The Sunshine Kid by Harry Baker
The Sunshine Kid is the debut poetry collection accompaniment to Harry Baker’s 5-Star Edinburgh Fringe shows, Harry Baker’s Super-Amazing Mega-Awesome Gap Year Adventures: Birth of a Champion and Proper Pop-Up Purple Paper People.
When it comes to modern poetry I’ll hang my head in shame and admit that I’m out of my depth. I’ve been moved to tears by Kate Tempest and been stunned into silent admiration by Lemn Sissay but that’s where my knowledge ends…until recently.
One evening my boyfriend introduced me to Harry Baker via YouTube videos of his poetry/rap battles.
After that, he sent me a photo of Dinosaur Love from The Sunshine Kid and since he left The Sunshine Kid at my house I’ve become a little smitten with Harry Baker’s style.
Being a maths student you’ll find plenty of figures in this book of verse but it’s Harry Baker’s puns that kills me. I couldn’t begin to do his work justice so please watch him reading A Team (dessert version), an Ed Sheeran parody, in the video below.
Sometimes you find a book that feels like it has a slither of you tucked between the pages. It ticks all your boxes, hell, maybe it was written just for you. As a lover of dinosaurs, the film Moon and with Where the Wild Things Are being one of my favourite picture books, this collection achieved just that.
From bumblebee puns and prime number love to Ed Sheeran inspired dessert poetry, The Sunshine Kid showcases the most fun side of poetry I’ve ever seen. The book is a wonderful mix of contradictions, it feels silly but is incredibly smart, it’s light-hearted yet holds real depth and while lulling you in with fun themes, it still leaves you thinking. If you’re looking to dip your toe into waters of fun modern poetry than there’s no better place to look than The Sunshine Kid by Harry Baker.
Buy your copy of The Sunshine Kid by Harry Baker now.
If you enjoyed this review try What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.