Recent anthologies where Chrissie’s poems appear:

Macmillan anthologies:
Dinos, Dodos and other Dead Things ed. Brian Moses, 2003
Don’t Panic: 100 Poems to Save Your Life ed. Fiona Waters, 2003
Read Me and Laugh, ed. Gaby Morgan, 2005
Masala, ed. Debjani Chatterjee, 2005
The Works 4, ed. Gaby Morgan and Pie Corbett, 2005
The Secret Lives of Teachers – 3 Books in 1, ed. Brian Moses, 2005
Best Friends, ed. Fiona Waters, 2006
The Works for Key Stage 1, ed. Pie Corbett, 2006
Christmas Poems, ed. Fiona Waters, 2006
The Works Poems for Assembly, ed. Pie Corbett, 2007
Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, ed. Fiona Waters, 2007

Hodder Wayland anthologies:
Hubble Bubble, ed. Andrew Fusek Peters, 2003
Love, Hate, And My Best Mate, ed. Andrew Fusek Peters and Polly Peters, 2004
The Poetry Store, ed. Paul Cookson, 2005

Scholastic:
Dinosaur Poems, ed. Paul Cookson, 2006

Comments and reviews

'I enjoyed them very much for their luminescence, freshness, wit and sparkle, and found them frequently funny, always assured. It's clear you have a real gift for the genre.' Matthew Hollis, editor with Faber and Faber, and poet

I Don’t Want an Avocado for an Uncle

‘Chrissie Gittins knows just what words can do: she makes them dance, sing, sit still for a moment and then leap across the page with joy!’ Ian McMillan

‘a lot of ripe good ones,’ John Hegley

‘An enchanting collection full of vivid imagery. Chrissie Gittins’ poems are full of fun creatures and characters, from Mr Fogg the very friendly Dentist to Igor Iguanodon (who loves to dine on orchids). You'll love the way she weaves words together to invite you into her real and unreal worlds!' Children’s Poetry Bookshelf, Poetry Book Society

'Chrissie Gittins observes well in I Don't Want an Avocado for an Uncle, whether her subject is the madness of New York, rain spitting on hills or the final rituals of a family Christmas. What distinguishes the hits is a recognition that there is no such thing as a good poem only for children. These hits work for anyone who loves poetry. There are beautifully observed pieces. The ballet teacher is a good example: "Her voice glancing each child/with gossamer" or: "stripes of shellduck tipped up in a lake".' Fred Sedgwick, Times Education Supplement Magazine, January 25th 2007

'This is a delightful collection of poetry from Chrissie Gittins. The title has been selected as the Poetry Book Society Choice for the Children's Poetry Bookshelf. A warm, witty and intelligent selection, this group of poems covers a whole range of writing which will appeal to young readers aged 7-13. The poems are most refreshing for their breadth, not just of subject matter, but also of emotional response. There is not a breath of pedantry in the whole book - yet there is humour, wit, joy, sorrow and enjoyable quirkiness. At £5.99 this is a bargain, particularly as this book is exactly how children's poetry should be.' Irene Babsky, The School Librarian, Spring 2007.

'There are not many solo collections of poetry for children being published lately, so it’s good to see something getting through, even if it does entail small or self-publication. Chrissie Gittins is not the only poet currently to take this course, which neatly sidesteps the problems of being taken up by a major house and undergoing the rigours of being edited to their strictures. The result is a book which bears and wears the individualities and eccentricities of the author. I note that in reviews of her previous collection words like quirky, surreal, idiomatic, and zany come into play. This book has plenty to fall into line with those attributes, but there are also tenderer and more lyrical aspects and moments. There’s a confidence and assurance about her writing that clearly appeals to an audience that is already receiving her with enthusiasm. A reading shows she knows what she’s doing and is creating an idiom of her own. If you’re interested in poetry written for children, you should definitely read this book and see how it takes you and the children you’re in contact with. There’s a distinctive voice evolving here and I’ll watch with interest to see what it produces in the future. The book itself is nicely produced with good layout and typeface and very apt illustrations by Kev Adamson whose work for me, while carrying traces of Satoshi Kitamura, nevertheless has a strong individuality of its own.' Books for Keeps, no 163, March 2007

'Gittins’s latest collection for children is as cleverly accessible for young readers as it is funny and perceptive. This well-illustrated book includes poems created for specific people, poetry about special experiences (like ‘River Torridge’), about everyday experiences (‘Mr Fogg the Very Friendly Dentist) and unusual combinations (‘My Grandma is a Nun’).
An inspiration for poetry readers and writers alike, which will hopefully encourage imaginative use of language and a careful observation of life’s experiences great and small and most of all, an appreciation of the power of well chosen words.' Recommended Books, Booktrusted website

'Gittins’ second foray into poetry for children is enormous fun. In a series of surprising encounters, packed full zany humour, we meet flamingos, nuns, dentists, dinosaurs, old pencil stubs, even the Loch Ness monster! The collection consists mostly of light-hearted lyrics (with a few surprises), and includes a sequence of limericks, some nonsense verse, a shape poem and a riddle. She takes much of her inspiration from the close observation of the world around her: families, ordinary life and the natural world. Thus, childhood experiences such as reading under the covers, visiting the dentist and vying for friendships, are found alongside portraits of eccentric characters and thoughtful meditations on her holidays (from Tresco Bay to New York City). Animals, and especially unusual animals, seem particularly to capture her imagination, perhaps for their quirky individuality. She delights to ponder their thoughts and feelings: the grumblings of flamingos, the contentment of the two-toed sloth and the ruminations of dinosaurs! Stylistically, playfulness and humour predominate (as the title might suggest), giving way periodically to flashes of depth and insight (such an the haunting ‘Lifeline’ or the profound final poem ‘Putting Away Christmas’). Gittins is particularly skilled at the sudden twist, repeatedly using her final line to shock, amuse or tip the reader into profundity. This collection would be enjoyed by children throughout KS2, though some of the more challenging poems invite careful thought from more experienced readers.' Darren Coult, Write Away website

'Chrissie Gittins has a brilliant sense of humour and her quirkiness gallops across every page of this most original collection which is stuffed with daft moments and some serious ones too.' Fiona Waters, Carousel 37, Autumn 2007

'Titles do not always tell the whole story, least of all, perhaps, in poetry collections such as this where the title for the complete volume is shared with one of the included poems. For the strength of the collections we have to turn to those poems for which its title has not prepared us. These are quiet, pensive, occasionally meditative commentaries imbued with a pleasantly lyrical note, even on such well-worn topics as seasonal change, the aftermath of Christmas or the beauty of the natural world. It is in poems such as these that Gittins finds an engagingly original voice: 'Gulls chance the churning sea,/Leaves stack up against the thermal door,/Tips of willows, russet, finger low grey sky./The year is drawing in.' Robert Dunbar, Inis, the Children's Book Ireland magazine, Winter 2007

'A second collection from this poet, just as right as right can be as a poetry book for 7's upwards. There's a broad range of writing here from amusing jokes to poems which, sometimes unexpectedly, evoke responses of deeper emotions. Cleverness, but nor for its own sake, with a great sense of fun and an acute awareness of her readership has resulted in a group of poems which are both entertaining and expanding. A valuable and very friendly collection indeed.' Chris Brown, DCFS Boys into Books Booklist, School Library Association, March 2008.

I Don’t Want an Avocado for an Uncle Information sheet in pdf format

Podcast
A weekly podcast from the Walking Oliver children's music website www.walkingoliver.com which is run by Paul Austin Kelly - an American opera singer based in Lewes. In this programme - Episode 7, 21st March 2007 - Paul reads several of Chrissie's children's poems.


Now You See Me, Now You …

‘weird, interesting and humorous poems that will bear repeated visits,’ Roger Stevens, Poetry Zone website.

‘Chrissie Gittins has a McGough-like flair for idiomatic surrealism,’ Michael Thorn, TES.

‘I like the warmth and immediacy of the poems. But I think The Shortest Days is my favourite – limpid and deceptively simple.’ Helen Dunmore

‘clearly focused in terms of target readers (mainly pre-teens) and its bias towards humour, occasionally of a quirky and surrealistic kind as in ‘The Fate of the Butternut Squash’. The line drawings are zany too. Sometimes a more serious note is introduced as in the case of the Belmont Poetry prize-winning ‘The Powder Monkey’, which tells of the days when children as young as six went to sea and served on warships, but usually humour prevails. It has a nice pocket-size feel to it,’ Brian D’Arcy, Writing in Education.

‘a most enjoyable collection … she has a nice quirky viewpoint and is well worth investigating,’ Enid Stephenson, Carousel.

‘Chrissie Gittins takes incidents and objects from her locality (Swimming at the local baths; a heart scarab in a museum) and makes imaginative leaps, excavating the thoughts of a tortoise who has travelled from Turkey to Catford. Especially enjoyable are her excursions into wordplay such as ‘Driven to Distraction’, and ‘Approaching Apostrophes’ is an excellent way to get to grips with this troublesome punctuation mark.’ Ann Lazim for the CLPE Award 2003.

‘A witty and interesting collection from children's poet, Chrissie Gittins, which features, among others, poems about a six-foot man in a block of ice, a pair of flying shoes, a travelling wardrobe and a squashed poet. The author also explores the use of language itself in poems such as 'Exclamation Mark Park' and 'Approaching Apostrophes'. Chrissie Gittins writes in a refreshingly non-patronising way for children and this collection is charmingly illustrated throughout. These poems will have particular appeal for children in KS1 & 2, but parents will certainly enjoy reading this collection to younger children too.’ Victoria Buckley-Jennings, Man in the Moon website.

This books is available from bookshops, from amazon.co.uk and from Gardners wholesalers.

Now You See Me, Now You ... information sheet in pdf format