Vile Verses
Starred Review. Grade 2-6–Dahl wrote many delightful poems, some of which are hidden in his splendid novels. This dynamic collection includes The Centipede's Song fromJames and the Giant Peachand Willy Wonka's Wonka-Vite fromCharlie and the Great Glass Elevator. The verses are illustrated by an assortment of talented artists, including Chris Wormell, Chris Riddell, Babette Cole, and Tony Ross. Quentin Blake's signature line drawings introduce each thematic section. Playful lines like Veruca Salt, the little brute,/Has just gone down the rubbish chute (Concerning Veruca Salt) and We may see a Creature with forty-nine heads/Who lives in the desolate snow,/And whenever he catches a cold (which he dreads)/He has forty-nine noses to blow (There's No Knowing What We Shall See) are irresistible. Unfortunately, no biographical information is provided for the illustrators. An index lists the titles of the poems under their sources along with their page numbers but no index of first lines is included. This vivacious addition to poetry collections will amuse a broad audience.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.