You Just Wait, a Poetry Friday Power Book for tweens and teens, features 12 PowerPack sets that combine: 1) a diverse outside poem from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School; 2) a new original response poem and mentor text by Janet Wong; 3) a PowerPlay prewriting activity; and 4) a Power2You writing prompt.

PowerPacks = a fun and inspiring approach for a wide variety of readers and writers!

The twelve poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School (an NCTE Poetry Notable) were written by Robyn Hood Black, Joseph Bruchac, Jen Bryant, Margarita Engle, Julie Larios, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, Charles Ghigna, Avis Harley, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Charles Waters, and Virginia Euwer Wolff.

The way they are joined together here with twenty-four new poems by Janet Wong, they form a story featuring Paz, an Asian-Latina soccer player with dreams of stardom in college, the Olympics, and ultimately the World Cup; Lucesita, her feisty movie-loving cousin; and Joe, an older brother with dreams of the NBA.

Sylvia Vardell’s inventive PowerPlay activities make it easy for writers to get inspired, while her Power2You writing prompts extend learning. Vardell also created extensive back matter resources for readers and writers.

AWARDS AND HONORS

2017 NCTE Poetry Notable

REVIEWS

“You Just Wait is a must-have resource for middle-school teachers, the perfect invitation for teens to explore text-to-self connections through poetry. Comprehensive tools for implementation accompany excellent Poetry Friday selections, and Janet Wong’s brilliant connective tissue provides wonderful mentor pieces.”  —David Bowles, Pura Belpré Honor-winning author of The Smoking Mirror

“Great spirit! Great fun! Let’s write!” —Pat Mora, Author of Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love; Founder of Día: Children’s Day, Book Day / El día de los niños, El día de los libros

“Every poem tells a story. Every page invites connection. Young readers will find their fingers itching to respond to these verses and to add their own poems and stories.”  —Carol Jago, Longtime English teacher & Past President of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)