Most Popular Books by Colin West

A fantastic collection of children’s poetry which will appeal to fan’s of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and the silly verse of Spike Milligan Colin West’s new collection, Bonkers Ballads, contains a host of funny poems and accompanying colour illustrations sure to tickle your ribs and make you chuckle. Amongst the crazy characters are a seasick mermaid, an out-of-tune minstrel and a natty knight whose only concern is keeping his armour extra bright. And there is a mischivous fairy who loves practical jokes, a king with toothache and a very, very clever pig. Also included are a crafty witch, a feisty female pirate and a poor peasant who fashions himself a pair of fantastic boots which bring him fame and fortune. There’s even a pair of star-crossed lovers of Bingo, a wandering bear, a tabby cat who wears a hat and a whole bunch more in this fabulous book! Colin West’s fun poems are strong in rhyme and rhythm. There is not only magic and mayhem in these ballads, but great charm and warmth to balance the gruesome ends which some of the characters suffer. Colin has combined his love of history and poetry to create a memorable collection jam packed with fun to cause maximum merriment. The pages of Bonkers Ballads are embellished with over a hundred of his own witty illustrations. Colin’s poems have been widely anthologised in both Britain and America. Ken Nesbitt, the former U.S. Children’s Laureate has hailed Colin West ‘a master of the art of humorous poetry for children’. Poet Wendy Cope has said ‘Colin West has a considerable talent as a writer and an illustrator’. If you read this new collection you are likely to agree.

Relates the humorous adventures of Monty, a very clumsy dog.

The Funniest Stuff contains over fifty funny poems with equally amusing illustrations created by Colin West. They cover an array of different subjects in a range of various verse forms, strong in rhyme and wordplay. There are crazy creatures like the Snoope and the Lolloping Lollop. There are eccentric characters like Uncle Norman, a traffic warden who likes to keep on his uniform, (even in bed), and Aunt Priscilla, who wrestles a wild gorilla. There are insights into the poet’s world, where Colin eschews personal questions in ‘Don’t Ask Me About Myself’, and gives vent to his feelings about airy-fairy writers in ‘O How I Hate the Poet!’ Black humour is in evidence in short pieces, such as the nature-loving Henrietta and the longer rollicking ballad, Fritz, who liked to frolic in the foothills but whose dreams were sadly crushed. There is even a pastiche of the early Victorian cautionary tale in ‘Belated Bertie’, about a boy who liked to play practical jokes. There is pure nonsense in ‘Under My Uncle’s Umbrella’ and a nod to concrete poetry in ‘I Used To Climb Up Lamp-posts, Sir’. The Funniest Stuff is brimming with humour, wit and charm and is sure to find your funny-bone and give it a good tickle! It will appeal to children aged 8-12.

A small frog must hop on bigger and bigger animals to be heard by the giraffe.

As an elephant is joined by others, one at a time, the reader may count from one to ten.

Various animals look for the cunning crocodile, not realizing he is right under their noses.

Starting with ten little crocodiles clustered around a table, the reader counts down from ten to one as a crocodile is taken away in each picture.

A great big bullfrog realizes he is not so big compared to most of the other animals he meets.

All the animals expected the toucan to spread the word of the elephant''s birthday, but the toucan was the last to know and the last to join the jamboree.

Every morning, Katy''s dad puts on his suit of armour and picks up his armour-plated lunch box. Then he sets off for the castle, where he works. Every evening, when he comes home, he tells Katy about his day, fighting dragons and saving princesses. It sounds so exciting that Katy wishes she could fight dragons too. So one day she follows her dad to the castle and gets a big surprise: he doesn''t fight dragons, he does the washing up in the castle kitchen But on the way home, the two have a thrilling adventure that brings the story to a very satisfying conclusion.

Unable to find a dentist for the king''s toothache, Nurse Mary tries a baker, a town crier, and a sailor before the poor man gets relilef.

A woman gives her love a series of animals, from tabby cat to talking crow, all of whom show up at her wedding dressed in the fine things her love has made for them.

In the first of these two stories, Moose picks up some fallen apples in the garden before making a nice lunch for Mouse. Unfortunately, he leaves both the bags on Mouse''s doorstep! In the second story, Moose and Mouse decide to go camping. But, as it is so dark, do they know where to pitch their tent?

The lobster is having a fine time frightening the other fish into believing that a big, hungry shark is about to eat them! He''s having so much fun in fact he doesn''t notice that a shark is following him. And this big, hungry shark isn''t joking.

Bumblebee buzzes around bothering everyone until he comes to a gentle butterfly who understands that the busy bee is looking for someone to be his friend.

This is one of five rib-tickling, jungle tales by a master of comedy for children. It tells of a cheeky monkey causing mischief in the jungle.