 Roots
and Blues: A Celebration
by Arnold Adoff, R. Gregory Christie
Ages 8–12
Poems, poetic prose, and vibrant
paintings honor the legacy of blues music, from the slave
ships, to plantation fields, to chain gang labor, to
the energy of the juke joints. Words and illustrations
work together to portray the pain and misery and memories
and hope that was transformed by rhythm and harmony into
the music called the blues. |
|
 Children
of the World: How We Live, Learn, and Play in Poems, Drawings,
and Photographs
by Anthony Asael, Stephanie Rabemiafara
All ages
Children from 192 countries
around the world celebrate their homelands with words
and pictures. Candid photographs, maps, fun facts,
artwork, and poems bring the children from different
countries to life in this celebration of cultural differences
and the similarities of children all over the world. |
|
 How
Do I Love You?
by Marion Dane Bauer
Ages 3–5
This charming board book, inspired
by he poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, compares
a parent’s love to the constant nature of the natural
world. The beautifully simple illustrations complement
the text perfectly. |
|
 Shadow
by Marcia Brown
Caldecott Medal 1983
Ages 5–8
Marcia Brown’s stunning African-inspired
collage illustrations evoke the atmosphere and drama of a life
now haunted, now enchanted by Shadow. (translated by Marcia Brown
from the French poetry of Blaise Cendrars) |
|
 Kaleidoscope
Eyes
by Jen Bryant
Ages 9–13
In the summer of 1968, 13-year-old
Lyza and her friends search for Captain Kidd’s lost treasure
in their New Jersey neighborhood. Narrated in verse,
this novel has a strong sense of place and vividly portrays
a teenager’s conflicting emotions about the onset of
adulthood. |
|
 Because
I am Furniture
by Thalia Chaltas
Ages 12–up
Anke’s father is abusive to
her older brother and sister, but not to her. She is
invisible and helpless. Then Anke makes the volleyball
team at school and her confidence builds until she
begins to hope that her voice will soon be loud enough
to rescue everyone at home, including herself. This
powerful novel in poems is devastating yet offers empowerment
and hope. |
|
 Where
the Steps Were
by Andrea Cheng
Ages 6-up
Poetry: Novel in Verse
Five inner-city third-graders
prepare themselves for the demolition of their school.
Tribute to educators and children learning to overcome
obstacles and accept unwelcome change. |
|
 Joyful
Noise: Poems for Two Voices
by Paul Fleischman
Newbery Medal 1989
Ages 8–up
These poems about insects are designed
to be read aloud by two voices, bring the words to life. Eric
Beddows’s black-and-white drawings echo the realism and fanciful
nature of the poems. |
|
 Dinothesaurus:
Prehistoric Poems and Paintings
by Douglas Florian
Ages 6–up
These humorous and witty poems
and illustrations will appeal to dinosaur and word
lovers alike. The facts are accurate, and the combination
of poem and collage make them unforgettable. |
|
 Emma
Dilemma: Big Sister Poems
by Kristine O’Connell George,
Nancy Carpenter
Ages 6–9
Jess, a 4th grader, is often
frustrated by her pre-school aged sister Emma, who
copies everything Jess does and embarrasses her in
front of her friends. Jess has trouble accepting
that she is always expected to be a good big sister,
while Emma runs rampant over her life and privacy.
Vivid and frank poems present the pains and joys
of having a little sister. |
|
 Peaceful
Pieces: Poems and Quilts About Peace
by Anna Grossnickle Hines
Ages 4–8
Poems are paired with images
of hand-made quilts in this beautiful exploration of
peace. Ranging from individual relationships between
two feuding sisters to soldiers trying to recover from
war experiences, each poem/quilt combination is a reflection
on the theme of peace. |
|
 Brains
For Lunch: A Zombie Novel in Haiku?!
by K.A. Holt, Gahan Wilson
Ages 9–14
Loeb, a zombie, has a problem—the
object of his affection is a lifer (human) girl named
Siobhan. Narrated entirely in haiku, this clever novel
highlights the self-doubt and uncertainity all pre-teens
suffer through whether they are human or zombie. Delightfully
gruesome illustrations are the perfect match for the
funny and unconventional haiku, sure to appeal to teachers
of poetry and reluctant readers alike. |
|
 City
I Love
by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Marcellus
Hall
Ages 4–8
This poetry collection follows
a dog and bluebird who travel to famous cities around
the world. The reflective and humorous poems by Lee
Bennett Hopkins are illustrated with Marcellus Hall’s
lively watercolors. |
|
 Amazing
Faces
poems selected by Lee Bennett
Hopkins, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet
Ages 6–up
This collection of poems includes
character sketches and descriptions of multi-cultural
people from all over the United States. Soentpiet’s beautifully
lifelike and detailed watercolor illustrations zoom in
on the faces of the wide variety of people and scenes
depicted in the poems. |
|
 My
People
by Langston Hughes, Charles R. Smith
Jr.
Ages 4–8
Poetry
Smith’s sepia-toned photographs of African-Americans
illustrate Langston Hughes’s eloquent tribute to his people.
This beautiful book will be enjoyed over and over. |
|
 The
Negro Speaks of Rivers
by Langston Hughes, E.B. Lewis
Ages 4–8
Poetry
Luminous watercolors by E.B. Hughes of
rivers all over the world accompany the poem by Langston Hughes.
Together they portray the experiences of black people throughout
history. |
|
 A
Foot in the Mouth:
Poems
to Speak, Sing and Shout
edited by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated
by Chris Raschka
Ages 8–12
The poems in this book beg to be
read aloud. Included are rhyming poems, tongue twisters,
bilingual poems, dual voice poems, and poems that will
inspire kids to memorize and recite them. |
|
 Imaginary
Menagerie:
A
Book of Curious Creatures
by Julie Larios
Ages 4–9
Poetry
Julie Paschkis’s incredible gouache
paintings illustrate poems about creatures from mythology and
folklore. |
|
 River
of Words: Young
Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things
edited by Pamela Michael
Poetry for all ages
In 1995 Pamela Michael and
US Poet Laureate founded the River of Words project,
designed to connect student poetry and art to the natural
world around them. Divided into nine geographical areas
(California, Pacific Northwest, Inland West, Midwest,
Southwest, Northwest, Mid Atlantic, South, and International),
this book presents writers and artists from ages six
to 18. |
| |
|
 Inside
Out and Back Again
by Thanhha Lai
Ages 9–12
After her father has been missing
in action for nine years in the Vietnam War, 10-year-old
Hà, her mother, and her three older brothers flee to
Guam, eventually ending up in Alabama. Though finally
safe, Hà finds it difficult to master the new language
and customs, and is cruelly mocked by her classmates.
Befriended by a teacher who lost a son in Vietnam, Hà
gradually adjusts to her new life. Narrated in first
person free-verse poems, this poignant novel captures
the sense of alienation felt by many immigrants. |
|
 We
Are America: A Tribute from the Heart
by Walter Dean Myers, Christopher
Myers
Ages 7–12
Told in free verse poetry,
this moving book examines the people, ideals, and
promise of America. Moving along a rough chronological
path, the text and illustrations present the ordinary
and extraordinary people and the events that have
shaped America. |
|
 Sweethearts
of Rhythm
The Story of the Greatest
All-Girl Swing Band in the World
by Marilyn Nelson, Jerry Pinkney
Ages 10–up
Nelson’s poems and Pinkney’s
luminous paintings perfectly complement each other in
this tribute to an integrated female swing band that
toured the USA from the late 1930s to mid 1940s. Titled
after swing tunes, the 20 poems underscore the role of
music in bring joy and hope to an era haunted by war
and racism. |
|
 The
Carnival of the Animals
by Jack Prelutsky, Mary GrandPré
Ages 6–12
The animals are having a carnival,
and each arriving guest is celebrated with both music
and words in this book designed to introduce children
to classical music. New poems by Jack Prelutsky can
be enjoyed both by reading the book with exuberant
illustrations by Mary GrandPré, and by listening to
the accompanying CD, featuring the Württemberg
Chamber Orchestra performing the suite by Camille Saint-Saens
as Prelutsky reads the poems, which perfectly capture
the essence of each animal featured in the movements
of the music. |
|
 My
Dog May Be a Genius
by Jack Prelutsky
Ages 5-up
Poetry
Light verse by Prelutsky paired
with expressive cartoons by James Stevenson. |
|
 Frankenstein
Makes a Sandwich
by Adam Rex
Ages 5–10
This hilarious collection of illustrated
poems describes the lives of famous monsters. Kids will
love the effortless rhymes and the different art styles,
individually tailored for each creature. Great read-aloud. |
|
 Frankenstein
Takes the Cake
by Adam Rex
Ages 5–10
Frankenstein and his bride are
planning the wedding, but his best man, Dracula, is worried
about the garlic bread, and other B-movie monsters have
similar woes in this hilarious book of poems. |
|
 The
Cuckoo’s Haiku:
and
Other Birding Poems
by Michael J. Rosen, Stan Fellows
Ages 6–10
Poet and birder Rosen captures
the essence of more than 20 common North American birds.
Designed like a birding notebook, each haiku is accompanied
by Fellows’s beautiful watercolors of the birds in their
habitats plus notes about their behavior and traits. |
|
 Baby
Face:
A Book of Love for Baby
by Cynthia Rylant
Ages 1–5
Six poems celebrating universal
moments in a baby’s life are illustrated with Diane Goode’s
multiracial watercolors. |
|
 Freedom’s
a-Callin Me
by Ntozake Shange, Rod Brown
Ages 8–12
This book of illustrated poems
tell the story of slaves making their way to freedom
on the Underground Railroad. The horrors of the past
that haunt the slaves as well as the dangers of the
journey are clearly portrayed in this hauntingly beautiful
book. |
|
 We
Troubled the Waters
by Ntozake Shange, Rod Brown
Ages 9–12
This unflinching look at the
Civil Rights Movement by poet Ntozake Shange and artist
Rod Brown presents powerful scenes of the fight for justice
from 1941 to the present. |
|
 Red
Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors
by Joyce Sidman, Pamela Zagarenski
Ages 4–8
Stylized figures move through colorful
illustrations celebrating the four seasons. The unrhymed
poems are filled with imaginative uses of color words to
highlight each season. (2010 Caldecott Honor Book) |
|
 Dark
Emperor and Other Poems of the Night
by Joyce Sidman, Rick Allen
Ages 6–10
This collection of poems celebrates
nocturnal life in the forest from various point of
view including the prey of a horned owl, a baby porcupine,
a night spider, the moon. Each poem is illustrated
with a detailed print and accompanied by a short factual
note about the subject, beautifully blending poetry,
science, and art. |
|
 Ubiquitous:
Celebrating Nature’s Survivors
by Joyce Sidman, Beckie Prange
Ages 6–10
This book of poems pays tribute
to biologically successful life forms from lichens
to mollusks to ants to coyotes. Arranged in order of
each survivor’s first appearance, each spread features
fascinating facts, beautifully colored linocuts, and
a poem which echoes a trait of the subject. The melding
of art, science, and poetry stimulates the eye, ear,
and mind. |
|
 Don’t
Bump the Glump!
And Other Fantasies
by Shel Silverstein
All ages
Poetry
New edition of Silverstein’s 1964
collection of poems with his original watercolors of amazing
imaginary creatures. |
|
 Every
Thing On It
by Shel Silverstein
All ages
This posthumous book contains
more than one hundred and thirty never-before-seen
poems and drawings completed by Shel Silverstein, selected
by his family from his archives. The familiar design
echoes the successful format of earlier books. |
|
 Mirror
Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse
by Marilyn Singer, Josee Massee
Ages 7–up
This clever book of poems that
can be read forward and backwards, shows that there
can be more than one point of view in a fairy tale. “Mirror
Mirror” is narrated by Snow White in one direction,
and by the wicked queen in the other. “In the
Hood” features the wolf anticipating his next
meal one way, and Little Red Riding Hood reminding
herself not to dawdle on the way to Grandma’s. The
rich illustrations reflect the dual images of the poems.
Singer explains how to create a “reverso” poem
in an afterward that encourages readers to try their
own. |
|
 The
Dancing Pancake
by Eileen Spinelli, Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Ages 8–12
Bindi (11) had a normal and
happy life until her parents announced they were separating.
After her father moves to another city, Bindi’s mother
and aunt open a diner, The Dancing Pancake, to make
ends meet. Told entirely in verse from Bindi’s perspective,
this accessible book presents Bindi’s struggles to
deal with her new reality and her wildly changing emotional
state in a light-hearted way. |
|
 I
Can Be Anything!
by Jerry Spinelli, Jimmy Liao
Ages 3–6
Spinelli’s exuberant rhymes
and Liao’s energetic illustrations combine to take
the reader on a playful journey through all the wonderful
possibilities life has to offer. This imaginative book
is sure to please both young readers and the adults
that share the pleasure of reading with them. |
|
 Mama
Says: A Book of Love for Mothers and Sons
by Rob D. Walker
Ages 4–up
This beautiful book pairs a
series of poems with stunning illustrations to celebrate
the bond between mothers and sons. Each poem appears
in English and another language (Cherokee, Danish,
Hebrew, etc.). The often simple verses are rendered
powerful by the illustrations that provide a deeper
context. |
|
 A
Visit to William Blake’s Inn:
Poems
for Innocent and Experienced Travelers
by Nancy Willard
Newbery Medal 1982
Ages 10–up
In this fanciful book of poems, William
Blake runs an inn populated with guests and staff from his
famous poems. Imaginative illustrations by Martin Provensen
complement the catchy poems. |
|
 Make
Lemonade
by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Ages 12–up
This novel in blank verse tells the
story of LaVaughn, a bright and compassionate inner-city
14-year-old, who takes a babysitting job for Jolly, an abused
17-year-old single mother. LaVaughn is saving her money for
college and tries to convince Jolly to go back to school
in order to learn the skills to make a better life for herself
and her children. This very original and poignant novel is
full of hope and the belief that love and education can change
your life for the better. |
|
 True
Believer
by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Ages 14–up
Now 15, LaVaughn and her friends
struggle with their desire to save their bodies for the right
husband when he finally comes along. Her friends choose a
controlling religious group, but LaVaughn tries to find her
own way through studying for college. Her decision to improve
herself while leaving her friends behind causes tension and
trouble in this gripping blank verse narration. (sequel to Make
Lemonade) |
|
 A
Mirror to Nature:
Poems
About Reflection
by Jane Yolen, Jason Stemple
Ages 9–12
Water acts as a mirror for Stemple’s
beautiful color nature photographs. Yolen’s perfectly matched
poems echo the mood of each photograph, encouraging the reader
to see things in a new way. |
|
 My
Uncle Emily
by Jane Yolen, Nancy Carpenter
Ages 6–8
Thomas Gilbert (Gib) feels
he needs to defend his aunt Emily’s honor when his
classmates mock her reclusive nature. Uncle Emily (their
private nickname for her) gives Gib a poem to help
him understand how to tell his family the truth about
the fight while preserving his integrity. This book
uses real-life encounters between aunt and nephew to
explore the role of poetry in human life. |
|
 Switching
on the Moon: A Very First Book of Bedtime Poems
collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew
Fusek Peters, G. Brian Karas
Ages Birth–5
This collection of 60 poems
celebrates the universality of bedtime. Dreamy
mixed-media illustrations by G. Brian Karas accompany
the verses ranging from masters like Alfred, Lord
Tennyson and Sylvia Plath to contemporary poets
like Lee Bennett Hopkins and Children’s Poet Laureate
Mary Ann Hoberman. |
|
 Steady
Hands:
Poems
About Work
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, Megan Halsey
and Sean Addy
Ages 9–12
Walt Whitman’s “I Hear
America Singing,” these free-verse poems celebrate
workers and the work they do. Many different jobs are
featured: baker, dog-walker, exterminator, film maker.
The collages by Halsey and Addy highlight the active
nature of work and workers. |
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