And I Hear Dragons
illustrated by Eric Heyman
edited by Hanan Issa
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+
Published by Firefly Press, 2024
About this book
From dragons in pockets and gardens to dragons soaring through the skies of Wales, this is a joyous collection of poems about the mythical creature on the Welsh flag.
There are dragons from history, modern dragons, and dragons disguised as the Welsh landscape. 26 Welsh poets have created their vision of a dragon – some real, many metaphorical – and the result is an anthology pulsating with passion and pride.
Curated by the National Poet of Wales Hasan Issa, and including poems from the Wales Children’s Laureate 2023-25 Alex Wharton and previous Laureate Casi Wyn, the variety of voices goes some way to reflecting Wales’ diverse population.
The Welsh tradition of ‘croesawgar’, or ‘welcoming’, is an inspiring context to the collection, as every reader is urged to find the dragon inside themselves and to feel that they belong.
For those in Wales, it is also published in a bilingual English/Welsh edition. But this collection would be enjoyed by children across the UK, for its humour, its wordplay, and its imagination.
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Lists of recommended reads
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