Red Sky at Night, Poet’s Delight

Alex Wharton’s third poetry collection contains many everyday moments that young readers will recognise.

From hoping for snow, to being all cosy in the family car, to listening to the birds scratch-scratching on the roof. There are also fun personification poems, where he imagines he’s a slug or an ant or, most impressively, an oak tree.

There are thoughtful poems, and funny poems, and the Welsh dragon poem – and its accompanying illustration by Ian Morris – is full of joy. 

This is a slim volume, but it contains much to explore. The final poem is a meditation on the passing of time, told from the point of view of an oak tree. The focus on nature is a common theme throughout the collection, and here the tree feels connected to all the wildlife around it, including humans. It would be a wonderful poem to read aloud.

Alex Wharton is Children’s Laureate Wales 2023-25 and this book rings with his delight in the Welsh countryside.