2002년 ＜계단＞ 외 4편으로 ≪아동문학평론≫ 동시 부문 신인상, 동시조집 ≪달콤한 내 꿀단지≫로 한국아동문학상을 받은 시인 조두현의 대표작 선집이다. 이 책에는 ＜자벌레＞, ＜계단＞ 등 시인이 가려 뽑은 대표 동시 100여 편이 수록되어 있다. 출판사 책 소개 지식을만드는지식 ‘한국동시문학선집’은 대한민국을 대표하는 111명의 동시인과 시공을 초월해 명작으로 살아남을 그들의 대표작 선집이다. 지식을만드는지식과 한국아동문학연구센터 공동 기획으로 4인의 기획위원이 작가를 선정했다. 작가가 직접 자신의 대표작을 고르고 자기소개를 썼다. 깊은 시선으로 그려진 작가 초상화가 곁들여졌다. 삽화를 없애고 텍스트만 제시, 전 연령층이 즐기는 동심의 문학이라는 동시의 본질을 추구했다. 작고 작가의 선집은 편저자가 작품을 선정하고 작가 소개를 집필했으며, 초판본의 표기를 살렸다.

시인의 말 ·····················xv 1부 엄마 이름 엄마 이름 ·····················3 경비원 아저씨 ···················5 담쟁이 넝쿨 ····················7 밤 ·························9 고속도로 ·····················10 시골 외갓집 ····················12 시골 아이 ·····················13 서울에 온 시골 파리 ················15 도봉산에 올라 ···················17 목욕탕에서 ····················19 어, 시원하다! ···················21 할머니 무덤 ····················22 청개구리 ·····················24 미영슈퍼 ·····················25 부메랑 ······················27 햄스터 ······················29 꽃밭 ·······················31 암벽등반 ·····················33 마네킹 ······················35 바이킹 ······················36 보도블록 ·····················38 딱따구리 ·····················40 지하철 출입구 ···················41 계단 ·······················43 아름이네 집 ····················45 2부 지하철 갈아타는 곳 지하철 갈아타는 곳 ················49 윈도 브러시 ····················50 입원실에서 ····················51 해바라기 ·····················52 도라지 ······················53 용암처럼 ·····················54 꿀단지 ······················55 엄친아 ······················56 별똥별처럼 ····················58 밸런타인데이 ···················59 곱슬머리 ·····················60 늦둥이 ······················61 내 별명 ······················62 상가 건물 ·····················64 헌 교과서 ·····················66 동네 약수터 ····················67 꽃향기 ······················69 바람 ·······················70 고추 ·······················71 아빠 구두 ·····················72 떡볶이 ······················73 단풍놀이 ·····················74 주말농장 ·····················75 시골 삼촌 ·····················77 봄날 ·······················78 3부 봄 잔디 봄 잔디 ······················81 꽃샘추위 ·····················83 솔잎 ·······················84 꽃 웃음 ······················85 로즈마리 ·····················87 절에는 ······················89 거제도 ······················91 가뭄 ·······················93 물난리 ······················94 아빠 고향 마을 ··················95 까치는 ······················96 자벌레 ······················97 바람의 놀이터 ···················98 바람처럼 ·····················100 바위 ·······················102 억새꽃 ······················103 가을 꽃밭 ····················104 밤송이 ······················105 갯국 ·······················107 갈대숲 ·····················109 첫서리 ······················111 산의 갈기 ····················113 겨울 꽃밭 ····················115 옛 도시 경주 ···················116 눈 더미 ·····················117 4부 경복궁 광화문 1 ·····················121 해태상 ······················123 영제교 ······················125 영제교 서수 ···················127 근정전 ······················129 일월오악도 ····················131 근정전 월대 ···················133 드므 ·······················135 석견 ·······················137 쇠고리 ······················139 경회루 ······················141 잉어대감 ····················143 사정전 ······················145 강녕전 ······················147 교태전 ······················149 아미산 ······················151 아미산 굴뚝 ···················153 자경전 ······················155 동궁 ·······················157 20리 시무나무 ··················159 건청궁 ······················161 향원정 ······················163 수라상 ······················165 동십자각 ·····················167 광화문 2 ····················169 조두현은 ·····················171 지은이 연보 ···················187

자벌레 한 발자국 더 넓어진 생태공원 산책길에 자벌레 한 마리가 가만가만 기어간다. 빼앗긴 제 땅 넓이를 온몸으로 측량한다. 계단 키가 똑같은 친구들끼리 밑에서 받쳐 주고 위에서 끌어 주며 굳게굳게 어깨동무한 우리 학교 돌계단. 하루 종일 친구들이 쿵쾅쿵쾅 뛰어도 선생님 뾰족구두가 얼굴을 콕콕 찔러도 끄떡 않고 버티는 든든한 디딤돌. 계단을 오르는 친구들마다 걸음걸이도 제각각, 발 모양도 제각각 마음의 생각도 모두 모두 다르지. 긴 방학은 계단들이 쉬는 시간 그래도 눈에 밟히는 친구들의 발바닥 잘 지내고 있을까, 얼마나 컸을까? 예쁜 얼굴처럼 발 모양도 예쁜 아름이 시커먼 운동화를 질질 끌고 다니는 철이 기다란 다리로 두 칸씩 뛰어오르는 석이…. 그중에서도 제일 마음 쓰이는 한솔이 짝다리. 한 칸 한 칸 힘겹게 오를 적마다 으?으? 힘찬 응원 보냈었는데 언제나 잃지 않는 미소는 여전한지.