An Imaginary Menagerie

Description

A new edition of the classic Roger McGough collection of animal verse, with the author's own illustrationsEver see
an anaconda
drive through town
on a brand new Honda?
Don't ask him
for a ride.
You might end up
inside. From the Allivator to the Zonk, here are seventy-two gloriously witty poems that young readers will love and return to again and again.
Real and imaginary animals, from newts with flutes to boisterous baboons in hot-air balloons, crowd Roger McGough's celebrated collection, now in a new edition for a new generation.
Rich in invention, wordplay, and humor, with Roger's own delightful, quirky illustrations. "Classic Roger McGough . . . kids love these poems" Guardian "A funny and exciting read, it is sure to have both adults and children laughing alike" Lovereading4kids Roger McGough is Britain's most famous and best-loved poet. Called 'the patron saint of poetry' by the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Roger is the author of over 50 books books for children and adults. He was born in Liverpool, and originally rose to fame as a member of The Scaffold, the pop music/poetry group whose most famous song was 'Lily the Pink'. Roger's picture book, Crocodile Tears, illustrated by Greg McLeod, is also published by Otter-Barry Books. He performs his poetry and music shows in venues across the UK. Roger lives in Barnes, SW London. Aunt-Eater Aunt-eater, aunt-eater
Where have you been?
Aunt Liz took you walkies
And hasn’t been seen
Nor has Aunt Mary
Aunt Lil or Aunt Di
Aunt-eater, aunt-eater
Why the gleam in your eye?
Bookworms Bookworms are the cleverest
of all the worms I know
While others meet their fate
on a fisherman’s hook as bait
or churn out silk, chew up soil
or simply burn and glow
They make their homes in libraries
eating words to make them grow
In long-forgotten classics
latin tracts and dusty tomes
snug as bugs they hunker down
and set up family homes
Vegetarians mainly
they are careful what they eat
avoiding names of animals
or references to meat
They live to ripe old ages
and when its time to wend
they slip between the pages
curl up and eat ‘The End’.

Line drawings throughout

Additional information