White Wild Indigo
A lyrical reminder to stop and smell the roses, Jet Widick’s White Wild Indigo is a charming collection of poetry.
A whimsical celebration of life’s simple pleasures, Jet Widick’s White Wild Indigo is a free-spirited collection of poetry for all ages, sharing the joy and wonder found in nature, family, friendships, and within each of us, every day.
In this compilation of thirty poems, themes and topics focus on appreciating the beauty and potential that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Motivational and reflective or fun and fanciful, each piece offers insight into enjoying life to the fullest, whether pausing to feel the sun and wind on your face, being grateful for the kindness and love of a good friend, or contemplating the memories and traditions that form our roots.
Colorful artwork from illustrator Annie Moor complements the cheerful tone beautifully, with a rainbow of natural hues and bright, peaceful scenes filled with smiling faces. The hand lettering, with various fonts, sizes, and emphases, provides an additional layer of energy and emotion to the already dynamic text.
Alternating rhymes, rhyming couplets, internal rhymes, half rhymes, and free verse all blend together in a delightful mix of read-aloud-friendly poems: “I love you all day and everyday / June to the moon and back ’til May / 24-7-365 / positive love vibes / happy to be alive.” Numbers, letters, and creative wordplay stand out in the visually engaging verses, which range in length from a compact four lines to around a dozen.
Topics cover a wide variety of interests suitable for any age. Children will learn the benefits of clean drinking water and eating healthy in “Water” and “Fruit Is Your Direct Drive,” or imagine different license plate acronyms in “SLF-DSC.” Teenagers will appreciate the encouraging and inspirational messages of strength and individuality in “Artistic Scientist,” “Google Your Brain,” and “Iron Girl,” and adults will recognize the simple joys of sharing a cup of coffee and connecting with old and new friends in “Life Is An Edible Adventure,” “Ketchup, Catch Up!” and “Breakfast Foods.”
Many poems combine simple and complex ideas with a lively, playful flow, as in “Glisteny Listeny” and “Down To Earth,” with its straightforward message of common sense wrapped in rhythmic but rambling lines: “I will think it through with slight hesitation / Instead of jumping in, / I’ll use pragmatic concentration.” Younger children may need clarification or explanations to fully grasp the nuances, or even the more challenging vocabulary like “tangential,” but for every abstract concept there is a clear-cut “Get loose and off your caboose,” reminding children and adults alike to turn off the television in “Don’t Forget to Go Outside.”
A lyrical reminder to stop and smell the roses, Jet Widick’s White Wild Indigo is a charming collection of poetry and artwork suitable for boys and girls, young or old.
Reviewed by
Pallas Gates McCorquodale
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
