National Poetry Month is in April. This is a month of celebration for all ages, but it can be hard to know where to start with kids. It won’t surprise you to know that I think the best place to start is with good books.
Below are some of my favorite poetry books for kids. Poetry is very subjective, but hopefully you’ll find something among these titles to share and love with your own children.
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The Best Poetry for Kids
During the month of April the goal is to read at least some poetry with your kiddos.
Read a picture book that uses a poem as the text.
Or start with maybe a poem a day. One of the collections below would be a great place to start.
Maybe a poem or two will inspire you to start writing your own.
Featured Authors
There are so many fantastic children’s book authors and illustrators and knowing the ones you love is liking finding a good friend. You trust their work. You turn to them for laughs or a good story.
Author Studies are a valuable tool for children. You can read the basics in this concise post from Teaching with Children’s Books.
I encourage you to dig deep with one or more of these authors during our reading challenge this month as we learn more about poetry.
Nikki Grimes
Nikki Grimes is a prolific author. She has written poems and books for all ages. On her website you can learn more about her life as an author, her books and more.
Books by Grimes
I have read and loved a lot of the books by Nikki Grimes, but two of my favorite poetry collections for kids are:
Is It Far to Zanzibar?
Shoe Magic
Marilyn Singer
Marilyn Singer is another writer with a huge collection of over 100 books for children. She is a great choice for a poetry author study. Explore her books and allow it to inspire you to play with different styles.
Books by Singer
Marilyn has a huge range of poetry books. These are two of our favorites, but for very different reasons.
Twosomes: Love Poems from the Animal Kingdom
9 Children’s Poetry Picture Books
To me, there are two main kinds of poetry books for kids. There are collections of poems for kids and then picture books written as a poem – or a poem adapted to be a picture book. This is a list of the second – lovely picture books that are a poem illustrated to tell a story. You can find my list of poetry collection favorites below.
1. Dogku
Written by Andrew Clements
Illustrated by Tim Bowers
A whole story wrote in a charming line of haiku poems. This is a sweet story about a stray dog and the family that adopts him. Although technically there is more than one poem in this book – they are built together to tell one story so I included it here.
2. Every Day Birds
Written by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Illustrated by Dylan Metrano
A nonfiction book about birds and a poem are paired with detailed cut paper illustrations in this book to create what is in my opinion a brilliant book. VanDerwater takes the every day birds in our life and creates something magical. She perfectly captures the delight with which children see the world and encourages us all to look more closely at the nature around us.
3. On Duck Pond
Written by Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Bob Marstall
Few in this world write with the beauty and ear for words the way Jane Yolen does time and time again. In this newer book, she takes a simple moment at a pond and turns it into an observation, a poem. A gentle book about a walk by a pond and how quickly things can change and how they can return to calm again.
4. When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
Written by Walt Whitman
Illustrated by Loren Long
The stunning paintings in this book take a beautiful poem and turn it into a work of art. I love the way this book depicts childhood and encourages dreaming.
5. I, Too, Am America
Written by Langston Hughes
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
A stunningly illustrated version of Langston Hughes’ brief, but poignant poem. Powerful and beautiful.
6. Before She Was Harriet
by Lesa Cline-Ransome
illustrated by James E. Ransome
This poem is about Harriet Tubman and the many roles and names she has held in her life. I thought I knew her whole story, but I learned new things about this incredible woman alongside my kids. A beautiful poem and gorgeous paintings.
Also Read: OF WALDEN POND by Lesa Cline-Ransome
7. Poetree
by Shauna LaVoy Reynolds illustrations by Shahrzad Maydani
This is a such a lovely book for poetry lovers. Or introduction to poetry for those not yet in love. A little girl writes a poem and gives it to the tree. The tree writes back. Small poems are shared throughout this gentle story about a girl, believing, creativity and friendship.
8. In Between
by April Pulley Sayre with Jeff Sayre
I am in love with this book. It is pure poetry, but reads like a picture book, a wonderful begging to be read aloud picture book. Photographs of animals of all kinds are paired with lovely text about the in betweens in life. How awkward and disconcerting they are, but also how incredibly universe. It is beautiful.
9. Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku
by Curtis Manley
illustrations by Jennifer K. Mann
This isn’t the first book I’ve read written in haiku (it’s not even the first on this booklist) but it is so much fun. It follows a child and his parents on a hike up a volcano. The text is all a stream of haikus. The illustrations are absolutely lovely. They feel childlike with their rough textures and I love the water scenes with the smudged reflections. A beautiful journey.
13 Picture Books with Many Poems
These are collections of poems – but smaller ones. They are contained within a picture book. A brief gathering of poems that are wonderful to share with young children.
1. Did You Hear What I Heard? Poems about School
Written by Kay Winters
Illustrated by Patrice Barton
A wonderful collection of poems about school for the first day, but also the entire year. The poems capture the humor, frustration, fears, and moments of a school year and a school child delightfully. The poem about your best friend moving away particularly spoke to me given our recent experiences moving. A great collection to have on your shelf.
2. Superlative Birds AND Amphibian Acrobats
written by Leslie Bulion
illustrated by Robert Meganck
This is a pair of books. Both are collections of poems about an animal topic. The first one was SUPERLATIVE BIRDS which is about the biggest, smallest, keenest, most anything you can imagine birds around. The second one is AMPHIBIAN ACROBATS which is all about the incredible movers, climbers, divers of the amphibian world. Both are fun to read. They include a huge variety of species, interesting information, and bright bold illustrations. At the backs are information about the poetic styles used throughout the books which would be great to include in a poetry unit. Delightful treats these are poetic and nonfiction that are so fun to share with kids.
Superlative Birds Online
Amphibian Acrobats Online
3. Incredible Inventions
Poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrations by Julia Sarcone-Roach
I love the topic of this collection. For kids who love tinkering and figuring thing out – this is a great collection to share. From the straw to the Ferris Wheel this covers a huge range of interesting inventions.
4. I Am the Book
Poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrated by Yayo
This is such a cozy collection of poems about books and reading. I love reading these and sharing them. A great book for cuddling up on a cozy couch.
5. The Bug in Teacher’s Coffee and Other School Poems
Written by Kalli Dakos
Illustrated by Mike Reed
This is a fun collection of easy to read poems about school. This is a great poetry book to share with early readers in first and second grade. They are brief enough for younger kids as well if you’re reading to siblings, but many of the topics might be less interesting to a kid who hasn’t been in school yet.
6. Animal Poems for Children
Selected by DeWitt Conyers
Illustrated by Ann Schweninger
I’ve had this one since I was a kid. This is a great one to share with little kids. The illustrations are sweet and the animal themed poems are gentle.
This one is out of print, but if you can find a used copy or one at your library, I recommend it.
7. Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
Written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth
Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
This is an interesting collection of poems because they mirror the style of famous poets. They cover three basic themes; Got Style?, In Your Shoes, and Thank You. They celebrate the style of everyone from Robert Frost and Langston Hughes to Rumi and Maya Angelou. These are all paired with bold, textured illustrations.
8. Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems
Written by Bob Raczka
I love sharing this poetry collection with kids because Raczka really plays around with what a poem is. His poems dance and zigzag all over the page in a way that is fun and inspiring.
9. Common Critters: The Wildlife in Your Neighborhood
Poems by Pat Brisson
Pictures by Dan Tavis
I always think helping kids explore their area and the creatures in their own backyard is a wonderful idea, but even more so in our current situation. We have been spending an abundance of time in our backyard and walking our neighborhood. This book of sweet poems about the earthworms, birds, and bugs crawling around us is just the delight we need right now. Even though, as the note states at the end, the pictures are unrealistic depictions of the critters I adore them. I was in love with this book before I even opened it because of that adorable bird on the cover. Then at the end there is more information about the different critters and about poetry that would support a poetry unit wonderfully in a classroom. From cover to cover, this is a playful, gentle collection of poems to share with any child.
10. Watch Me Bloom
by Krina Patel-Sage
The subtitle is “a Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists” which is adorable and spot on. It has a poem, a haiku, on each page for a different flower – 24 flowers in all. The poems are short and darling. The illustrations are vibrant. This is a fun nature themed book that is a treat for the senses.
11. Nana and Me: Special Poems Just for Us
by Jane Yolen
illustrated by Sejung Kim
This is a wonderfully sweet collection of poems about grandmothers with their grandchildren. It includes the wide variety of names we call our grandmas from oma to yaya to gigi and more. Jane Yolen is the ultimate poet for kids and would be a wonderful gift for any new grandma or to keep on your shelf for when your grandchild comes to visit.
12. Body Music: Poems About the Noises Your Body Makes
by Jane Yolen and Ryan G. Van Cleave
illustrated by Luis San Vicente
Snapping, farting, yawning…our bodies make a lot of noises. This collection of poems describes them all with upbeat, creative poems and pairs them with information about each. This is a fun book to read and would also make a playful addition to an anatomy unit for a classroom.
13. Champion Chompers, Super Stinkers and Other Poems by Extraordinary Animals
by Linda Ashman
illustrated by Aparna Varma
Linda Ashman is another must-read author of poetry for kids and this new book is just one more example. It is poems about the most, least, best, worst of the animal world. Each poem is paired after the page turn with nonfiction info about the animal described. A fantastic collection for animal fans.
5 Beautiful Poetry Collections for Kids
These are big book collections – bigger than a traditional picture book. These are more of an investment, but I think having one or two excellent collections of poetry is an important part ofa home bookshelf.
1. I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown Ups
Written by Chris Harris
Illustrated by Lane Smith
This newer collection of poems is just plain fun. It is silly. It is fun. It is full of poems, but they often break rules in the best possible ways. It is everything a book of poetry for kids should be.
2. Poems to Learn by Heart
Collected by Caroline Kennedy
Illustrated by Jon J Muth
A beautiful collection of poems on a range of child friendly topics. The gorgeous paintings are the highlight of this book for me. They are magical.
3. Bananas In My Ears
Written by Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
This is a quirky collection of poems, riddles, and more – which is probably obvious from the title. They discuss topics that kids will relate to from being sick to trips to the beach. I love the addition of Quentin Blakes comical and whimsical illustrations.
4. Something BIG Has Been Here
Poems by Jack Prelutsky
Drawings by James Stevenson
Really any of Jack Prelutsky’s collections are fun to share with kids. This is the well worn one on our shelf. Prelutsky is known for goofy, off the wall poems about childhood.
5. Book of Animal Poetry
by National Georgraphic
edited by J. Patrick Lewis
This is one of my daughter’s favorite books. If you have a child that loves animals, this is an amazing collection of poetry. There are so many amazing poems in this book and they are paired with stunning photographs.
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