John Ormsby's discerning take on life in his first poetry outing will have readers snorting out loud during their morning commute. Everything's in play as the author takes deadly aim at, among other things, face-sniffing in Greenland, the inevitable dinner invitation from the cannibal next door and that age old question vexing the ballet world: is it time for something in a heel?

The titles themselves are a masterclass in wordplay and while the author flirts with nonsense verse, he never succumbs to it, preferring instead to wreak havoc within the language. Cleverly crafted verses skip and stomp to a blend of beats before ending in cool rhymes, making them a joy to read aloud. Younger readers will love the snap to each poem while older ones will appreciate the smirking satire. They say the best things in life come to those wait and John Ormsby's poems are no exception - the zinger lurks in the final verse - making getting there well worth the journey.

However there's more to this author who also touches upon conflict, family and bereavement. Here, he turns down the volume and slows the pace resulting in poignant, thought-provoking reading which may have you reaching for the tissues. And it's this manipulation of tone and subject matter which make him interesting; there's wit, style and confidence throughout. He's having the time of his life writing this stuff because he's a natural storyteller.

Beautifully illustrated by Andrea Benko, the spirit of each poem has been artfully captured with bold, colourful images which light up the pages. Benko's own subtle approach to differing themes complements the text wonderfully, producing both touching and hilarious results.

Zippy four-liners to more sobering compositions probing history, human behaviour, the natural world and more mean there's something for everyone in this eclectic collection.

John Ormsby's one big smarty-pants.

And he's just made poetry cool again.

* Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to Teenage Cancer Trust