Inside Out: Childrens Poets Discuss their Work

24 poets from around the English-speaking world provide a commentary on their work, their methods and sources of inspiration - a fascinating and immensely useful project.

In compiling this annotated anthology Lawson stresses that poetry is always surprising – as often to the writer as the reader, and that nothing works for everyone, and also suggests poetry should always be read aloud.

Poets well-known to British readers, like Carol Ann Duffy or Michael Rosen, are interspersed with some names, such as Margaret Mahy, who are relatively unknown beyond their homelands.

What distinguishes them all is the quality of their writing, both poetry and commentary.