An Imaginary Menagerie

"Classic Roger McGough... Kids love these poems." The Guardian

The poems are very accessible for children to dip into or read as a collection. They are all short in length and the use of rhyme in the poems adds additional excitement. Learn the truth about the Loch Ness Monter; paso doble with the flamingo; find out where you can see a scallop gallop and learn all about the durinanimal in this book. The blurb challengs you to chose your favourite from this witty and wicked menagerie. I don't think I can!

A welcome republication for McGough's classic collection of real and imaginary animal poems, which first delighted readers of all ages more than twenty years ago. Adults who enjoyed these poems as children now have an excuse to revisit and share them with a further generation. McGough revels in the sound of words, puns and word-play generally, and in the incongruity of ideas and behaviour. The twenty-six short animal word portraits layer the surreal, the bizarre and the use of allusion to offer us an immensely engaging and amusing menagerie.

Fun, clever, fun!

'In Roger's menagerie here, you can expect animals that are hybrids of mind-tickling wordplay. In Roger's prankish hands, caterpillar becomes "catopillow" and beware the allivator, that reptile that swallows shoppers at the top of the stairs.'

This new collection lives up to its exuberant title. With quirky drawings by the poet himself, this zany menagerie of imaginary and real breeds, this A-Z of animal poems, is one with a difference - ultimately proof of the everlasting originality of McGough's voice.

Illustrated with his own eccentric drawings. Short, funny and insightful, the poems cover topics from nits and slugs to seagulls and weasels. They are great to dip in and out of and your child is sure to appreciate the richness of the language.

While this kind of humour is sometimes thought of as the province of prepubescent boys, the cleverness with which McGough invests it means that this collection has a wider appeal and could also provide powerful inspiration towards imitation by young readers.