Some of the most celebrated children's books rely on clever rhyme and repetition to push forward the story at a jaunty pace, and to make those stories stick in the mind long after the book is closed. Think of just about any early years stunner (such as "We're going on a bear hunt" or "The Gruffalo") and you can bet that there's an element of lyricism or rhyme to it, without a doubt.
So it's fantastic to see two brilliant new poetry compilation from Otter-Barry books, combining fantastic rhymes and prose with animal themes and diverse subjects that younger children are sure to love.
First up is "Where Zebras Go" compiled and created by Sue Hardy-Dawson.
Get ready to join in the Poetry Olympics, question a snake, talk to a toad and learn 20 ways to avoid monsters and mythical beasts.
"Where Zebras Go" will lead you on a magical journey across the savannah, into fairytale realms, back into the playground and through the seasons, introducing a whole host of animals along the way.
This is a diverse and exciting debut collection by a poet who performs regularly in schools across the country, and in fact it's the sort of poetry book that would be perfect for stimulating brilliant classroom discussions and activities based around children's favourite wild animals.
"Where Zebras Go" by Sue Hardy-Dawson is released on 2nd February 2017, published by Otter-Barry.
There's also "How to be a Tiger" by Hungarian poet George Szirtes. George has compiled a fabulous set of poems covering subjects as diverse as burping princesses, leaping hares, silly monkeys and a bathroom bear.
A fantastic new collection for younger children from a prize-winning poet, these poems are perfect for curious young minds, ready for adventures and again would make a fantastic jump-off point for awesome classroom activities.
"How to be a Tiger" by George Szirtes is also released on 2nd February 2017, published by Otter-Barry.
Pick up a perfect page-turning poetry collection today!
(Both books kindly supplied for review)