The Poetry World of John Agard, illustrated by Shirley Hottier (Otter-Barry Books)

This hardback collection gives us poems selected from every book by a children’s poetry legend.  From his first I Din Do Nuttin published in 1983 to his seventh Come Back to Me My Boomerang in 2001. John came to Britain in his 20s in 1977 with his poet wife Grace Nichols and their daughter Lesley. His childhood memories of Guyana in the South American Caribbean, inform the poems. They are serious and playful in turns. And if you’ve heard John performing you’ll hear his distinctive voice as you read. If you don’t know John’s work this would be a wonderful place to start.