The Square Book of Animals

This charming collection presents a parade of familiar farm and countryside animals in witty, playful verse. A loyal bulldog guards the gate, a mischievous cat carries nine tails, a hen makes egg collecting easy, and a learned pig contemplates philosophy from the sty. Each creature is given a distinct personality, turning everyday scenes into clever little portraits with plenty of humor.

The poems also range beyond the farmyard, celebrating a swan’s vanity, a lamb’s extraordinary tameness, a hardworking goat, and a duck whose namesake recalls naval history. Light satire gives the animals human habits and shortcomings, while the lively rhymes keep the tone accessible for family listening. As evening settles over the fields, the collection closes on a gentle reflection about rest, leaving listeners with the peaceful feeling of a farm growing quiet at day’s end.