My daughter was working her way through the works that inspired Disney animated movies including The Jungle Book. While meandering through the children's picture book section of our local bookstore, my eye landed on what I thought was a book about Rudyard Kipling. Perfect timing I said to myself. The picture book turned out to be a compilation of Kipling's poetry for children. Even better. The book now opens automatically to page 34 and my daughter's favorite poem in the collection, Road-Song of the Bandar-Log. The accompanying picture of an impish pair of monkeys and the brief introduction to the poem set the stage for this Jungle Book masterpiece of insight into "the way of the Monkey-kind!"

Poetry for Young People is a series of books that introduces children to well-known poets. The poems selected are those that are most easily accessible to the more concrete thinking of children. An introductory biography of the poet provides background for the subjects the poet addresses. This volume devoted to Rudyard Kipling includes poems to excite the adventurous spirit and thoughtful commentaries on life. In "If" Kilpling explains to his son what it takes to be a man. We join Vikings as they row for home in "Thorkild's Song."

Jim Sharpe's illustrations offer a visual hook to catch the eye and attention of young readers. Quite often someone is looking directly at the reader in these illustrations as if to say, "Hey, I'm talking to you." Definitions of unfamiliar words appear on each page.

Hardcover, full-color illustrations