The Book of Ballads, edited by Bon Gaultier [pseud.]

"The Book of Ballads," edited by Bon Gaultier, is a compilation of funny poems and spoofs from the 1800s. Penned by authors like Martin and Aytoun using the Bon Gaultier pen name, it makes fun of what was popular in books back then, like when stories made criminals seem cool and when writing was overly dramatic. This book is all about cleverly playing with ideas like knights, bad guys, and love stories, so it’s a fun read if you like jokes about books. Right from the start, the editor tells you how the poems came to be and that they were written together. He talks about how society at the time, especially how people were starting to admire criminals, made them want to write these funny verses. The beginning sets the stage for the book's light and witty style, getting readers ready for silly characters, like a lady from North Africa outsmarting a knight, and funny situations, like an American hero fighting a turtle.