Loading Search

• Buy this Book
• Book Creators
• Related Blog Posts
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

"Come to the Elephant Delicatessen./ Sample the delicate elephant treats." Lyrical poems about epicurean elephants, puzzled peas, and "freak cat-fleas" pepper Tripoli-born poet Tony Mitton's whimsical poetry collection, illustrated by Mary GrandPr�, best known for her artwork in the U.S. editions of the Harry Potter series. Mitton anthropomorphizes objects from plums ("Don't be so glum, plum"... More

"Come to the Elephant Delicatessen./ Sample the delicate elephant treats." Lyrical poems about epicurean elephants, puzzled peas, and "freak cat-fleas" pepper Tripoli-born poet Tony Mitton's whimsical poetry collection, illustrated by Mary GrandPr�, best known for her artwork in the U.S. editions of the Harry Potter series. Mitton anthropomorphizes objects from plums ("Don't be so glum, plum") to bubbles ("I am only/ a bubble,/ the ghost of a ball./ If I'm caught/ then I'm naught,/ I am nothing at all"). He also enjoys telling stories with his poetry, including the over-the-top, nine-page-long "Mrs. Bhattacharya's Chapati Zap Machine" about a complex chapati-making mechanism with a mind of its own, and "The Histon Boulder" about Moses Carter's stone in England. Many of the poems have a distinctly British feel, such as "Green Man Lane" and "Mrs. Rummage's Muddle-Up Shop" where readers will find the terms "loo-rolls," "button tin," and "plastic mac," all defined in the author's notes in the back. GrandPr�'s inventive interpretations swoop and swirl with bold, somewhat geometrical, larger-than-life imagery of serpents, giants, and scary tree roots to dizzying effect. (Ages 5 to 9) --Karin Snelson

You must be a member of JacketFlap to add a video to this page. Please Log In or Register.