Liking poetry is always subjective to the reader, and in the case of Ana Sampsons work I hardly find a time in which I haven’t submerged my being into the bindings she creates. As someone with a background in english literature I was initially drawn to these pieces due to their content yet I found myself enjoying then immensely more when placed alongside Chris Riddles beautiful illustrations.

A strong collection overall with few lapsing moments.

I have been reading selections over a period of time, reading poetry (or short stories!) all at one go for me at least is not a good idea, they begin to blur into one in the memory. And I think that is the best way to approach this, to dip into and enjoy selections, find connections. Have recently read the Rollright Stones which I lived near at one time and know the legend.

Firstly the illustrations are very good, well done and relevant to the stories, as always from Chris Riddell. The poems are mostly from an older age, some familiar, plenty by well=known poets and writers. The selection is generally good, perhaps some more modern takes would have been good.

As with any compilation it is hard to give full/top stars as there are elements that appeal more or less to me in the actual selections, and I'm sure that would be same in different ways for others. For those who are more specifically interested in the legends, all sections, to read and see the selection, I can imagine this would be a five star collection.

I’ve been looking for a good poetry book to get back into it, and this seemed the perfect one.
I really enjoyed the variety and the illustrations were perfect, and just completed the experience.

I loved this carefully gathered collection of incredible poems. I really appreciate the obvious love and effort put into making this book happen. Some poems I knew beforehand, some I read for the first time but I loved them all. I was especially happy finding my personal favourite, Nikita Gill in the collection. The illustration was fitting and so beautiful, it really added a lot to the poems and the two things worked together perfectly. This is a great read to anyone who likes poems.

I'm not a big reader of poetry but this collection catered directly to my interests in folklore and legend and has some beautiful artwork by Chris Riddell. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with these books.

Gorgeous illustrated poems for children and adults

The mark of a great illustrated book is the breadth of its audience. Books with pictures aren't just for kids, and Riddell's detailed images perfectly lift the already fascinating collection of poems selected by Sampson in the second of these anthologies. Wide-ranging in author, mood and cultural background, there is sure to be a poem to tickle your fancy, illuminate something you already know, or to raise a whole new train of exploration and reading.

A lovely, lovely book, words and pictures both: four stars.

Illustrated poetry about villains, heroes, quests, voyages, royalty, and beasts. Some poems were already known to me (Sylvia Path, Shakespeare, Keats, etc), but there were also new creative poems which flowed perfectly!

If you are worried poetry might be too boring for you - the illustrations are spectacularly interwoven and the poems cover well-known people, places, or places so it is easier to follow along!

My favourite was URBAN MYTH by Caroline Bird.

I don't even know if that's how planes work, or if gumming punctures keeps you airborne... We played our love like that for a while. Chewing then stoppering. A patch-up job cobbled in midair from whatever we had in our pockets at the time, fighting fire with blobs of miscellaneous optimism, aiming only for temporary insulation, to stopper the sky whistling through us, stay airborne, unofficial and miraculous, cork each new wound with a wad of sweetness freshly printed from the panic of our mouths.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Books for sending me an arc in exchange for a review!

First, i want to thank netgalley, macmillan's children books, Ana & Chris for the arc.⠀
Now, to the book. This is a recompilation of poems about heroes, saints & monsters, among others, where in poems we find new things, new aspects to this legends, new emotions, new authors describing the fantasies we know but we were never curious about or those we once obsessed over, that we still love, shining under a new light.⠀
I'm new to poetry so this might be a little short & rather to the point, but i deeply enjoyed the book, making connections to the characters i just new in passing, those i love since my childhood years, those i never read about. It was fun & refreshing, but perhaps one of the biggest things that draw me to this book was the illustrations by my all-time favourite illustrator, Chris Riddell. I do collect the books he illustrates like the little gems they are.⠀
Again, thank you to the author, the publisher & netgalley for the arc & i hope more of you give this book a chance, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰! Also, as a mythology obsessed girlie, please read Gods and Monsters as well.⠀

This anthology offers a delightful exploration of heroic and villainous themes through a diverse collection of poems. The accompanying illustrations are visually stunning, enhancing the overall reading experience. While individual preferences may vary, the selected poems are well-suited to the genre and provide a rich tapestry of narratives.

4.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to my besties at netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was an absolutely wonderful collection of poetry, the mix of older and modern pieces worked together so well. Riddell’s illustrations were just gorgeous, for pencil drawings they were still so rich with details. A really lovely lovely book, and I’d love to see the hard copy when it is released

*ARC received from Netgalley - all opinions are my own*

TL;DR: In Heroes and Villains there will surely be a poem for everyone, young and old! Chris Riddell's illustrations are also what make this collection and brings it to life. I can’t wait to get the hardback of this and get my hand on the others he has illustrated.
Review:

I’m so happy to have been approved to review this poetry collection as it’s not what I typically request. I would never have been introduced to Chris Riddell’s illustrations which would have been a travesty. His illustrations really brought these poems to life and some were framed so beautifully. Some notable favourites were Eldorado, The Moonlit Stream, Oweynagat, and The Saint and the Sky Serpent but there’s honestly so many to fall in love with.

Can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands!

I'm going to have a buy a paper copy of this one, aren't I?! Those illustrations from Chris Riddell are too wonderful to resist! The foreward from Ana Sampson sets the wonderful tone for this lively, inspiring collection. I love how the poems are organised into enticingly titled sections. A wonderful range, a great collection to be forever charmed by.
Emma Perry

This is a gorgeous collection of mythological poetry, a treasure trove featuring larger than life heroes and vain and vindictive Villains for young and older readers alike.
Poems by classic poets interweave seamlessly with modern poets and their take on the myths and legends.
Split into eight titled chapters that cover various themes, from Places of Power to Quests and Voyages. Some of my favourites were "I Wrapped Magic Around Me: Tricksters and Enchantments" and "A Cackling Crew of Rogues, Cheats and Misfits: Villains" oh and "The Whisper of Wing-Beats in Darkness: Beasts"
Within these chapters, the poems cover a range of different cultures, unique histories and mythologies, that is excellent. I loved the diversity that this anthology explored.
All perfectly brought to life by the truly beautiful illustrations by Chris Riddell, this book is worth it for these illustrations alone.

"Whenever a child overcomes her fears, Amelia climbs still."
I mean *goosebumps* right?!?
Taken from 'Amelia Earhart' by Mandy Coe, definitely one of my favourites from this collection as was 'Dragon's Breath' by Nikita Gill.
Reading these, made me sit up, made me feel. I think that's the beauty of poetry, it hits us all differently and can be so powerful, so empowering.
"Don't let a King
Or a prince
Or a fairytale
Tell you you are smaller than that
Or who you are meant to be."

Thank you Macmillan Children’s Books, Ana Sampson and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this eARC.

The illustrations alone make this book worth getting. I can imagine it as a great collection to browse through. I enjoyed how the sections were collected together and the themes explored even though many of the poems were not to my style taste.

A wonderful selection of poems, both old and new, Including classics by Keats and Shakespeare as well as some great new poets like Sarah Ziman.
A collection that makes you think and smile while teaching you all sorts from history and legendary times. It was lovely to see so many poems about women too. Great to share with children or to give as a gift to anyone. Highly recommended.

such beautiful moving poems, I loved them. this book caught my attention so fast on here and it certainly didn't disappoint. I also loved this book for the illustrations. I'm already familiar with Chris Riddel's work and that as a huge draw for me for this book

This is an exquisite selection of poems with Riddell’s unique style of illustrations.
The cover and the foreword are one of the best of their kind too.
Glad to see Ozymandias included.
Easily one of my favourite collections on this theme and of this kind ever.

A stunning book of poetry that’s beautifully illustrated. Although this is made for children I believe, I learnt and just generally enjoyed a lot myself

"When a girl faces her fears, Amelia climbs still."

I've read the other books in this 'series' and I can say they always feel like a treat. This one is no exception. They are a mixture of modern and older poetry and verse with beautiful illustrations by Chris Riddel. His illustration suits the timeless feel of these collections perfectly.

Sometimes there are lyrics included in these collections, but this one focuses much more on the poetry and because of the heroes and villains aspect, it makes it feel a little more elevated. I love that these collections can be read and enjoyed by any age group and will introduce readers, especially younger ones, to a lot of different concepts that they can go away and look into more on their own in an accessible way. This spans a wide range, but I loved the inclusion of Mulan, Rani Lakshmi Bai and a lot of welsh mythology including Saint David, Gruffydd ap Llwelyn and, my favourite, the reminder that Merlin is actually from Camarthen, in Wales.

I loved the illustrations - Seeing classic verse brought to life such as Ozymandias and The Skye boat song made those pieces very vivid and powerful. My favourite illustration was possibly a more lighthearted one however - The three drawings accompanying The queen of Sheba. The drawing of 'the lasses' really reminded me of Derry Girls, so that was a delight.

All in all, another lovely collection!

Thank you very much to Macmillan Children’s Books, Ana Sampson and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

What a fantastic collection of poems for young and older readers alike. Whether you already have knowledge of these legendary characters and places, or are experiencing them for the first time, Sampson has collected such a wonderful array of poems that there truly is something for everyone!
The mixture of classic poems from the likes of Shelley, Browning, Duffy and Shakespeare, fit seamlessly within the collection alongside newer poets and their own takes on these classic legends.
There is an excellent range of poems from different cultures and their legends explored within this anthology offering even the most knowledgable readers new and exciting insights into these rich histories.
All the poems chosen, whether modern or more traditional, are easily accessible to all readers and the exceptional talents of Chris Riddell only contributes to this further. His illustrations truly bring each poem to life and help to create such vivid images in the readers mind. With poems traditionally being a harder genre for children to access, these illustrations enrich the reading experience further.
Heroes and Villains is sure to be a go to text for teachers in the future to further enhance the understanding of these classic and more modern legends.