Yapping Away by Joshua Seigal (Bloomsbury)

There are quite a few good poetry books for children available these days and if you’re aged from seven to eleven there is lots of variety. But if you are an infant, there is not so wide a choice. Although many poems for older children might work, they sometimes do not resonate if you’re little. Which is why this delightful book is so welcome. It’s full of fun wordplay, rhymes and humour – nicely illustrated by Sarah Horne – but centred on the sort of things that younger children enjoy and are familiar with. Making the subject matter suitable for under sevens does not mean lowering standards, though. Infants are not sold short here – there’s no reliance on the toilet humour that we’ve seen some poets resort to. The words in this book are carefully crafted, read beautifully and kickstart the imagination. The author’s notes on how he writes and his tips for younger writers are a bonus.

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