The World through the Eyes of a Preschool Poet

Poems by Nadim (age 4)

illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail

See the world through a small child’s eyes

in this enchanting collection of poems by
a four-year-old, joyfully illustrated by
an award-winning artist.
On sale March 22, 2022
$17.99 ($23.99 CAN)
Ages 4 to 8
HC: 978-1-5362-2316-3

FOR SCARED-SUGAR THINGS, YOU PUT ON YOUR BRAVE

AND YOU CAN TAKE IT OFF AGAIN, WHEN YOU REALIZE IT’S OK.
AND THAT’S IT. SCARY AND SWEET. SCARED-SUGAR.
Four-year-old Nadim puts his words on paper and gives us a glimpse of how he sees
the world: one filled with glitter, magical boxes, and cuddles with Mom. A place
where school smells like daffodils and honey (and sometimes dirty socks), where
Wednesdays are rainbow-colored, where fish in the sea make a shhhh sound, and
where everyone has love, even baddies. The poems in this anthology make for joyful
reading and are paired with vibrant, child-friendly artwork by Yasmeen Ismail that
invites us to full-heartedly enter Nadim’s world. At once funny and sweet, gentle and
zany, this anthology may just entice readers young and old to release the poet within.
 PRAISE FOR TAKE OFF YOUR BRAVE
“The poetry of Nadim is poignant, sweet, simple.” —NPR

“He is four years old, has thousands of admirers on Twitter and produces poems
with lines such as: ‘Everyone has love / Even baddies.’” —The Sunday Times (London)

“An enchanting anthology of poems for very young children. . . . Nadim’s poems distill the intense bubbly feelings
and unexpected sideways leaps of a young child’s imagination, while Ismail’s illustrations draw the reader effortlessly into
his colorful, expressive world.” —The Guardian (UK)

NADIM wrote these poems when he was four years old. In addition to writing poetry, he likes building things, learning about history,
finding insects, riding his bicycle, playing with friends, and reading to his sister.
YASMEEN ISMAIL is an award-winning illustrator and animator who loves inks, paints, and watercolors. Her debut picture
book, Time for Bed, Fred!, was a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book , won a V&A Illustration Award,
and was long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She is the author-illustrator of Christmas for Greta and Gracie; the author of Joy,
illustrated by Jenni Desmond; and the illustrator of Nuts! by Lou Peacock. Yasmeen Ismail lives in Bristol, England, with her husband,
their two children, and Betty the cat.