Welcome to Wild town

Overview

An exciting first collaboration between two acclaimed poets, exploring the nature of "wildness"

Watch out for the tigers of Bengal Street in the Carnivore Quarter and maybe avoid the fish tank in number 3, Danger Close - it’s stocked with piranhas and electric eels.

In Wolf Park you may come across a silent, stalking wolf and at the Wild Town Rec polar bears are pushing on the slide and orcas are in the paddling pool. While at the quiet end of town dormice are sleeping and grumpy Bertha the Bear is slumbering. One thing is certain – you will never be the same after a visit to Wild Town, and when you leave, the wild will go with you….

An exciting poetry adventure, a journey of wild encounters in streets, houses and parks - this is an astonishing and brilliant poetry collection by two of the UK’s most admired poets. Illustrated with verve and wit by the internationally bestselling illustrator Korky Paul.

Reviews

“Harrold offers an appealingly childcentric world with hefty doses of scare and malevolence. . . . Wonderfully entertaining.” ―Kirkus Reviews starred review of The Imaginary

"Most affecting and lovely when describing powerful relationships.” —New York Times Book Review on The Imaginary

“Harrold's work is masterfully paced and stunningly crafted.” ―Shelf Awareness starred review of A Song from Somewhere Else

"Harrold's incisive, poetic way with words . . . intensifies the vague darkness of his otherworldly imagery.” ―The Horn Book Magazine starred review of A Song from Somewhere Else

 

Author Biography

AF Harrold is a poet, performer and children’s author. His books include The Imaginary, a Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book for 2015 and The Song from Somewhere Else, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2017 and a Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2017. Welcome to Wild Town is his first poetry collection for Otter-Barry Books. He lives in Reading with a stand-up comedian and two cats.

Dom Conlon is a poet and author with a keen interest in science and the natural world. His previous books include This Rock That Rock, nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2021 and the Wild Wanderers series of picture books about the natural world. Welcome to Wild Town is his first poetry collection for Otter-Barry Books. He lives in Lancashire.

Korky Paul is one of Britain's best-known illustrators. Born in Zimbabwe, he studied drawing at Durban School of Art in South Africa. He is famous across the world for his illustrations in the Winnie the Witch books and his work is published in 26 countries. Korky's dynamic illustration sessions are highly popular in schools and libraries. He lives in Oxford, England.