Poetry at Play
April 2015
Did you know that there are over 50 different poetry forms? From Acrostic (a form for hidden messages) to Villanelle (Five tercets followed by a quatrain) poetry is an infinitely flexible art form that uses not only the written word, but sound and visual layout to share images, feelings, or action. It’s easy to be intimidated by the very formal and strict classical forms or the abstract modern poems. But like a stranger becoming a friend once you start reading poetry and get to know a poem, they can touch you emotionally and stay with you for years.
In April, we celebrate National Poetry Month and I hope this list of children’s poetry and novels in verse will inspire you to celebrate poetry with the young readers (or readers-to-be) in your life. Helping children become familiar and comfortable with poetry at a young age can inspire creativity, open their minds to different ways of looking at things, or at the very least prevent that feeling of intimidation when they get to that high school English class.
Poetry Collections
Big, Bad, and a Little Bit Scary: poems that bite back! illustrated by Wade Zahares
Bristling with sly humor and just a hint of danger, this irresistible collection of poems pays homage to everyone's favorite members of the animal kingdom-the bullies! Readers will squirm with delight as snakes, alligators, panthers, vultures, sharks, and more slither, stalk, and swoop their way through the pages.
Edgar Allan Poe's Pie: math puzzlers in classic poems written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Michael H. Slack
There is no reason poetry should be restricted to English class. Poe is one of my favorite poets and here some of his poems are used to stretch the mathematical mind. So if you have a small mathematician who is balking at reading poetry or a word-lover who stumbles over numbers, lure them in with what they love and expand their horizons with this collection of poetry math problems. (Answers are provided)
It's Raining Pigs & Noodles: poems by Jack Prelutsky and drawings by James Stevenson
A collection of humorous poems such as "The Dancing Hippopotami," "You Can't Make Me Eat That," "My Father's Name is Sasquatch," and "Dear Wumbledeedumble." Use this collection by Prelutsky to induce giggling fits in even the most grumpy of children.
![A Light in the Attic [sound recording (CD)] poetry by and performed by Shel Silverstein](http://www.syndetics.com/index.php?client=bccls&isbn=0060256737/mc.gif)
A Light in the Attic [sound recording (CD)] poetry by and performed by Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein is an incredible poet and his A Light in the Attic is one of my favorite collections of poetry for children. This CD has some of his best poems read by the poet himself. Listening to this CD together would be a great treat at the end of the day and will remind everyone that some words are meant to be heard as well as read.
Love to Mamá: a tribute to mothers - edited by Pat Mora and illustrated by Paula Barragón
A volume dedicated to mothers written by Hispanic-American poets. Maybe pick one to recite to grandmamma or mama on Mother’s Day, it’s coming up soon and what mother wouldn’t love a poem recited to them by a loved one.
Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young selected by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Marc Brown
A collection of more than 200 short poems by both known and anonymous American and English authors holds a little of this and a little of that. You are sure to find something pleasing both to you and your young listener in this collection of poems to read aloud.
Switching on the Moon: a very first book of bedtime poems collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters and illustrated by G. Brian Karas
A collection of poems to share with young children at bedtime. These poems make an easy chaser to your favorite bedtime story or read a bunch of them as a nice way to wind down at the end of the day.
Different Styles of Poetry - New & Old
Hi, Koo! A year of seasons by Jon J. Muth
Haiku is an ancient and traditional poetry form from Japan, but many modern poets have adopted it for children’s poems. This collection blends the tradition of Haiku as poems about nature with a modern esthetic to create a great introduction to the form for young poetry fans.
Lemonade, and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word by Bob Raczka with illustrations by Nancy Doniger
Fun and funny poems done in a unique way. Pick a word, any word, and use just the letters in that word to write a poem. Does it sound easy? Read a few by Bob Raczka and then try a few with your favorite poet in training.
Ode to a Commode: concrete poems by Brian P. Cleary and illustrated by Andy Rowland
American poet Cleary creates pictures with his poems in more ways than one. In a style known as Concrete Poetry, Cleary writes his poems in a shape that works with the words of the poem to help create an effect for the readers. Can the meaning of a poem be changed just by how it is presented?
Orangutan Tongs: poems to tangle your tongue by Jon Agee
Working on speech or just having fun, these tongue twisters will provide a giggle or three. Young poem enthusiasts will enjoy learning these tongue twisters and will also enjoy watching their favorite adults fumble through them the first time. It’s good to remind children that even everyone makes mistakes and it’s ok not to be perfect.
Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and illustrated by Ted Rand
The famous narrative poem recreates Paul Revere's mid-night ride in 1775 to warn the people of the Boston countryside that the British were coming. The historic details may not be perfect, but it is due in part to telling this story through poetry that Revere’s name is remembered as well as the historic ride that he took while the two men he rode with, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott, are sometimes no more than a footnote in history books.
Rebus Riot by Bonnie Christensen
Rebus poetry is a great way to share poems with children who are not reading independently yet. This riotous collection of poems uses pictures in place of some words. Read together with children working on pre-literacy skills this can become a fun guessing game and join reading experience!
The Song of Hiawatha: selections from the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and illustrated by Margaret Early
Another great narrative poem to share with young readers, a retelling of the great feats of Hiawatha, the Indian brave whose magical powers helped him protect his people from harm.
Novels in Verse
Brains for lunch: a zombie novel in haiku?! by K.A. Holt and illustrated by Gahan Wilson
Just in case you thought all novels in verse had to be serous, we had to include this novel written totally in haiku and set at a middle school populated with zombies, blood-sucking chupacabras, and humans. Siobhan, a “lifer” and Loeb, a zombie who likes to write haiku, share an attraction.
Gone Fishing by Tamera Will Wissinger
In this novel told through poems, nine-year-old Sam loves fishing with his dad, so when his pesky little sister horns in on their fishing trip, he is none too pleased. This novel in verse is easily accessible for readers of early chapter books and is a great way to introduce novels in verse to young readers.
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
In a series of poems, eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life after the death of his parents, separation from his younger sister, living in a foster home, and finding his poetic voice at school.
May B. : A novel-in-verse by Caroline Starr Rose
When a failed wheat crop nearly bankrupts the Betterly family, Pa pulls twelve-year-old May from school and hires her out to a couple new to the Kansas frontier. It’s only 15 miles, but that is farther that May has been her whole life and when winter comes she has only herself to depend on for survival. A fast-paced novel which proves that poetry can be much more than pretty words and a choice which will please fans of Little House on the Prairie (historical fiction) or Hatchet (survival story) equally.
Rhyme Schemer by K.A. Holt
This is a novel in verse about Kevin's journey from bully to being bullied, as he learns about friendship, family, and his talent for poetry. For a slightly older crowd, this novel in verse can expose middle grade readers to a different way of looking at both poetry and fiction. The story is easy for many middle grade children to relate to and accessible poetry makes this a great choice for a first novel in verse experience.
Serafina's Promise: a novel in verse by Ann E. Burg
In a poor village outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Serafina works hard to help her family, but dreams of going to school and becoming a doctor. Emotion-packed poems tell the story of an eleven year old dealing with all the normal issues of growing up plus the complications of poverty and natural disasters. Your middle grade reader may not have experience with floods or earthquakes, but they will relate to having to take classes they don’t like and connecting with a beloved pet.
T4: a novel in verse by Ann Clare LeZotte
When the Nazi party takes control of Germany, thirteen-year-old Paula, who is deaf, finds her world-as-she-knows-it turned upside down, as she is taken into hiding to protect her from the new law nicknamed T4.
List created by:
Latricia Batchelor Markle
Children's Librarian, Tenafly Public Library
