Imagine That! Poems of Never-Was - Hardcover

Is there a secret dragon in your bathtub? Or a "crocodial" in your telephone? Do you know a wendigo personally? You'll meet all these creatures and many more in this delightful anthology of imaginative poems compiled by the popular, prolific children's poet Jack Prelutsky, who also selected the poems in The Beauty of the Beast and Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young. Here Prelutsky has chosen 50 "poems of never-was" that celebrate mythical monsters, marvelous machines, and mysterious magic, cleverly crafted by luminaries such as Dr. Seuss, Lewis Carroll, Ogden Nash, Jane Yolen, and Prelutsky himself. Kevin Hawkes's bright and captivating illustrations make all these bizarre critters and creations burst into life. (Now you can see what Lewis Carroll's famous Jabberwock looks like!) Catch a ride on Mr. Mad's Machine to the land of never-was, but watch out for the Leathery Gumberoo and the Bugle-Billed Bazoo! (Ages 5 to 9) --Marcie Bovetz

For 30 years, Jack Prelutsky’s inventive poems have inspired legions of children to fall in love with poetry. His outrageously silly poems have tickled even the most stubborn funny bones, while his darker verses have spooked countless late-night readers. His award-winning books include Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast, The Dragons Are Singing Tonight, The Random House Book of Poetry for Children, and The Beauty of the Beast.

While attending a Bronx, New York, grade school, Prelutsky took piano and voice lessons and was a regular in school shows. Surprisingly, Prelutsky developed a healthy dislike for poetry due to a teacher who “left me with the impression that poetry was the literary equivalent of liver. I was told it was good for me, but I wasn’t convinced.”

In his early twenties, Prelutsky spent six months drawing imaginary animals in ink and watercolor. One evening, he wrote two dozen short poetry verses to accompany each drawing. A friend encouraged him to show them to an editor, who loved his poems (although not his artwork!) and urged him to keep writing. Prelutsky listened and he is still busy writing.
Jack Prelutsky lives on Mercer Island in Washington with his wife, Carolynn.