Blue Balloons and Rabbit Ears by Hilda Offen

Review by The Mole

This is Offen's first collection of poems although she has had picture and story books published - many of which are still in print and have been award winners.

While this book is packed with very entertaining black and white illustrations (also by Hilda Offen) it's not at the cost of the poems so every page is jam packed but not in a daunting way for the young reader.

As a child one of the most important things a poem had to have for me was laughs, and many in this collection would suit such a child admirably. Others are more serious and try to prompt a bit of imaginative thinking:- Nasturtiums spreading rapidly like an invader - Kale standing tall like a forest to the young child - "Memories" of a past life.

The poems are collected into 4 themed groups of 8 or 9 and this makes the book just 62 packed pages long.

These poems stretch from poems for the very young through to about age 10 with something for everyone. My favourite? "Letter" - very funny.

Publisher - Troika Books
Genre - Children's illustrated poetry

My Life as a Goldfish by Rachel Rooney

Illustrated by Ellie Jenkins

Winner of the CLPE Poetry Prize, this is Rachel Rooney's second collection of children's poetry. There are jokey poems, story poems, some of a single verse and some with 10 or more. Some will make the reader think and some just to make you laugh.

Do you remember those Monday mornings when you tried to convince your mum you were too ill for school. Or the excitement of the museum gift shop? What about that teacher who you could never get away with anything with? They are all captured here in fun filled pages along with many more laughs, thoughts and experiences.

"Magic" is the shape poem that is quoted in the synopsis on the back of the book as well as on several websites although I have to admit that I like the title poem best, which is also 'shape'. It uses essentially just 6 words to convey the life and terrors of being a goldfish.

A really lovely collection of more than 50 poems aimed at the younger reader with added nostalgia for the older reader.

Publisher - Frances Lincoln
Genre -children's poetry

Let's Play edited by Debjani Chatterjee and Brian D'Arcy

Poems about Sports and Games from around the world
Illustrated by Shirin Adl

Review by The Mole

This bright book with it's many lovely illustrations is more about poetry than pictures. And, as the title suggests, they have one thing in common - games. Today we are encouraged to do active sports, but that's not for everyone and this collection covers baseball and football but also running and swimming, chess and scrabble, surfing and skateboarding - even computer games get a mention.

Many poems are describing the aspirations of the game or competition but some are just for fun. The poets selected come from around the world with some older poems from the likes of John Masefield and many ones such as Wes Magee and the editors of the anthology. The poems types vary tremendously from simple rhyme to blank verse, a Haiku and a shape poem. In some cases they are just short sections lifted from longer poems.

There really is poetry for everyone in this collection that is packaged for children but fun for everyone.

In the back is a list of all the sports mentioned and a brief resumé of them.   

A really lovely book that will delight.

Publisher - Frances Lincoln
Genre -children's poetry book

Snail Trail by Jo Saxton

Review by The Mole

Written in rhyme this book follows a snail trail as it winds around modern art - encouraging the reader to look and see and to be creative with any media that comes to hand in their own art. Some pieces may not suit the individual's taste while others are classics loved by all. Aimed at the very young, this book will give much to talk about as the snail passes pictures that are not of him before arriving at the final picture.

Putting that to one side, the rhyming is easy and fun and as early reader material it will be popular for lots of reasons.

The artists and works are not credited on the page - so as to keep the story simple - but a complete list is available at the back which also tells where they can be viewed.

All in all a lovely book for youngsters and parents to share.

Publisher - Frances Lincoln
Genre - Children's poetry, early reader (6+),  poetry, art

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Here Come The Creatures by Wes Magee

Illustrated by Lorna Scobie

Review by The Mole

With more than 100 books of poetry for children and 6 for adults, Wes Magee is clearly an author appreciated by all age groups but adored by children. But what's not to like?

This collection includes 'The Bestest Bear Song' which has become a real classic and one of my all time favourites.

The poems are all just a few verses long with a catchy rhythm and regular rhyme but also a lot have a large injection of humour or nonsense - the way children really love their poetry. Many are observational and mood setting while some tell a story but all having a lot of appeal for younger readers and showing that poetry is totally accessible to them. Aimed at Key Stage One this collection is for the very young reader.

But let's not ignore those  lovely simple illustrations by Lorna Scobie - I know that as a child the illustrations were something that drew me to poetry books and said "read me".

A really fabulous book to be read and shared (with lots of possible actions) or simply read alone (I mean the young ones, but why not you if you can get your hands on it?)

Publisher - Frances Lincoln
Genre - Children's poetry, early reader (5+)

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The Monster Sale by Brian Moses

Review by The Mole

This illustrated book of poems is aimed at the younger reader.

It's difficult with a poetry book to find a lot to say and with a children's collection even more so. Such a collection should be fun, easily readable in language that youngsters can read and it should be laid out in a style that appeals to them to keep them reading and saying "One more and then I'll put the book down". This book does all of that.

The illustrations appear along side of each poem and highlight the funny side of each poem in a cartoon-like way.

The title of the book is also the title of the first poem and as you start to read them you could be forgiven for thinking that all the poems are about monsters. Read on and you will find the subject matter changes with the poems grouped by subject matter. With over 50 poems in the book there is bound to be something to suit every child.

And the child in me hasn't disappeared yet so I found myself enjoying this collection far more than I expected to.

A really nice collection for children of all ages... well 6-11 and 20-110 at least.

Publisher - Frances Lincoln
Genre - Children's Poetry

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Dangerous Cakes by Elspeth Smith

Review by The Mole

Poetry is something I normally steer clear of. The reason? Well, start by reading the preface. It reviews the collection in very highbrow terms making it a very 'intellectual' collection. For me poetry must be enjoyable - not clever and 'intellectual'. Most of the prefaces to such collections actually turn me cold.

However I read the poems before I read the preface - is that wrong?

The poems are most enjoyable to read but this is not a 'fun' collection - no "When daddy fell into the pond" in this book. Most of the poems are short, single verse that feel like they are giving you a small and very private window onto the poet's life.

I won't pretend to understand all the poems as a few lacked context for me. They are mostly reflections on a life that has been filled with both joy and sorrow and contain memories of childhood, early adulthood and later life as well. Somehow I felt we learned far more than the number of words actually told us and that's the best kind of poetry for me.

Publisher - Eyewear Publishing
Genre - Poetry

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Somewhere Deep Inside by Janusz Jarzecki

Review by The Mole

This book is a collection of prose, poems and pictures. Before I say any more let me stress that I am neither a poetry nor an art expert. I know what I like and enjoy and it is frequently at odds with 'experts'.

OK..

This collection is sorted into 8 parts. These divide the works into prose, pictures and the poems into certain themes and this feels a little clinical in what should be a work of 'art'. The prose section evoked many memories of my childhood and did it very graphically. Unfortunately it also seemed to be tainted with regrets throughout. The poems were very much a mixed bunch. I liked many of them and they 'worked' for me; some I didn't understand at all; some lacked context within them to make them mean anything to me. Unfortunately they tended, once again to be tainted with sadness or regret. The pictures... they are the kind that, for me, please the eye now but I wouldn't want them adorning my home - I think the Mona Lisa is a nice picture but not in my home, thank you - does that make sense to you?

On balance I feel I liked this collection but I would have liked more of a balance of emotion as well as an eclectic mix-up.

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Trucilla's Wedding Cake by Corinne V Davies

Illustrated by El Ashfield

Review by The Mole

Trucilla is not a nice person and her brother and sisters are well aware of this. She bullies everyone and after the unexpected deaths of both parents in mysterious circumstances she decides she will steal her sister's boyfriend and get married. But for once will her siblings let her get away with it? And if she doesn't get away with it then will they get away with it? The whole town hopes so.

The story is told entirely in rhyme and although split into chapters the verse continues as one long tale. The story is funny throughout and the book is illustrated with many detailed and entertaining pictures in striking colours. Great fun to read to youngsters and share the pictures with, but early readers will enjoy it for themselves.

After the tale there is an epilogue which consists of a TV style interview with the siblings and the vicar involved in the story. Once again, a funny tale to be shared with a couple of voices perhaps. And finally with confessions from the author and ending with the "Forgiveness Song".

This book is also available in Audio Book format (CD or MP3 download) that is read by Pab Roberts and has additional content in the form of the vicar recording the "Forgiveness Song" - it sounds like it was great fun to make but the epilogue and confessions are not included in the audio version.

All in all it's another great piece of entertainment from this slightly zany pairing.

Publisher - Ral Publications
Genre - Children's 7+

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Stuart The Bug Eating Man by Calvin Innes

Review by The Mole

Stuart is a man who only eats bugs. His family find it revolting and he also spends his days hunting for bugs to eat and so his wife has to go out and earn the family's entire income. One way or another his whole family is affected in a bad way by his obsession. Until... one day...

The story is told as one poem and although 88 pages in length it is laid out with 4 lines to a page and so is very easy reading in simple rhyme. Each page has fun, clear, black and white illustrations which will make it fun to read for the early reader (7+). It also carries an important message that even some weird hobbies and pastimes can be put to good use.

Publisher - My Little Big Town
Genre - Children's early reader (7+), Picture book, Poetry

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The Night Before Christmas

Much loved... but are you surprised?
Review by The Mole

OK, this one is 'cheating' but HEY! who could resist this timeless classic on a day that ends with... The Night Before Christmas?

I first remember this story when I was only a wee toddler being read to we children about a thousand years ago by our mother. She would read it once and it would go away for another year and it came to epitomise Christmas, so when we had our first child we found this book (It was new then and had no tooth marks on it!) and I read it to her. That was over 30 years ago and it still comes out each year for a reading. Being honest though, 14 years ago we had our second only child and we also read it a lot to her although her sister still comes over when we read it again.

Who can resist the power of the those reindeer?

Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

Or the friendliness of the man in red..


He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

Yes, cheating though it may be, I love this book and it is steeped in memories. Truly magnificent and this particular version has beautiful illustrations on each page that manage to totally encapsulate the spirit of the poem.

About a thousand stars for this one!!!

There's A Lion In My Bathroom by Giles Paley-Phillips

Nonsense
Review by The Mole

Poetry is, for me, a funny thing, I know what I like and it has to be entertaining. This book is a collection of Giles's nonsense poems and although they seem to talk to the younger reader there are also plenty in there to appeal to adults too. To describe them as 'nonsense' is not absolutely correct. For example apart from 'why would a lion be using the shower?' the poem makes a of joke of the dilemma this creates in a humorous way. As for other examples... best to read the book perhaps?

There are regular black and white pictures throughout that are well drawn by Matt Dawson and they enjoy a quality of cuteness making the collection of poems that much more enjoyable.

I really did enjoy this collection - those suited to the younger reader as well as those for the more mature reader.

It is also worth noting that a donation from the profits on this book will go to Leukaemia research.

Publisher - Rebel Books Publishing
Genre - Nonsense Poetry - all ages

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A Wartime Poetry Journal By Effie M Roberts

Wartime recollections
Review the Gerry(TheMole)

Written throughout the war by Effie M Roberts, these poems tell of her mood and reactions to events during the war. She reflects on the sadness the war brought, the hardships and the people.

Effie was not a natural poet and much is simple rhyming poetry with the rhyme all too predictable. During the writing of the journal over the course of the war you can see an improvement in her style but still not ending in anything to challenge the poet laureate. But is this important? Arguably not. Today these poems could be considered as part of the 'mass observation' project that was done before, during and after the war although they are not officially part of it. Much of the 'mass observation' project was written with an adult readership in mind, as daily diaries. This can make it very useful for historians but stuffy for the younger reader. Effie's poems, while being simple rhyming poems, are the nature of poem that can appeal to children and with the second world war being very much a curriculum item, then these poems can make a small part of that history more accessible.

TheMole's review - 3 stars

Publisher - Fractal Publishing

Genre - unsure

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