Michael Rosen (text) & Babette Cole (illustrations)
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
A little interlude from Children’s Book Week as today is also National Poetry Day!
I have to admit I am not usually one for reading a lot of` poetry but when this came through the post I got quite excited! Rosen and Cole? What a team! Michael Rosen’s wonderfully funny text works hand in hand with Babette Cole’s zany, colourful illustrations. I have always loved Babette Cole’s work; she manages to create artwork which is child-friendly and yet will appeal to grown-ups in a comic style sort of way. It is beautifully wacky and fun. The anthology includes some classic favourites as well as some brand new poems.
Here is my favourite (unsurprisingly!):
This is exactly the kind of book needed as an introduction to poetry; Michael Rosen knows how to make poetry accessible, relevant and fun to children. With an anthology like this, there is no way children will think poetry is boring or old-fashioned.
The book comes with an audio CD of the poems read by Michael Rosen himself. What more can you want?
Many thanks to Bloomsbury for providing a review copy of “Even My Ears Are Smiling”.
Text Ó Michael Rosen, illustrations Ó Babette Cole
Fabulous! Think this one might be going onto my list for Milo’s upcoming birthday. I’m not a big reader of adult poetry but LOVE poetry for kids and always did as a child. My Dad’s Thumb by Michael Rosen has had Milo in hysterics for ages now 🙂
The illustrations in this one does enhane the giggle factor. It is great fun!