Dragon Cat

Pie Corbett’s Dragon Cat brings together more than fifty poems, a mix of new work and pieces previously published. Aimed at readers aged eight to ten, it is a varied collection that explores what poetry can do through a wide range of forms and subjects.

Corbett experiments across the anthology: there are list poems, compound poems, and poems inspired by paintings and well-known writers. A one-word poem and even a silent poem extend the collection’s sense of play and curiosity about language. Many of the pieces are written to be read aloud, with clear rhythms and repetitions that make them accessible for children and teachers alike. The result is a collection that feels both useful for the classroom and enjoyable for individual reading.

The tone across the book moves between the everyday and the imaginative. Animals, nature and small moments of observation sit alongside more fantastical ideas. Corbett often encourages a different way of looking at the world. In ‘A Simple Request’ he writes, ‘notice now, how even the mundane / becomes memorable / when seen afresh.’ It is this quiet invitation to pay attention and notice all around you, in words and in the world that runs throughout the collection.

Tom Morgan-Jones’s black-and-white illustrations, drawn in dip pen and varying in style, provide a visual link through the book. His expressive line work adds humour and energy without overwhelming the poems and there is a balanced and considered partnership between the poems and the illustrations.

The Dragon Cat is a careful and diverse collection that shows Corbett’s long experience of writing and teaching poetry. It offers a practical and sometimes playful approach to the craft of writing. For readers, it provides a steady introduction to poetic form and language; for teachers, it is a resource that encourages children to experiment with words and ideas for themselves.