Robert Burns: Maker of Rhymes

It was adventurous and, in his bicentenary year, fitting for Viking to publish a biography of Robert Burns for young readers. McNair has chosen to concentrate on some of the colourful events in Burns's life in a simplified form. But what will young readers make of his many dalliances, for example? How can the brilliance of 'The Twa Dogs', 'To a Mountain Daisy' and 'To a Mouse' be appreciated in half a dozen short paragraphs? In terms of the poetry, McNair has chosen to provide very short extracts presuming, I suppose, that more than four lines in Scots dialect would be too difficult for young English readers. This is irritating for her audience as they do not get a chance to read even a short lyric in its entirety. In fact, Burns has been well represented in anthologies of children's poetry since the early nineteenth century, so it should not be assumed his poetry is too challenging in language, theme or form. He wrote many songs whose appeal lies in simple, melodious language; this, and a delightful sense of fun, is what endears him to many young readers, but they don't get a chance of a real encounter with the poet here.