Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

The naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey -
All of them sensible everyday names.

So begins one of the best-known poetry collections of all time. The practical cats need no introduction, but this stunning new reading by Lemn Sissay brings the poems vibrantly alive to introduce a new generation of children to Eliot's work.

Lemn Sissay MBE is a poet, playwright and occasional broadcaster. He has read poetry all over the world and was the first poet commissioned to write for the London Olympics.

His Landmark Poems can be found in public spaces from The Royal Festival Hall in London to The British Council Offices in Addis Ababa. Lemn was official poet for The FA Cup 2015 and his Desert Island Discs was pick of the year for BBC Radio 4 2015.

Lemn is Chancellor of The University of Manchester, Patron of The Letterbox Club, Canterbury's Poet Laureate and Trustee of The Foundling Museum and Manchester International Festival.

Directed by James Lever.