BITEY, THE VEGGIE VAMPIRE
by Chris White
ISBN 978-1-872438-67-2 (2000) A5 80pp., illustrated by the author, pbk., £4.50
Can a vampire ever be cuddly? Can a vampire be a vegetarian? Derby-based author and illustrator Chris White thinks so, and to prove it, he's produced a collection of children's poems featuring Bitey, the Veggie Vampire, and it's possibly the wackiest kids’ poetry book ever, from a bright new voice who draws all his own illustrations (which are also wierd). Bitey is another poetry collection in the genre pioneered by Gez Walsh and Andrew Collett, but possibly one step nearer the fourth dimension, if that’s possible.
This book was Chris's first full-length collection of children's poetry, but he is fast carving a niche in the wonderful world of weird and wacky bad taste poetry for children of all ages. As well as Bitey, Chris's work explores the slightly warped world of a whole bestiary of Bitey's buddies, including a one-eyed hamster, Stumpy the one-legged pigeon, Nigel and Frank, the surprisingly passionate frogs, The Bear in my Wardrobe and Henry the Bald Caterpillar.
But it's not all fun for fun's sake: kids will warm to the environmental lessons in Ted's Bad Dream, where Chris manages to discuss pollution without being too preachy, or Dragon for Hire, or the exploits of Gerald the Pig, goalkeeper, postman, fireman, but in the end, content just to be … well, a pig, actually. Finally, for those who wondered, Chris lets his readers into the secret of why you shouldn't give a duck a pen (or feed them cheese and wine, for that matter).
A dedicated wielder of the drawing pen and airbrush, Chris has also done all of the illustrations in the book himself. Chris White has been writing (or "scribbling" as he puts it) for 15 years, as well as drawing, but mostly for other people. All his own material just got stuffed in a drawer as soon as it was finished. As Chris himself puts it, "When the drawer wouldn't shut any more, I wondered if anyone out there would like to share them with me." Now that curiosity has been satisfied.
To read about Chris's other books, click here:
To book Chris for your school or festival see www.pottypoets.com or call 01484 663790
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