Blue Jelly and Strawberries
Attie Lime, illustrated by Kate Sheppard
Otter-Barry Books

Brimming over with playful notions is this debut collection of poems by Attie Lime, with black and white illustrations by Kate Sheppard.

Herein you’ll find whimsical wonderings (What can you carry in your hat?) and thought provoking possibilities – What might your magic bean grow? and What would you do if you were spring? – ‘hang jellybeans from all the trees’ like the author maybe, curious questions (do triceratops wear pyjamas?) and nonsensical wordplays – ‘im am oo / sploosha whoosha / flim flam floo!’

All of these and many others powerfully convey the message that language is fun. Nevertheless my very favourite poem is I Love Books – a straightforward tribute to the vast variety of books and by implication what might be found within.

I also love The Pancake of Positivity the first two verses of which go thus:
‘My pancake is a CANcake / full of positivity / bursting full of yes-es / so sweet and syrupy. // My pancake is a problem-solver / helpful, kind (and sticky) / it finds a way to save the day / when life gets really tricky.’

There are concrete poems of the curious kind as well as an acrostic and several quatrains. All this adds up to a book with something , make that many somethings, to please young readers and listeners; if you are a KS1 teacher definitely share this with your class; if you’re a parent who wants your child to discover the joys of poetry then get them a copy.