A Book for Kids

A collection of verse and stories from Australia's beloved poet C.J. Dennis, written in 1921 as a gift to children everywhere. These poems capture the particular magic of childhood imagination: a cloud horse that soars across the sky carrying a boy to distant lands, an ant on an adventure grander than any explorer, a baker whose work becomes play, and a wise old man who knows that books are doors to everywhere. Dennis writes with the gentle humor and warmth that made "The Sentimental Bloke" a national treasure, but here the audience is younger and the verses even lighter. The language sparkles with Australian vernacular and the kind of playful nonsense that makes children laugh and adults smile. Here are poems about the wonder of nature, the delight in life's small absurdities, and the quiet wisdom that comes from paying attention to the world. A Book for Kids is both a time capsule of early 20th century Australian childhood and a timeless reminder that wonder doesn't require much - just imagination and a willingness to follow a cloud horse anywhere.