Composed of Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes' favourite poems, The Rattle Bag represents a classic poetry anthology. Including masters such as Shakespeare, William Blake, Sylvia Plath, and T. S. Eliot, as well as rare gems, translated poems, and poems from oral cultures, the volume features a diverse selection of authors to inspire and dazzle the readers.
Recommendation
Recommendations from
Michael Morpurgo
Michael Morpurgo is an extraordinary prolific British author, poet, playwright, and librettist. He started writing while working as a teacher in a village primary school in Kent, and has since written more than a hundred books, including War Horse (1982). In 1976, he and his wife Clare set up the charity Farms for City Children, providing children from the cities the opportunity to experience the countryside.
1
The Rattle Bag
By Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes (ed.)
"A gathering of poems by Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes. The book to take to a desert island. Here are so many of the great poems of the world. All of them wonderful for reading out loud and for learning if you want to, and on a desert island, you may want to." -
2
The Old Man And The Sea
By Ernest Hemingway
"We live every line of this book as we read it and understand so much better the complex relationships between ourselves and those around us, human and animal." -
A universal tale of endurance set in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Havana, The Old Man and the Sea explores mankind's titanic battle to dominate nature. The old fisherman Santiago's struggle against the giant marlin is a testament to the human spirit, and a reminder of the power of the natural world.
3
The Man Who Planted Trees
By Jean Giono
"This is the most beautiful book about trees ever written; more relevant to us today than when it was written decades ago." -
Children's book.
An ode to nature in allegorical form, The Man Who Planted Trees tells the tale of young man who, during his journey across Provence and the barren plains of the lower Alps, finds himself out of water and is saved by the shepherd Elzeard Bouffier. Elzeard has chosen to live alone and reforest the region by planting acorns. Inspiring and heart-warming, this story remains relevant for readers of all ages.
4
Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel
By Virginia Lee Burton
Children's book.
For many years, Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne, his coal-powered steam shovel, have dug canals, railways, highways, the foundations of skyscrapers and the landing fields of aeroplanes. Now, they face competition from gasoline, diesel and electric shovels. But Mike might have just found a solution! He offers to dig the cellar for a small town's town hall in a single day, and, if they fail, the town won't have to pay them. The two get to work and by sundown the cellar is dug, but they haven't left a ramp by which Mary Anne can get out. A child then suggests that Mary Anne be converted into a boiler and Mike become its janitor, and the two happily agree.
5
The Little Prince
By Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Children's book.
A pilot get stranded in the desert. When he wakes up, he find a little fellow standing before him, asking him to draw a sheep. Thus begins this enchanting fable, which teaches us the secret of what is really important in life.
6
The Just So Stories
By Rudyard Kipling
Children's book.
A children's favourite, these delightful and funny stories illustrates how animals got their distinctive features, from how camels got their hump, to how leopards got their spots, and even how man domesticated wild animals.
7
Meet My Folks!
By Ted Hughes
Children's book.
Ted Hughes' first book for children, Meet My Folks! is a whimsical collection of poems describing the members of an eccentric imaginary family, including a Granny who's an octopus...
8
The Iron Man
By Ted Hughes
Children's book.
When the Iron Man appears, nobody knows where he comes from or who he is. But when he starts feeding on local farm equipment, a trap is set, yet that is not enough to keep him away. One day, a monster from outer space crashes on Earth, demanding to be fed. The Iron Man will be humanity's only hope...
9
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
By Judith Kerr
Children's book.
When the doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mother are sitting down for tea, the last thing they expect to see is a big, furry, stripy tiger! The tiger drinks all the tea and eat all the food in the house, even draining all the water from the taps. The next day, Sophie and her mother go buy some food, including a big tin of tiger food. But the tiger never returns.
10
The Babar Books
By Jean de Brunhoff
Children's book.
The tales of Babar the elephant have charmed young readers since they first appeared in 1931. After his mother is killed by a hunter, Babar escapes to the city, where he meets The Old Lady and becomes educated living among men. When his cousins Celeste and Arthur find him, they help him return to the great forest, where he is crowned King of the Elephants. Filled with fantastic adventures, Babar's tales see him build a city, found a family and even meet Father Christmas.
11
The Wind In The Willows
By Kenneth Grahame
Children's book.
A classic of children's literature, The Wind in the Willows tells the story of the silly and reckless Toad, who becomes obsessed with fast motor cars. When his obsession turns into danger, Toad's friends Mole, Ratty and Badger will intervene to save him from prison and his home Toad Hall from the wicked Weasels and Stoats.
12
King Arthur And His Knights Of The Round Table
By Roger Lancelyn Green
Children's book.
A classic version of the legend of King Arthur based on Malory's Morte d'Arthur, chronicles, poems and romances, Green's tales of the sword in the stone, the Green Knight, the love of Launcelot and Guinevere, the quest for the Holy Grail, and King Arthur's final departing to the Vale of Avalon are an unforgettable delight for young readers as well as adults.
13
Animal Farm
By George Orwell
Children's book.
'All animals are equal - but some are more equal than others.'
Tired of being mistreated, the animals of Manor Farm decide to overthrow their master Mr Jones and take over the farm. It's the beginning of freedom and equality. Or so they think, until a cunning and ruthless group, led by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, seize power for themselves, and the animals realise that their tyrannical master has been merely replaced with another.
14
1066 And All That
By W C Sellar
Children's book.
A history book in its own right, 1066 And All That is an uproarious satire on the contemporary style of history teaching in English schools, debunking 'the more bombastic claims of drum-and-trumpet history'. An ironic retalling of English history, the book purports to contain 'all the History you can remember', revealing how our memory of historical events is none other than our own interpretation and often confused recollection.