Dictionary for a Better World

How can we make the world a better place?

This inspiring resource for middle-grade readers is organized as a dictionary; each entry presents a word related to creating a better world, such as ally, empathy, or respect. For each word, there is a poem, a quote from an inspiring person, a personal anecdote from the authors, and a "try it" prompt for an activity.

This second poetic collaboration from Irene Latham and Charles Waters builds upon themes of diversity and inclusiveness from their previous book Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship. Illustrations from Iranian-British artist Mehrdokht Amini offer readers a rich visual experience.

"Latham and Waters's personal stories are plainspoken and relatable . . . and the suggested actions, accessible. . . The approach creates multiple pathways for engagement. Extensive supplementary materials include an index of poetic forms."—starred, Publishers Weekly

“"This poetry collection is devoted to life-affirming qualities. Two-page spreads, organized in alphabetical order from acceptance to zest, address positive attributes, aspects of mindfulness and gratitude, acts of kindness and encouragement, and exhortations for inclusion, empathy, and respect. The coauthors take turns providing a personal anecdote for each term, a 'Try It!' scenario (stop and think how another person might feel, problem solve in a different way, investigate a new idea, etc.), and an original poem. These 50 poems take various formats, running from the readily recognizable (acrostic, ode) to the more obscure (villanelle, tricube). Inspirational quotes pop up on every other page, and vivid graphics, featuring torn-paper collage, photographs, and acrylic digital paintings, complement the various fonts that wind across the busy pages. The anticipated audience is children in the upper-elementary grades and middle school. However, any reader who is preparing a presentation or leading a discussion on social behavior, character education, self-actualization, or making a difference will find a trove of accessible and appealing material within these colorful, cheerful pages."--Booklist”

"Creates multiple pathways for engagement."—starred, Publishers Weekly

Irene Latham is the author of more than a dozen current and forthcoming works of poetry, fiction, and picture books. Her work includes Charlotte Huck Honor Book and ALA Notable Children's Book Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship (co-written with Charles Waters) and the Caldecott Honor Book The Cat Man of Aleppo(co-written by Karim Shamsi-Basha). In 2016 she won the ILA Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award. Visit her at Charles Waters is a children's poet, author, anthologist and actor based in Georgia. His book Mascot (co-written with Traci Sorell) has received an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor and a Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor. His other books (co-written with Irene Latham) include: African Town (winner of the 2023 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction), Dictionary For A Better World: Poems, Quotes and Anecdotes from A—Z, Be A Bridge, and the Charlotte Huck Honor book Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship. You can visit him at: Mehrdokht Amini is an Iranian-born children's book illustrator. She has been nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal and been invited to participate in the prestigious Bratislava Biennial of Illustrations. She lives in the UK.

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