Yet another unusual book of verse designed to encourage youngsters to read has been released by The King's England Press. Bitey the Veggie Vampire, featuring a whole host of weird poems for wacky children, has been compiled and illustrated by Chris White.

Chris has been wielding pen and airbrush for the past 15 years but this is his first collection of children's poetry. It fits perfectly the unconventional approach to children's literature favoured by The King's England Press, and here we meet not only Bitey but the equally oddball one-eyed hamster, Stumpy the one-legged pigeon, the passionate frogs Nigel and Frank, the "Bear in my Wardrobe" and Henry, the bald caterpillar.

Through all the zaniness there's plenty of cracking advice on life's more important matters.