Kids' Stuff

It's characteristic of a golden age that on the whole people don't recognise they're in one until it's over. They're either busy getting on with the things that result in the golden glow (well , a few of them anyway) or moaning (I'm now talking about the vast majority) about other people not doing what they should and, as a result, not being aware of whatever wonderful stuff is actually going on.

I reckon we've been in a golden age of poetry written for children for some little while. The splendours of the Collected Poems for Children of Charles Causley and, of course, Ted Hughes's stuff for kids (wonderfully captured in his own Collected) is sufficient evidence thereof. Both are on my reading list for June simply because I can't resist them and the world would be a better place if all right-thinking readers did likewise. (To be honest, it wouldn't make any difference to the world at all, but it would give a lot of readers a heck of a good time so my exaggeration can stand.)

Do bear in mind though that the Collected Causley does not include that funniest of all modern epics The Tail of the Trinosaur, so if you're one of the right-thinking readers thinking of following my advice you'll have to buy it (or loan it, or steal it) separately. It's now on my list as well.