The Phoenix abridged edition of The Collected Poems by Dylan Thomas is a pocket sized paperback similar to the Penguin 60s in size; and containing thirty-three of his finest and best known works sold in newsagents for around the same price as a hamburger, but infinitely more satisfying. ( )

From Independent Publisher
A scholar of poetry I am not, nor would a child be, but this is what is required to fully benefit from this dense book of words and imagery. Evocative though the poem may be, to present this poem in picture book form, as a story fit for children, is a stretch. Even the small typeface asks too much of the reader, it makes it clear that the poem's role is purely as a springboard to the illustrations.The art is undeniably arresting. Museum quality paintings rendered in a contrast of rich and ghostly hues adorn each page. Some evoke masters such as Picasso or Van Gogh, others take on a striking expressionist viewpoint. Whether the art would help a child understand the intricacies of the poem is questionable. Disjointed images such as the sleeping boy floating in the river may be more disturbing than enlightening. The horse motif emphasized in the art is both intriguing and baffling. Overall one has to question what a child would find of interest in a poem that reminisces about childhood. Such a nostalgic point of view is at odds with childhood itself. This book would be more suited for the coffee tables of literature majors than of the elementary age child for whom it was intended.