Scared?

Written by Neal Zetter & Joshua Seigal

Illustrated by Zoe Williams

Publication date: September 2022
Ages: 7-11 years
Format: Paperback / 198 x 129 mm / 96 pages
ISBN: 978-1-912745-14-2
Rights available: World
UK retail price: £8.99

“It follows me and yet it’s not a part of me It does the things I do.”

48 inventive, insightful poems exploring the darker side. From bullies to black holes, cats to clowns, these original and thought-provoking poems are a roller-coaster ride through both the silliness and the sadness of being human.

This is a book that’s not afraid of exploring the tougher side of growing up, and which can pave the way for important conversations about feeling and facing our fears. A sneak preview below…

Scared? celebrates the work of poets Neal Zetter and Joshua Seigal and is their second collaboration for Troika. Their first, Yuck and Yum: A Feast of Funny Food Poems, has been widely praised for its vibrant poetry and cited as the perfect book for using in the classroom to engage children.

Awards & selections

Longlisted in the Spark! School Book Awards 2022.

Reviews

“There are so many poems here which open doors to potentially difficult discussions, developing empathy and building understanding as they encourage children to consider things from the point of view of others whilst giving a voice to those who might need it. Although this sounds deep and dark, there are lighter moments to be found here too. With poems which can be used across the curriculum, this is a great collection for teachers of UKS2 upwards, but is also perfect for exploring at home. Are you brave enough?”

Through the Bookshelf

“All of the poems by these two award winning authors have their particular charms. They cover a wide range of familiar and not so familiar scary subjects including vampires, clowns, snakes, bullies, divorce, sadness, cats and carbon footprints. Although some poems are light hearted, the authors are also encouraging readers to think deeply about what it means to be scared and why.”

The Letterpress Project