Lewis Carroll. Jabberwocky
KCP Poetry   $18.95   ISBN 1-55337-079-1   36 pages
Reviewed by Meghan, Age 14

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird and shun,
The Frumious Bandersnatch!”

At least once in our lives, all of us have heard something by Lewis Carroll. Whether it was Through the Looking Glass or Jabberwocky, you will no doubt have noticed how he has a tendency to make up words. The Jabberwocky tells of a fearsome beast, the Tulgey Wood and a brave boy. The fanciful pictures by illustrator Stephane Jorisch do much to inspire the imagination in this new and friendlier version of the famous poem put out in the new Visions in Poetry series.

I had seen the poem before reading this version, and had trouble seeing how manikins, dresses and what looks like a world war fit in with the story, but children will no doubt delight in hearing the strange words and looking at the interesting pictures. I would recommend this poem for children eight and up.

I would rate Jabberwocky four out of five stars.