Wicked Poems

by Roger McGough (Editor), Neal Layton (Illustrator)

Roger McGough has delved into the depths of impiety, amassing verse by Shakespeare and Kipling, Nash and Eliot, as well as new works, some written especially for this anthology. Exuberantly illustrated by Neal Layton, Wicked Poems is devilish good fun for both kids and adults. Roger McGough is the author of more than 50 books, including The Kingfisher Book of Funny Poems. He also wrote the script for the Beatles’ film Yellow Submarine, and in 1986, received a Tony nomination for his lyrics for the Broadway production of The Wind in the Willows.

Genres: Poetry

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Imogen Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was okay, but not great

[Christine Kallner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book collects poems from a wide variety of writers, some famous and some not-so-famous. It wasn't as funny as I was hoping judging by the blurbs on the cover, but it was still a very interesting collection and a worthwhile read. The poems run the gamut from mild mischief-making and make-believe to true evil, so it includes all different kinds of "wicked."

This review first appeared on my blog, Buckling Bookshelves.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice premise for a poetry anthology and Roger McGough pulls it off, providing a wide range of mostly but not entirely light hearted work with some deft sequencing. The illustrations by Neal Layton are superb and really enhance the collection.

[Will Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

lots of good poems in the book

[Michael Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be useful for some poems but not a good reliable source for lots of different types of poems.

[Zanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've so far found this infallible for amusing young readers.