A Whale Of A Time is a weighty yet witty tome of poetry aimed at younger children. Editor Lou Peacock has selected the contents brilliantly for readers who may be encountering poetry for the first time. The volume follows on from other popular titles in the clothbound series. As funny books for children are sometimes overlooked by adult readers, this title might have been a challenge to put together, yet, if anything, it shows the value of humour in introducing younger readers to different poetic forms.
As with the previous volumes in the series, A Whale Of A Time sets out to offer readers a poem a day. However, this is also a great selection to dip into with readers choosing at random. With work from contemporary talent such as Joseph Coelho, A.F Harold and Joshua Seigal as well as classics from poets such as Causley, Frajeon and Louis Stevenson, it is hard to go wrong. It is a brilliant volume to share – children will be enticed in the more their adult readers play along with the humour and offer a a genuine laugh.
Popular subjects among the poetry include animals, food, moods and other-worldly beings such as aliens or giants. What makes some of the work so great is that, behind the humour, it takes very seriously the emotions and experiences of a small child. The infamous ‘nobody likes me, everybody hates me’ is a prime example. It may be funny – after all, those words are followed by ‘think I’m gonna eat worms’ – but it shows exactly how a small child trying to express emotions might lie, exaggerate, play, stomp, shout and vocalise every random thought. Perhaps what makes this volume so great, as well as the giggles, is that humour can make children feel seen and recognised.
Every double-page spread is illustrated – some have smaller illustrations and plenty of white space while others simply have a poem or two printed over a large, colourful image. The characters are full of life, human and non-human, and in many cases the illustrations are enough to bring laughter in themselves. Small children meet with enormous cakes, dragons breathe flames in play parks, and everyday situations turn to chaos. This adds extra flick ability to the book – that is to say, it is impossible to look at only one page rather than flicking through to see more.
This is a must for any library, classroom or home bookshelf. It would make a wonderful gift for anyone who likes a giggle or who enjoys mischief, or for anyone who likes to cuddle up and read a good book. The format is as beautiful as ever and the quality of the work superlative. It is a pleasure to see children’s poetry celebrated and shared in this way.
- A Whale Of A Time – A Funny Poem For Every Day Of The Year by Lou Peacock and Matt Hunt is available now from Nosy Crow Ltd. RRP. £25.00 (Provided for review)
