Batty Ballads is a crazy collection of funny story-poems with many full colour illustrations by Colin West himself. The characters you can meet include Freda, a flat-footed fairy, a dirty cowboy called Bert, King Neptunes’s naughty nephew and young Gordon Glass, the boy who ignored notices. There are a host of animal characters too, such as a sea-faring cat who tells of fantastic adventures, a pig called Sam who isn’t very good at going to market, and a collection of creatures who help to make a truly incredible (and rather inedible) cake. You’ll also meet some colourful dinosaurs as you’ve never seen before, a pair of turnips who visit London, a ginger wig which undergoes various uses, and (if you are more observant than Fergus McPherson) you may even catch sight of the Loch Ness Monster. All the poems are strong in rhyme and rhythm and are complemented by the author’s hilarious illustrations. Colin West’s verses have been anthologised by the likes of Julia Donaldson and Roger Mcgough, and all lovers of nonsense will relish the clever wordplay and humour in every line. The book’s ninety plus pages are full to brimming with wit and charm. So sit back and enjoy the fun!
