Misunderstood by his peers and plagued by loneliness and low self-esteem, Edward Lear spent much of his time in the company of children, composing poems and songs for their amusement. In a detailed introduction, Mendelson looks at Lear's serious and silly sides before selecting 15 limericks and 18 longer poems by the 19th-century wordsmith. With useful commentary on each poem and fabulous, swirling illustrations by Laura Huliska-Beit, this book is the perfect introduction to the nonsensical world of Edward Lear.