Review: The Billy that Died with its Boots on and other Australian Verse

Now, I’m not normally one for rhyming poetry, but Stephen Whiteside’s rhythm and style based on the style of Banjo Patterson tickles my fancy. His collection includes tales about dinosaurs, historical events, trips to the beach and out in the bush. He takes us around the house, in the garden and onto the street. You name it, Stephen Whiteside has probably written a poem about it.

The wonderful thing about this rhyming collection is that it whets the appetite for stories with rhythm and rhyme, but these poetic tales only truly come to full life when they are read aloud.
The Billy That Died with its Boots On and other Australian verse is its own all-inclusive classroom start-up kit for rhyming, Banjo Patterson style. Every student will be sure to find a favourite and then the fun will begin – with individual performances. With luck, the power of performing will lead to a hunger for more and have your budding poets rolling their own rhyming, rhythmic tales around their tongues just for the fun of it.

Title: The Billy That Died with its Boots on and other Australian verse
Author: Stephen Whiteside
Illustrator: Lauren Merrick
Publisher: Walker Books $19.95 RRP
Publication Date: May 2014
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781922077431
For ages: 8 + years
Type: Poetry, Junior Fiction