Cuckoo Rock

At a time when playtime is sanitised and childhood as eroded as a blasted Tor, we need books like this. A unique collection of magical poems. -- Peter Dixon Cuckoo Rock lies just over the border from Charles Causley's Cornwall, and like that sly quiet Cornish master Phil Bowen lets the spirits of the place and the echoes of true folk songs lead him into curious and thrilling spaces just beneath the surface of our world. -- Philip Gross Phil Bowen's poems explode, dazzle, sing Cuckoo Rock and Ogre Boulder, bring on ghosts and splatfish, bouncing, mystery characters - Cool Julie Dooley, Bobby Bangle and Billy Bling, Demonica and more. Hectic, electric, fun on the run ... -- Katherine Gallagher Phil Bowen here displays a treasure trove of poetry. I recommend this book for readers of all ages. -- Emmeline Armitage At a time when playtime is sanitised and childhood as eroded as a blasted Tor, we need books like this. A unique collection of magical poems. -- Peter Dixon Cuckoo Rock lies just over the border from Charles Causley's Cornwall, and like that sly quiet Cornish master Phil Bowen lets the spirits of the place and the echoes of true folk songs lead him into curious and thrilling spaces just beneath the surface of our world. -- Philip Gross Phil Bowen's poems explode, dazzle, sing Cuckoo Rock and Ogre Boulder, bring on ghosts and splatfish, bouncing, mystery characters - Cool Julie Dooley, Bobby Bangle and Billy Bling, Demonica and more. Hectic, electric, fun on the run ... -- Katherine Gallagher Phil Bowen here displays a treasure trove of poetry. I recommend this book for readers of all ages. -- Emmeline Armitage

Cuckoo Rock creates a magical, elemental, questioning journey in search of a lost tomorrow through fire, earth, air and water meeting lots of wonderful knockabout musical characters on the way in poetry that is various, heartfelt, witty, skilfully rhymed and beautifully rhythmic.

Cuckoo Rock overlooks Magical Valley, the potato caves and Cuckootown. It is the most wondrous, magical place. It is where the Singing Nettles are heard by the Yaffling Tree, where the band Jasper, Jade and Jet play at Sparkling Pond and where The Cuckoo Man comes to meet Ivy from Ivybridge, Cool Julie Dooley plus Bobby Bangle and Billy Bling. It is a place where they all gather to dance and sing.

It is also the place where Zenna the Mermaid and the mysterious Dream Gatherer watch the hilarious Splatfish and amazing electric fish light up the glimmering aqua-marine water.

But darkness is on the horizon. Demonica, the evil Queen of the Demons wants to stop all the fun. Demonica – with her vicious cat Woof, her three threatening ghosts and the gloomy giant Ogre Rock – all cast a menacing shadow over the whole of the valley. And they have plans to make things worse.

What can be done to keep the valley good and not let it all go bad?