Here's a Little Poem

Anyone who observes young children for any length of time will soon discover how completely they become absorbed in the detail of the here and now – what Margaret Donaldson calls the point mode. Many of the 60-odd poems selected here capture and reflect this intensity and delighted absorption in simple direct experiences such as making a mud cake, getting dry after a bath, watching a bee, eating an ice-cream or stargazing. The poets chosen are from both sides of the Atlantic and include Gareth Owen, Wendy Cope, Tony Mitton, Michael Rosen, Norma Farber, Aileen Fisher and Langston Hughes. All use a child’s voice or speak directly to the child. The compilers, who have also included examples of their own work, have structured their selections to allow readers to journey through a child’s day taking in some significant people along the way.

The collection has inspired Polly Dunbar to showcase her talents and her mixed media illustrations have that blend of humour, movement, observation, detail and that special something found in the works of Briggs, Blake and Burningham, that touches and delights both children and adults.

Altogether a truly five-star anthology: this is a must have book for all who want to foster young children’s love of language and art.