Outside, Inside Poems

Reach for this book when your child is starting to retreat into their own inner world or showing signs of self-consciousness about their physical body and abilities. It is a gentle bridge between the 'outside' world of sports, family meals, and physical growth, and the 'inside' world of private thoughts and developing identity. Through free-verse poetry, Arnold Adoff validates the complex internal life of a child navigating middle childhood. This collection is ideal for children aged 6 to 10 who are transitioning from the external play of early childhood to the reflective, often quiet observation of the pre-teen years. Parents will appreciate how it celebrates the ordinary moments of growing up, from the dirt on a baseball diamond to the warmth of a kitchen, making the process of 'becoming' feel both safe and exciting.