Children around the world have heard of “The Owl and the Pussycat.” Perhaps they have even recounted the tale of “The Dong With a Luminous Nose” or “The Pobble Who Has No Toes”; maybe you have heard your own son or daughter singing along with “The Jumblies”: “They went to sea in a Sieve they did, In a Sieve they went to sea.” Edward Lear’s poetry and prose celebrates the unbridled joys of living and has influenced writers and illustrators as far-ranging as Terry Gilliam and Ricky Gervais. Nonsense Songs and Stories contains some of Lear’s best known poetry about real and imagined creatures, each characterized by the author’s irreverent view of the world and timeless, whimsical vision.

Whether you grew up with Lear’s flights of poetic fancy or a fan of his captivatingly clever illustrations, this volume is sure to delight, surprise, and inspire you.