a place where words, creativity, and imagination abound. Featuring the poems "In the Land of Words," "Books," and "Poem," as well as favorites such as "Nathaniel's Rap" and "Way Down in the Music," this tribute to the written word invites readers to look within themselves and discover what inspires them.

“[a] joy-filled, right-on tribute to wordsmithing in all its forms." - Kirkus Reviews

“... the very simple rhythmic rhymes show and tell the joy of words, their meaning, and also their glorious-sounding nonsense... Gilchrist, who has illustrated several books by Greenfield, here uses sewn fabric collages for the first time, and it works beautifully, with elemental shapes, colors, and movement that capture the rhythm and still leave lots of space for the words to do their magic. A great read-aloud for toddlers as well as older preschoolers.” - Booklist