THE ASPHALT OCTOPUS Lola Sneyd. Illustrated by Doug Sneyd. Toronto, Simon & Pierre, c1982. 63pp, paper, $6.95. ISBN 0-88924-130-9. Grades 4 and up. Reviewed by Gudrun Wight. Volume 12 Number 2 1984 March A modern child's view of the world is intriguingly presented in these thirty-three poems, most of them rhymed. Watching a sidewalk under construction, skipping stones on water, comparing a mighty sneeze to a space-ship launching, the topics generally are fresh and unusual as subjects for children's poetry, and yet they deal with matters familiar to a child, either through personal experience or through watching television. Originality of perception is what particularly distinguishes this collection, an originality augmented by a keen sense of humour. Vivid similes and metaphors, as well as apt employment of onomatopoeia and alliteration, heighten the appeal to a child's senses. Each poem is enhanced by Doug Sneyd's interesting line drawing on the opposite page. Regrettably, six of the poems might have been improved by further editing. In these, sometimes the rhythm is jerky, the' rhyme seems forced, and outmoded constructions such as, "In haste I did retreat" jar the modern ear. These faults, however, are offset by the poet's freshness of vision and her sure knowledge of what children enjoy. I recommend the purchase of this collection for elementary school libraries and for children's departments in public libraries. Gudrun Wight, Faculty of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.