It’s here; after a month of writing, editing, re-writing, and running poems-in-the-making past my family, my latest collection is finally out! Jaws and Claws and Things with Wings is a collection of animal-inspired poems for children, illustrated by Matt Robertson. (I had one month to write and deliver this one, making it the fastest book I’ve ever written!)
Publishers Collins Educational said about the collection,
Imaginative, clever and often humorous, this beautifully illustrated poetry collection…is inspired by the strange and wonderful creatures of the natural world.
Jaws and Claws (I’m taking the liberty of shortening the title for the rest of this post!) is part of their Collins Big Cat series, a range of fiction and non-fiction books designed to help primary school children develop their reading skills.
You can find out more about Collins Big Cat at their website.
Just to give you a taste of what’s under the covers of Jaws and Claws, I’m including a taster poem from the collection below. (This is one of my grown-up daughter’s favourites; imagine her singing it in delighted, child-like tones!)
The Mouse’s Song
If there is a mouse you are longing to please
Give him cheese, give him cheese,
If you want to put a small mouse at his ease,
Give him cheese, give him cheese,
Don’t hug him, don’t kiss him, don’t give him a squeeze,
Don’t tickle his nose it will just make him sneeze,
Don’t feed him on parsnips, or porridge, or peas,
Give him cheese, give him cheese, give him cheese!
Jaws and Claws and Things with Wings is available from bookshops and online booksellers such as Amazon or Waterstones, or direct from Collins.
If you’ve been bought a copy, been given one as a gift, or used it with your class, let me know what you thought!
-Val
Valerie Bloom 