Steps into Poetry: Nonsense and other Verse for Children, by Geoffrey Hoffman

by Geoffrey Hoffman
(Shenley, Herts., just north of London, England U.K.)

The verse in this book is designed to catch the minds of children and spark interest in rhythm and language. They have always preferred rhythm both in words and music to a bald story. Very small children also like nonsense being read to them by an adult; and older children may feel a sense of achievement as they grow to understand and appreciate poems that do not treat them as idiots but come more and more to appeal to their developing minds. In addition, teachers should appreciate a book that encourages children to read poetry, particularly if, like the verse in this book, it starts in simple terms and goes on to become deeper in words and ideas.

One sample, entitled "Crazy Lazy Daisy" -

Crazy Lazy Daisy
And her little sister Maisie
Were feeling rather hazy
About who and what they were.

Were they rabbits with bad habits
Who would only eat Welsh rarebits
And would never leave the spare bits
For the pussy-cats that purr?

Were they pussy-cats themselves?
Were they pixies? Were they elves?
Fairies sitting upon shelves,
Wrapped in robes of velvet fur?

One morning they woke up in bed
And turned a richly ruby red:
They were not what they thought they were,
But something else instead.


Copies may be ordered in America from PublishAmerica (tel. 301-695-1707) or world-wide from www.amazon.com.