What do you think?
Rate this book
We Animals Would Like a Word with You
This is a humorous and facetious look at the human condition through poetry written as though by animals.
- GenresPoetry
64 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 1996
6 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
John Agard
115 books37 followersJohn Agard was born in Guyana and emigrated to Britain in 1977. He has worked as an actor and a performer with a jazz group and spent several years as a lecturer for the Commonwealth Institute, travelling all over Britain giving talks, performances and workshops. He has visited literally thousands of schools and enjoys the live contact and the joy of children responding although it can be hard work.
John Agard started writing poems when he was about 16 - some of these early efforts were published in his school magazine. Many of his poems now are composed while looking out of train windows.
"Try the best with what you have right now
If you don't have horse, then ride cow."
It is in his poetry that John Agard makes his greatest contribution to children's literature. Like the best authors, he brings something unique to children's experience - a view of the world tempered by his own childhood, a feeling for the rhythms and cadences of its language, and a sophisticated understanding of the advantages and limitations of several forms of English. That he can make the "standard" forms work superbly is evident from many of his poems for adults. For children, with whom he communicates more directly, the lyrical Guyanese forms serve his purposes to perfection.
Agard is not a literary poet but also a performing poet and has a strong sense of his audience. When he writes for children, he seems to see them sitting at his feet. He is more interested in the ideas and words he is delivering to them than in the creation of complex fictional characters with whom his readers might engage. He lives in Sussex and is married to Grace Nichols, a respected Caribbean poet and co-author of a collection of Caribbean nursery rhymes, NO HICKORY, NO DICKORY, NO DOCK.
John Agard started writing poems when he was about 16 - some of these early efforts were published in his school magazine. Many of his poems now are composed while looking out of train windows.
"Try the best with what you have right now
If you don't have horse, then ride cow."
It is in his poetry that John Agard makes his greatest contribution to children's literature. Like the best authors, he brings something unique to children's experience - a view of the world tempered by his own childhood, a feeling for the rhythms and cadences of its language, and a sophisticated understanding of the advantages and limitations of several forms of English. That he can make the "standard" forms work superbly is evident from many of his poems for adults. For children, with whom he communicates more directly, the lyrical Guyanese forms serve his purposes to perfection.
Agard is not a literary poet but also a performing poet and has a strong sense of his audience. When he writes for children, he seems to see them sitting at his feet. He is more interested in the ideas and words he is delivering to them than in the creation of complex fictional characters with whom his readers might engage. He lives in Sussex and is married to Grace Nichols, a respected Caribbean poet and co-author of a collection of Caribbean nursery rhymes, NO HICKORY, NO DICKORY, NO DOCK.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 14, 2020
Agard at his brilliant best - genius wordsmith and observant eye. A witty but political commentary not just how we treat/view animals but what it says about humans. ALL ages (not just children) will love the word play especially if you act along/get into it - in fact I would say to get the best from this it must be read orally. Agard is a performance poet and I have the honour of seeing him perform reading several poems from this book; believe me - a world of difference between just reading on a page.
November 2, 2013
We Animals Would Like a Word with You
poems by John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura
This is a collection of poems written from the point of view of animals, addressed to humans. In fact, the title and contents pages feature pictures of small goldfish holding pencils. The animals are indeed the authors here, and they have some very important messages. Some of the poems make interesting observations about humans‘ understanding of the animal world and challenge our notion that humans are more intelligent or more powerful than other animals. Agard draws on some animal-related expressions we use in the English language, such as rat race and a school of fish.
Agard’s animals have an excellent sense of humour and the poems don’t follow a particular style, which gives each animal its own personality and authorship. The poems are very funny. However, some are also quite philosophical, like the goldfish in its bowl who has so much time to think and observe its owners that it starts to understand that humans too swim round and round in their own ‘big bowl’. Many of the poems touch on animals’ rights, and humans’ interference with the animal world. Agard puts onto paper what animals might say if they were able to respond to our actions: “I wanna go to university for fish, man, not end up in your frying-pan.” Finally, the poems highlight some key differences between humans and other animals, seeing them from the animals’ perspective. The turtle, for instance, thinks: “how can they leave their house behind? A shell like mine would suit them fine”, while Monkey, Dog, Lizard and others declare in turn “What a shame you humans lost your tail,” each one stating a benefit of having a tail.
Well the human finally finds his voice at the end of the book: “yes, we lost our tail (...) but we have a brain and we make things that heal and things that kill.”
I highly recommend this collection of poems for use in Key Stage 2, as it provides an excellent starting point for discussion on important issues related to our environment, our relationships with animals and the differences between us and them. The philosophical questions raised will encourage children to consider our existence from a different angle. The poems are very enjoyable and children with developing literary awareness will appreciate the various styles used, the play on words and the humour. I would also use them as a basis for poetry writing, since pupils can take on the role of an animal of their choice and imagine what it would want to say to humans if it could talk.
My favourites in the book are: Rat Race; The Little Fish has something to say to the Fisherman; Swimming Teeth; Goldfish Reflections; Thinking Turtle; and What a Shame You Lost Your Tail.
poems by John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura
This is a collection of poems written from the point of view of animals, addressed to humans. In fact, the title and contents pages feature pictures of small goldfish holding pencils. The animals are indeed the authors here, and they have some very important messages. Some of the poems make interesting observations about humans‘ understanding of the animal world and challenge our notion that humans are more intelligent or more powerful than other animals. Agard draws on some animal-related expressions we use in the English language, such as rat race and a school of fish.
Agard’s animals have an excellent sense of humour and the poems don’t follow a particular style, which gives each animal its own personality and authorship. The poems are very funny. However, some are also quite philosophical, like the goldfish in its bowl who has so much time to think and observe its owners that it starts to understand that humans too swim round and round in their own ‘big bowl’. Many of the poems touch on animals’ rights, and humans’ interference with the animal world. Agard puts onto paper what animals might say if they were able to respond to our actions: “I wanna go to university for fish, man, not end up in your frying-pan.” Finally, the poems highlight some key differences between humans and other animals, seeing them from the animals’ perspective. The turtle, for instance, thinks: “how can they leave their house behind? A shell like mine would suit them fine”, while Monkey, Dog, Lizard and others declare in turn “What a shame you humans lost your tail,” each one stating a benefit of having a tail.
Well the human finally finds his voice at the end of the book: “yes, we lost our tail (...) but we have a brain and we make things that heal and things that kill.”
I highly recommend this collection of poems for use in Key Stage 2, as it provides an excellent starting point for discussion on important issues related to our environment, our relationships with animals and the differences between us and them. The philosophical questions raised will encourage children to consider our existence from a different angle. The poems are very enjoyable and children with developing literary awareness will appreciate the various styles used, the play on words and the humour. I would also use them as a basis for poetry writing, since pupils can take on the role of an animal of their choice and imagine what it would want to say to humans if it could talk.
My favourites in the book are: Rat Race; The Little Fish has something to say to the Fisherman; Swimming Teeth; Goldfish Reflections; Thinking Turtle; and What a Shame You Lost Your Tail.
September 10, 2011
This book is a great collection of humorous poetry from the viewpoints of a whole range of animals. Each poem is short, quick witted and embedded with moral undertones. For example debates relating to the un/ethical treatment of animals and mundane careless actions like destroying a spiders web. I think this would be a really useful book, particularly for KS2 children when looking at different styles of poetry and potentially citizenship related issues. A great book to share that can also offer other learning opportunities beyond literacy.
August 10, 2019
A collection of poems written from the viewpoint of the animals addressing issues directed at humans.
There were a couple of poems I enjoyed, and although I love the concept, I wouldn't rush to read it again.
There were a couple of poems I enjoyed, and although I love the concept, I wouldn't rush to read it again.
September 18, 2021
Some of the poems are enjoyable and others are a tad boring, not a huge fan of poetry though.
October 13, 2021
A witty book about how we treat animals and what that says about humans. - my review is on simply honest reviews
Read
October 2, 2022A humorous approach to helping children understand how animals are treated.
November 11, 2014
We Animals Would Like A Word With You is a 1996 book of poetry by John Agard (illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura) which marries fabulous and inventive poetry with brilliantly observed illustrations. I rate this book very highly and consider it would be suitable for any age group given the correct guided reading. It is much more than fun animal poetry and the animals questioning tone towards humans both engages and informs. For example, we see a donkey who literally bears a cross as well as the skunks admonishing message on pollution ” …from the fumes of your factories.”. However, there is also great humour, particularly with the love-struck hippos. I recommend this book highly for cross-curriculum, junior classrooms where its simplicity of message would promote environmental awareness and a clear indication of the natural juxtaposition between animals and humans.
October 2, 2017
Rat Race: struggling to find a rhythm. No meaning?
Frog Hop: no rhyme. A lot of half rhymes.
Elephants dreaming:
Hare I am:
Book of short poems, about animals and their perspective.
Simple illustrations, black and white
Frog Hop: no rhyme. A lot of half rhymes.
Elephants dreaming:
Hare I am:
Book of short poems, about animals and their perspective.
Simple illustrations, black and white
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews