Interview with Roger Stevens Roger's Poems All About Roger Latest Books ....... Why Otters Don't Wear Socks by Roger Stevens (Macmillan Children's Books) This poetry book contains: laughs (including chuckles, guffaws and grins); sad moments (some); thrills (many); rhymes; haikus; rude words; adjectives (assorted); made up words (including wham-wig); nonsense and a fat penguin called Pete. Why Otters Don't Wear Socks - Audio Books (Macmillan Digital Audio) Well, this is very exciting. Now you can hear me performing my own poems in this best-of collection. 59 of my favourite poems read in my very own voice. ....... On My Way To School I Saw a Dinosaur by Roger Stevens Illustrated by Michael Leigh (Hands Up Books) This is my first collection of poems for younger readers and it follows a year in the life of Frog Class. Find out what happens when a dinosaur comes to school; what lives in the school pond; how Billy’s worm escapes; and where the dog that jumped over the moon really landed. The Journal of Danny Chaucer (Poet) by Roger Stevens (Orion) (Only available from Rabbit Press) My book for teenagers. It's a story. It's a poem. It's about trying to get a girlfriend. It's about forming a band. It's about time you read it (if you're a teenager that is!). .......... The Monster That Ate the Universe (Macmillan Children's Books) and The Secret Life of Pants (A&C Black) Both still available and bags of fun!!!!!!! Interview With Roger Stevens by Roger Stevens Roger: Hello Roger:Hello Are you ready? Yes, let's go. Where do ideas come from? The ideas section on the supermarket shelf. Is that true? Yes, you just help yourself. Why do you write? Because the days are blue And one night in the dark A voice told me to. Who are your favourite poets? Yellow and Gold What are your favourite colours? Roger McGough and Arial Bold What are your favourite rhymes? Limes, mimes, frills and trills. What was your favourite ever audience? A crowd of daffodils. If you had one wish granted By the Muse of Poetry What would it be? For children of the world to live In peace and poetry top of page Hallowe'en Darren's got a pumpkin Hollowed out a treat He put it in the window It scared half the street I wish I had a pumpkin But I've not and it's a shame I've got a scary carrot But it's not the same Mr Walton's On The Playground Michael's ball is on the roof And Darren's looking for a fight Little Daisy Kilburn Was last seen dangling from her kite But Mr Walton's on the playground So everything will be all right Noel went in the girl's loo And gave the girl's a fright Yaseen won't let Gemma kiss him But Derek Trubsall might But Mr Walton's on the playground So everything will be all right Randeep's lost his pet rat (He says it doesn't bite) Michael says - Aren't people small When viewed from this great height? But Mr Walton's on the playground So everything will be all right Tommy's foot is swelling up 'Cos his laces are too tight Now Michael's stuck up on the roof. He'll have to stay all night. But Mr Walton's on the playground So everything will be er... Where's he gone? I Did Not Eat The Goldfish by Scampi Cat I did not eat the goldfish It was not me At the time of the crime I was sitting in a tree I did not eat the goldfish That's no word of a lie. I loved his silvery fins And his mischievous eye I did not eat the goldfish I did not touch one golden scale And I don't know why there's pondweed Attached to my tail A Sticky Problem by Judy Dog It might seem obvious to you humans But it puzzles me every day If he wants the stick so badly Why does he throw it away? C'est la Mort (A true historical poem) In Paris In the Hotel des Invalides In the chapel of St Louis In a red stone sarcophagus Is a coffin In the coffin you will find Another, smaller coffin. In that coffin you will find Another, smaller coffin. In that coffin you will find Another, smaller coffin. In that coffin you will find Another, smaller coffin. In that coffin you will find Another, smaller coffin. In that coffin you will find... click here Juggling Genes I wonder if scientists Could give me some new genes Genes that will build me a super-strong body That can lift wardrobes and run As fast as a train. Some genes that will make my brain so clever I can invent a giant machine that will solve All the Earth's problems And genes that will give me the smaller ears Which, at the moment, tend to flap in the wind. The Winning Goal When I scored the winning goal I had never felt so alone The crowd went crazy, on their feet But my heart sank like a stone. They say that scoring is marvellous, The best feeling that's ever been known. But it's hard to take, When you make a mistake And the back of the net Is your own. Never Trust A Lemon Never trust a lemon It's a melon in disguise Never trust potatoes With shifty eyes Never trust a radish It repeats all that it hears Never trust an onion It will all end in tears Stick Insect Haiku I like stick insects The only problem with them is they look like sticks Bat Pet I have a pet bat And he lives in the shed. He sleeps when I'm out to play And plays when I'm in bed. Hi, fellow poets. I always wanted to become a writer but I had to write lots of stories and poems before my first book, The Howen, was published. After that I wrote Creeper, a scary story about two children, a dog and a boatload of monkeys and their adventures on the marsh. Since then I've had lots of poems published in all sorts of poetry books. My latest is called Why Otters Don't Wear Socks. I thought otters did wear socks. But when I found out that they didn't - well, I was so surprised - I just had to write a poem about it. I've also recorded lots of my favourite poems on an audio CD - which I'm really thrilled about - even though I had a bit of a cold when I recorded it. I only sneezed once! I live in Brighton now. I play in a band and visit schools to read and talk about my poems and stories. You can also hear me playing music if you listen to Floella Benjamin's nursery rhyme programme on CeeCeeBeeBeeCeeCeeBeeBees Radio7. And I join in the acting too, sometimes. But you need to be under six to really enjoy that programme. I've a story in the Macmillan Book of Pirate stories, too, and a new anthology coming out in the autumn of 2008 called Let's Recycle Grandad. Watch out for it! And for those of you who have read this far... here's me reading another poem... back to top of page back to top of page