"Try on Poem for Size!"
Selected by Lisa Von Drasek, Bank Street Library Children's Librarian.
Poetry month…we certainly don’t
have to wait all year to read poetry but it’s great to
have a whole month to celebrate the reading, the sharing,
and the writing of poetry. When and where? Everywhere! Try
a verse or two when waiting in line at the grocery store.
Memorize a few short ones to surprise and amaze when waiting
for those cookies to come out of the oven. Poetry can rhyme
or not, speak to deep emotions or lift us with light language
and witty wordplay. Don’t miss these recommended favorites
in verse available today!
Talking Like the Rain: A Read-To-Me Book of Poems
Selected by X. J. Kennedy, illustrated by Jane Dyer
Ages 3+
Over one hundred poems, some short, some long, in this oversized,
lushly illustrated collection. Old favorites like Purple Cow
and James James Morrison Morrison share pages with newer and
less familiar poems. Exquisitely laid out in categories guaranteed
to delight young children and their grownups. A terrific gift
book.
The Dragons Are Singing
by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Peter Sis
Ages 5+
I am waiting, waiting, waiting for my dragon egg to hatch,
I’ve been waiting, waiting, waiting for a year,
Ever since I found it hidden in my mother’s garden patch—
Now I think my baby dragon’s almost here.
Nasty dragons, computer dragons, silly and sick dragons, thunder
dragons, and pet dragons are gathered together and described
in infectious rhyme and accompanied with loving, detailed
oil and gouache paintings.
Little Dog and Duncan
by Kristine O'Connell George, illustrated by June Otani
Ages 5+
Guess who is coming to spend the night at Little Dog's house?
Duncan! The sequel to Little Dog Poems is just as engaging
as the original. Duncan, an Irish wolfhound, is sleeping over
at Little Dog’s. Little Dog’s little girl describes
the doggy companion’s activities in thirty brief, lighthearted
poems. Otani’s warm, sweet watercolors perfectly capture
their relationship, from the tilt of Duncan’s huge head
to the tip of Little Dog’s tiny tail. Perfect for reading
aloud and sharing with big groups or small.
Monster Goose
by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Jack E. Davis
Ages 5+
Mary had a vampire bat
His fur was black as night
He followed her to school one day
And promised not to bite.
Horrors! Mother Goose has been turned upside down and inside
out. Werewolf Bo Creep, Weird Mother Hubbard, and Little Miss
Mummy are just a few of horrible characters contained in this
fractured rhyming collection. Frightfully good fun from Sierra,
who thrilled us with Theres a Zoo in Room 22.
Mammalabilia: Poems and Paintings
by Douglas Florian
Ages 5+
I howl
I prowl
My growl is throaty
I love a vowel
For I am coyOoote
Twenty-one short, clever, fun-to-read animal poems accompanied
by witty, spirited paintings. Florian, a master of punning
and wordplay, will charm readers of all ages. Winner of the
Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College's 1999 Claudia
Lewis Award for best poetry book of the year. For more fun,
check out Florian's most recent addition to his poetic menagerie
Lizards, Frogs and Poliwogs.
A Poke in The I: A Collection of Concrete Poems
Selected by Paul Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka
Ages 5+
A concrete poem is one in which the layout of the words depict
the concept of the poem. This is a stunning and delightful
collection of visual poems. A Seeing Poem by Robert Froman
is laid out in the shape of a light bulb. Raschka’s mixed
media collage and paint style perfectly depict these poems.
An excellent jumping-off point for teachers and parents who
want to emphasize the fun in language play, and yes, kids
do try this at home. For more concrete poems, look for Outside
the Lines: Poetry at Play by Brad Burg.
Poetry by Heart: A Child's Book of Poems to Remember
Compliled by Liz Attenborough
Ages 9+
Over 100 poems were selected with the aim of children memorizing them. A poem learned by heart is yours forever. For waiting in lines, for astonishing friends, for sharing with loved ones. From William Blakes' The Tyger to e.e.cummings' maggie and milly and molly and may, a delightful assortment of gems illustrated by a variety of expressive artists.
Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart: The Story of Amber and Essie
told here in Poems and Pictures by Vera B. Williams.
Ages 9+
"Amber could write her name in script
Essie taught her." So begins this moving collection describing the lives of two
sisters, Essie who was tall and Amber who was small. These
short poems are filled with the joyous and sad moments in
the lives of two girls whose father is away and whose mother
struggles to make ends meet. We experience the comfort of
"Best Sandwich" and we find that Amber takes great
pleasure tossing a ball in the air, "Over, And over,
And over again, 150, she told Essie, that's my most ever"
Accompanied by an album of Caldecott honoree Williams' color
drawings, this is a perfect read-aloud that will be read over
and over again.
I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry
Edited by Catherine Clinton, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Ages 10+
This collection, packed with passionate words, resonates with
centuries of voices long denied. Recognizable names such as
W.E.B. Du Bois, Maya Angelou, Rita Dove, Gwendolyn Brooks,
Amiri Baraka, and Langston Hughes abound, while Lucy Terry's
Bars Fight, the first known poem composed by an African-American
may be unfamiliar. Clinton provides a concise biography of
each of the poets. Alcorn has created dramatic paintings to
accompany these literary masterpieces. Winner of the Children’s
Book Committee at Bank Street College’s 1998 Claudia
Lewis Award for best poetry book of the year.
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy
by Sonya Sones
Ages 12+
This series of poems features a thirteen-year-old protagonist
whose sister experiences a mental breakdown. The blank verse
is sharp and spare, yet captures the anguish of the whole
family’s suffering. Winner of the Children’s Book
Committee at Bank Street College’s 2000 Claudia Lewis
Award for best poetry book of the year.