Blue Jelly and Strawberries – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Poetry, whimsical, funny, charming, playful.
Children’s book title: Blue Jelly and Strawberries: Poems to Tickle Your Tastebuds.
Children’s author: Attie Lime.
Children’s illustrator: Kate Sheppard.
Genre: Poetry collection.
Published by: Otter-Barry Books.
ISBN: 9781915659583.
Recommended for children aged: 5-9.
First published: Paperback March 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: Young poetry fans.
To see the latest price or order, click on the book cover image. As an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Our review:
No Thank You
I like biscuits
I like peas
I don’t
I don’t
I don’t like cheese!I like blue jelly
and strawberries
but I don’t
I don’tI don’t like cheese!
Blue Jelly and Strawberries: Poems to Tickle Your Tastebuds is the debut poetry collection by former primary school teacher Attie Lime. It is a charming compilation of accessible and playful poems, short enough to dip into and ideal for reading out loud. Topics range from school lessons to snow days, fruit to feelings, pancakes to pyjama pockets
The poems include free verses, formal rhyming schemes and shape poems. This highlights the variety that poetry can offer while never falling victim to forced rules or restricted language.
There is a common theme of playfulness throughout the collection, especially regarding language itself. You get the impression that the author really enjoys playing with words and sounds, having fun and messing about in the best possible way. Such playfulness is the ideal way to introduce young readers to the joy of poetry, and how you can bend sounds and even create entirely new words to suit your purpose.
Our Weekend
We swam we swum we swimbled
We jumped and jumparooed
We skippetydoohdahed all day long
We kingkongkangarooedWe sang we sung we singsonged
We boogied and jivyjiggled
We spinspun, whooshed and dizzied
We jigwigged, weaved and wiggled.We clamberclimbed and tall-treed
We picnicked, grubysfull
We cycled and scootyskated
It was all fabwonderful!
As well as writing and performing her own poetry, the author is also a regular visitor at schools and writing groups, along with her poetry parrot, Marjorie!
Each double-page spread of Blue Jelly and Strawberries contains at least one delightful illustration by Kate Sheppard, featuring a welcome diversity of children, which adds to the inclusiveness of the book.
Eight Things I Called the Last Raspberry in the Punnet
Bojangles
King Raspberry-BamBam
Squidgemonger
Splodge
Hairy Red Thimble Fruit
Not-Strawberry
Pixie HatDelicious
The charm of the poems in this collection is in how they so accurately capture the innocence and fun of childhood, without ever appearing to talk down to or make fun of their young readers. Although the book is aimed at young readers, it is sure to delight older children and adults alike, who will relish the cheerful world of these delightful poems.
Blue Jelly and Strawberries: Poems to Tickle Your Tastebuds is a funny, accessible poetry collection that will appeal to fans of Michael Rosen and Joseph Coelho.
Many thanks to Otter-Barry Books for the review copy.
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