WOW Dozen: Encouraging Hope through the use of Children’s Poetry and Verse Novels
By Darryn Diuguid, McKendree University, Lebanon, IL, Willeena Booker, Hatboro-Horsham School District, Horsham, PA, Glenda Funk, Pocatello/Chubbuck, S.D. #25, Pocatello, ID, Joe Pizzo, Black River Middle School, Chester, NJ, Junko Sakoi, Tucson Unified School District, Tucson, AZ, April Halprin Wayland, UCLA Extension Writers' Program, Los Angeles, CA & Jongsun Wee, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR
Hope! It's a universal theme we crave in times of uncertainty such as with national polarizing opinions, health crises and personal hardships. For children, they need to understand hope since they encounter instabilities such as having divorced parents, rough patches with siblings and unmet social-emotional needs. To foster hope in the school community, teachers can frame hope as a way for students to become better citizens through hard work while celebrating successes and learning from challenges. Teachers can also create a positive school culture by focusing on hope during difficult times such as staffing, funding and high-stakes testing. NCTE's Poetry Awards Committee provides contemporary poems, anthologies, and verse novels that embrace hope. We ask that you celebrate hope with us as we share our favorites.
Discover how one tree creates an ecosystem for many creatures and keeps a neighborhood safe.
Bom came to the U.S. as a refugee and wonders if she will be able to keep her Vietnamese identity and her memories from Vietnam?
A hope-filled collection of poems in many forms that show how communities cleaned rivers, purged poisons, and rewilded seemingly hopeless spots around the globe.
For refugees forced to flee during war, uncertain futures often lead to deep sadness, but hope exists in freedom and new beginnings.
In 1879, Lettie’s family heads to the Wild West and meets other black families who also left their hometowns behind with the hope of finding a better future.
A young girl who has lost her grandpa honors him by remembering the best experiences she had with him.
This poem is written in honor of NASA’s space mission to Jupiter in October 2024 honoring the mystery and wonder that connects all of us to our vast universe.
In this engaging book one plant imparts value at every stage of life, even the mushy, moldy stage, which nourishes the next generation.
Learning to ride a bike and facing a mistake can be scary, but this poem encourages young children to confront their fears when trying new things.
Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr’s granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, inspires young dreamers to create a new path.
This picturebook celebrates the messes children make that lead to the creation of beautiful and yummy things, giving hope to family and teachers.
The traditional yellow school bus is the main character in this powerful and emotional story of change over time and being open to finding joy in each situation that results.
WOW Dozen features a list of 12 global books for children and adolescents around a theme, topic, issue or personal favorites. Each Dozen consists of ten newly-published titles with two older "must have" books. Please share or recommend additional books that fit the theme in the comments section or on social media using #WOWDozen. Use the printer icon in the upper left corner of this post to print or save this list as a PDF.
