It’s important to introduce children to poetry at a young age. Plant seeds while they’re young that may mature into a love for poetry as they get older. Begin with nursery rhymes, and then move along to poetry from books like the ones showcased below. 

Emma and I have enjoyed reading these over the years, and we think you and your kids will, too. 

 

Poetry for Kids

Children’s Poetry Books

A Child’s Book of Poems

William Blake, Kate Greenaway, Emily Dickinson: the writers in this charming anthology of 200 poems—first published in 1969—are among literature’s most beloved. And Gyo Fujikawa’s appealing illustrations depict children of all races sweetly interacting, as well as an engagingly rendered menagerie of animals and the natural world in all its wonderment. Among the verses that children will love are Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Christmas Bells,” Lewis Carroll’s “The Melancholy Pig,” and Eugene Fields’ “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod,” along with proverbs, limericks, nursery rhymes, and folk songs.

Where the Sidewalk Ends  {This one is a family favorite in our house!}

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer,
A wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er,
A magic bean buyer . . .

Come in . . . for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein’s world begins. You’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

A Child’s Garden of Verses

Here is a delightful look at childhood, written by master poet and storyteller Robert Louis Stevenson. In this collection of sixty-six poems, Stevenson recalls the joys of his childhood, from sailing boats down a river, to waiting for the lamplighter, to sailing off to foreign lands in his imagination. Tasha Tudor’s watercolor paintings evoke a simpler time in the past, and celebrate two of the things she loves most — children and nature. Her talents are the perfect match for these inspiring poems, making this a handsome gift edition that will be cherished by families for generations.

The Random House Book of Poetry for Children {This is another family favorite!}

A generous collection with a distinctly upbeat tone, this gives a taste of the best poets writing for children over the last several decades. Lobel’s drawings imbue the whole with action and graphic images as inventive as the verse. Successfully geared to meet home, school, and library needs.

Poetry for Young People Series {Each book focuses on a different author. I recommend these for upper elementary.}

Each book includes a brief biography of the poet and a short index. Ages 10-up.

Now, it’s time for this week’s What to Read Wednesday link up. Last week’s most popular post was I Love My Family at Fun with a Message. This week, we’d love to see what you are reading. Our link-up is open to all family-friendly children’s literature related posts. If you have one on your blog, share it here with us. We would love to see what you are reading, and you may be featured next week!

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