How To Be a Tiger
by George Szirtes, illustrated by Tim Archbold
Interest age: 4 to 8
Reading age: 5+
Published by Otter-Barry, 2017
About this book
How To Be a Tiger is the first collection for younger children by George Szirtes - and it's a treat.
For a superb but Very Serious adult poet, Szirtes' book strikes just the right tone for kids. It is packed with poems that ring and sing and fling off the page.
Szirtes lures young readers into his rhythmical world by sticking firmly to their own likes and interests: there are poems about parks and rain and school and pasta. There are very silly poems about bow-legged meercats. There are a few fairy tale favourites. Some shape poems twist around the page, like the one about the wind - 'Whoosh! See / these words blow / across the page'. Finally, there are poems that seem very simple but contain big emotional truths.
Not only does this collection make you laugh, think and wince, but it will help young ones understand the different ways you can capture a moment forever with words.
More books like this
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Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots
by Michael Rosen, illustrated by David Tazzyman
4 to 14 years
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A First Book of Bugs
by Simon Mole, illustrated by Adam Ming
4 to 9 years
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A First Book of Dinosaurs
by Simon Mole, illustrated by Matt Hunt
4 to 9 years
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Michael Rosen’s Book of Very Silly Poems
by Michael Rosen
4 to 14 years
Lists of recommended reads
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Our favourite poetry books (younger children)
From re-invented fairy tales to classics from Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, here are some poetry books your child is sure to love and want to read out loud.