Nightmare Jones Poems
Nightmare Jones Poems by Shannon Bramer is a collection of 56 poems published by Groundwood Books on October 7, 2025. This edition features a blend of jaunty and unsettling poetry aimed at middle-grade readers, complemented by the evocative illustrations of artist Cindy Derby. The poems explore themes of magic realism, fairy tales, and folklore, while also delving into contemporary reflections on unusual creatures and human fears.
Readers will find twenty-eight poems that send delightful shivers down the spine, written in various styles and forms. The collection invites exploration of what makes a person scared, sad, or even amused, as Bramer writes with wonder and empathy. The illustrations enhance the experience, bringing to life the strange and witchy wonders that inhabit these works. This poetry book offers a unique perspective on the deep, dark woods within us all, making it a fitting choice for those curious about the paranormal and supernatural.
Official synopsis Publisher
A collection of jaunty and mischievously unsettling poems for middle-grade readers from award-winning poet Shannon Bramer and artist Cindy Derby, who brought us Climbing Shadows (NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Verse Novel, shortlisted for the Rocky Mountain Book Award).
Shannon’s twenty-eight poems in Nightmare Jones send delightful shivers down the spine. Written in a variety of styles and forms, they encompass magic realism and influences from fairy tales, folklore and ghost stories, alongside more contemporary explorations of unusual creatures, misunderstood monsters and commonplace human fears (both ridiculous and sublime!). Cindy Derby’s evocative line and watercolor illustrations inhabit these weird and wonderful works with her characteristic flair for the strange and witchy wonders of the world.
In these poems what makes a person scared might also make them sad, or even make them laugh, as Bramer writes from a place of wonder, empathy, curiosity and reverence for the deep dark woods we all have inside us. If you’ve ever wanted to spend some time in a witch’s garden or wondered what spiders do with our worries, this is the poetry book for you!
Key Text Features
dialogue
epigraph
illustrations
poems
recipes
table of contents
vignettes
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone
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