A stunning gift book drawing together legendary poems - classic and contemporary - from around the world. Compiled by bestselling anthologist Ana Sampson and illustrated throughout in black and white by award-winning former children's laureate Chris Riddell.

Folklore and tales have been the lifeblood of every culture worldwide since the beginning of time. Similarly, legends have traversed this passage, believed to have a speck of truth nestled at their heart. Heroes and Villains pays homage to the glittering royal courts and journey through ancient landscapes and perilous voyages, meeting Arthur and Guinevere, the Queen of Sheba, Kubla Khan, Robin Hood, Joan of Arc, and Mulan along the way. In this poetry collection you will also meet mythical beings such as the phoenix, yeti, dragon and kraken, as we witness them leap from travellers' tales and compendiums into the world of verse.