In A Note To Readers, Newbery Award winner Joyce Sidman ( Dark Emperor) pulls us in…”We may no longer believe that words can make crops grow, prevent illness, or keep rivers from flooding.  But we still believe in the power of the words themselves.  Why else would we pray, sing, or write?  Finding phrases to match the emotion inside us still brings an explosive, soaring joy.”  These 29 thoughtful, brief poems bolster courage, encourage something to happen, help us remember, regret, and grieve, as well as celebrate thank or express love.  Chant to Repair a Friendship is a beautiful invitation to reconciliation.  Starting Now rallies us all to act in the face of injustice, and Lament for Teddy honors our regret in thinking we had outgrown our beloved cuddle bear.  We need poetic forms to express our emotions.  Thank you, Joyce Sidman!  Thank you, too, to Caldecott Honor winner, Pamela Zagarenski, whose exquisite illusrations capture the text and symbolism of each poem.