The Right Kind of Cover - Literature Wales

“This poem is inspired by children who say they don’t like reading. I think I could have been one of those children if I hadn’t been for my sister. My mum was always trying to get me to read Enid Blyton books with titles like ‘The Famous Five Eat Buns in Dorset’ . The kids on the cover looked posh and mean. So I refused to read them and stuck to my comic which arrived every Wednesday and was the highlight of my week. But my older sister who was training to be a teacher knew lots of about children’s books and she brought me books that I LOVED. (Mum got it right when I was a teenager though…she bought me a complete set of Thomas Hardy’s novels and I adored them). Children need to be able to choose the books they want to read and to have plenty of different ones to choose from – fiction, non fiction, poetry, picture books EVERYTHING. Books need to show children of all sorts, from all backgrounds and cultures- finding a book that you recognise yourself in really helps to get you interested.”

They gave me a book with a dragon on the cover.

I said ‘Do I have scales? Find me another.’

They gave me a book with a palace on the cover

I said ‘I’m not putting on a crown. Find me another.’

They gave me a book with a pony on the cover

I said ‘I’m allergic to horses. Find me another.’

The books kept on coming one after another

Not one of them had an interesting cover.

Until my teacher said just take a look,

I think I’ve found your perfect book

I’d heard that before, so I rolled my eyes

But then I got a massive surprise,

‘Cos right there on the cover I could see

A kid who looked exactly like me.

I opened it up, and blow me down

The kid on the cover had stolen a crown,

That belonged to a dragon with eyes of flame,

Then escaped on a stallion that no one could tame!

It was so exciting I kept turning the pages

And read and read for ages and ages

That book was the first in a series of four

I’ve read every one and I’m dying for more

But while I wait for the author to finish another

I might read a book with something else on the cover.

– Nicola Davies, Children’s Laureate Wales 2025-2027

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