Gecko Press ISBN 9781776572816 £11.99
This is a new gift edition of a selection of poems from James K Baxter’s The Tree House and Other Poems that was first published in 1974. Baxter was a primary school teacher and the poems cover topics which young children will find familiar such as being out in the rain, on a swing, in a treehouse or watching a snowman “dribble and squelch and melt away”. There are also poems about fantasy beings such as Jack Frost, the King of Sweden, and Spring-Heeled Jack. Other subjects include The Skindiver which tells a story with good use of rhyme and humour and The Growly Bear which is about a mysterious bear who lives in the cupboard under the stairs. Eel Fishing recreates the excitement of two boys in the river, while The Old Owl is a monologue where the bird urges children to pack their toys and get ready for bed. My favourite is The Seagull which describes what the bird sees as he flies around. It could inspire children to write additional verses or imagine how other creatures see the world. Baxter’s poems read well aloud and cover a range of writing forms, and moods. There is much fun and plenty to reflect on. The beautiful illustrations repay close study. A very useful anthology for the KS1 classroom.
Brenda Marshall
