The Ring of Words Book

As with Bugs Bunny and the Simpsons, children will love the poems in The Ring of Words: An Anthology of Poetry for Children, but adults will truly savour them. McGough covers all the pertinent subjects of childhood: fear (of falling through slats in bridges, of being bullied, of everything), playgrounds, dunces, homework, snowballs, ghosts and going to bed, to name but a few. And, in poems such as Jo Shapcott's "Cat in the Tumble Drier" the not so pertinent as well: I start to beg and fur hot and frizzy and head's gone sizzle dizzy and you're there through the glass and more hankies whizz past and Oh Oh Oh the drier starts to slow my fur starts to spark and the pillow-cases bark and the nightdress winks and the clean wash sinks to a stop Here you will find your favourite classics (Blake's "The Tyger", Keats' "Ozymandias", Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky"),along with soon-to-be favourites like Pauline Clarke's "My Name is...": My name is Sluggery-wuggery My name is Worms-for-tea My name is Swallow-the-table-leg My name is Drink-the-Sea. My name is I-eat-saucepans My name is I-like-snails My name is Grand-piano-George My name is I-ride-whales. My name is Jump-the-chimney My name is Bite-my-knee My name is Jiggery-pokery And Riddle-me-ree, and ME. This is a collection for every child (and adult) who has ever been afraid, sleepless, full of questions, full of life.Read More