Measuring in Animals, by Vicky Gatehouse

by | Jun 27, 2025 | Issue 9 poems

Mum makes a mark on the chart to see how much I’ve grown. Last time I was about the size of a toddling Emperor penguin (but taller than my brother who’s just a Shetland pony). I have shot up, Mum says. Rrrr! I’m now standing proud as a lion. If I swirl my arms and...

A Big… Misunderstanding? by Suzy Levinson

by | Jun 27, 2025 | Issue 9 poems

The monster is swaying. The monster is baying. The monster is staying to prey upon me. The storm clouds are clearing. The sun is appearing. The monster is leering – oh wait, that’s a tree.   * Suzy Levinson is a children’s author and poet whose work has been...

Mighty Puzzle, by Philippa Werry

by | Jun 27, 2025 | Issue 9 poems

I’m an easel for a giant painter. I’m a stately solo procession. I’m four sturdy tree trunks holding up a tent or a wrinkly grey blanket flung over a line. I’m a map etched with contour lines, a blank billboard, an advertisement for vegetarianism. I’m a trumpeting...

A Giant, by Josie De Falco

by | Jun 27, 2025 | Issue 9 poems

If I were a giant, I’d pop the clouds like balloons with my umbrella to make a clear blue sky. If I were a giant, I’d consume the whole moon in one big bite, replace it with a cherry pie. If I were a giant, I’d use a spoon to scoop up snow from rooftops, like vanilla...