Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This is an illustrated version of Lear's classic nonsense poem that tells the tale of the epic sea voyage of two courteous lovers and their eventual marriage on the island of the bong tree, with the piggy-wig and his ring, the turkey vicar and the wedding feast eaten with a runcible spoon.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Lear's birth, this collection gathers several of Lear's poems, including "The Jumblies," "The Duck and the Kangaroo," and "Calico Pie." Ingpen contributes lush paintings throughout-broccoli-haired Jumblies float in a sieve in the pale sea, and a nude old man runs for cover after animals devour his pork chop trousers and pancake coat in "The New Vestments." By the time readers reach the final poem, they'll be in agreement with its sentiment: " 'How pleasant to know Mr. Lear!'/ Who has written such volumes of stuff!/ Some think him ill-tempered and queer,/ But a few think him pleasant enough." Ages 7-9. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 5-Celebrating Edward Lear's 200th birthday, this collection features seven of his poems, including "The Owl and the Pussycat," "The Jumblies," and "The Dong with a Luminous Nose." Haunting spot art and spreads feature intriguing settings and spritely creatures, bringing out new dimensions of these beloved tales. Ingpen even devotes a couple of pages to a field guide of Bong-tree Land. The selections flow naturally from one to the next and appropriately conclude with "How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear!" For readers who want to immerse themselves in the writer's world, there is some biographical information as well as some reproductions of his paintings and a letter. Finally, there's a recipe for Bong-fruit Chutney. Serving as a nice introduction to Lear for young readers, this thin volume has a fanciful feel that matches the works of the poet it honors.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Edward Lear was born in Holloway, England, to Jeremiah (a stockbroker) and Ann Lear, tutored at home by his sister, and briefly attended the Royal Academy schools. Both an author and an illustrator, he earned his living as an artist from the age of 15, mainly by doing landscapes. What he is remembered for is his nonsense books, especially his popularization of the limerick. Along with Lewis Carroll, he is considered to be the founder of nonsense poetry.

In addition to his limericks, he created longer nonsense poems. The best---and best known---is The Jumblies, in which the title characters go to sea in a sieve; it is a brilliant, profound, silly, and sad expression of the need to leave the security of the known world and experience the wonder and danger of the unknown. His other most notable work is The Owl and the Pussy Cat, a less complex poem whose title characters also go to sea. Lear produced humorous alphabets and botany books as well.

His wordplay, involving puns, neologisms, portmanteau words, and anticlimax, retains its vitality today and has influenced such contemporary writers of children's nonsense verse as Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash, and Laura Richards

(Bowker Author Biography)