The Book Bug – a poem, recited by Clementine Rose (and written by Agnes Wells with a little help from me!)

I adore poetry – when I was young I loved reading and reciting poems and the first time I ever appeared on the radio, it was to recite a poem called Marbles in My Pocket. I was about ten years old and it was on the ABC. When I started teaching my classes learned poems like Jabberwocky, The Owl and the Pussycat and many a Roald Dahl revolting rhyme or dirty beast! My favourite read aloud poem is still Dahl’s The Anteater. Clementine Rose loves poems too and I thought I’d share this one with you. It features in the back of Clementine Rose and the Famous Friend and was written by her favourite author, Agnes Wells (okay, maybe I wrote it and attributed it to Agnes Wells but it’s part of the story!). Perhaps you’d like to impress your family and friends (or your teacher) and challenge yourself to learn it off by heart with lots of expression and maybe even some actions to go with it. Enjoy!

The Book Bug

By Agnes Wells (aka Jacqueline Harvey)

One morning snuggled in my bed

A little bug appeared and said,

‘I see that you have learned a lot

Since you were just a tiny tot.

You crawled, then walked and now you run

It’s time for you to have more fun.

I have so many friends to share:

Three bears and a girl with curly hair;

A crazy fellow called McGee,

Who has a fight with biting fleas;

There’s Charlie making sweets galore;

Wild things on boats and so much more.’

‘Hurry up and take a look

Inside this lovely picture book.

You can travel far and wide,

If you pretend it’s you inside.

I know it really is bizarre,

How at your age you can drive a car,

Or fight a monster, or save a life,

You can get yourself in lots of strife.

And just as quick, you save the day

And make the bad things go away.

There are tales about most anything

To make you laugh and cry and sing.’

I told the bug that I’m too small

I won’t read books until I’m tall

He shook his head and frowned at me.

‘That’s just not true – you wait and see.

We’ll learn together from today

And next thing you’ll be on your way.’

I told the bug I’d try my best

In this love-of-reading quest.

I opened up a storybook

And crawled inside to take a look.

Suddenly I was right there,

Creeping down the little stairs.

There was a wolf outside the door,

He opened up his mouth to roar.

I scrambled up the chimney stack

Jumped off the roof and out the back,

Racing through a forest tall,

Such an adventure for one so small

The little bug climbed off my bed,

And with a smile he softly said,

‘I think my job here is now done,

I’ve opened up a world of fun.

I’m sure that it has been quite painless,

To ignore me would be simply brainless.

You’re hooked and now I’m on my way

To find another kid who’ll play.

You’ve been bitten, that’s for sure,

The book bug will be back for more.

Just remember what I said

There is so much yet to be read.’

The little bug went on his way

And now I’m reading every day

He’s right you know, I’m on the hook

There’s nothing better than a book!