Monday, March 26, 2012

P is for Poetry: Perfect Poetry Picks for National Poetry Month

It's time to get ready for National Poetry Month which begins April 1st!

Reading poetry to children is a great way to introduce them to the use of language to describe feelings, places, and things.

Sadly, this book form is generally shelved away and forgotten in the stacks until it becomes required reading for a school English project.

That's where the fun part comes in!

Share this poetic literature with your child and add a new and  exciting genre to their repertoire.

The perfect way to do this would be by reading a poem a day with your child during National Poetry Month (April).

There are many types of poetry available: humorous such as those authored by Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky) to reflective. 

Your child will definitely enjoy the rhyming text and become more aware of the artistic elements and descriptive use of adjectives in the written word. 

Below you will  find  my "Perfect Poetry Picks for National Poetry Month."




Peaceful Pieces: Poems and Quilts About Peace by Anna Grossnickle Hines
Juvenile Non-fiction
J 811.54 Hin
Publication Date: 2011

This stunning book of poems is a triumphant compilation on the subject of peace.

Most impressive are the painstakingly-stitched quilt illustrations which add a luminous quality to the moving words penned by Ms. Hines.

The lovely applique work increases the beauty of the intricate designs that were created through the use of light, dark, and patterned fabrics.

 Two standout poems include the intense Calming the Busy Brain and the heartbreaking An Invitation.

Both of these poems showcase the need to relinquish our fears and emotions in order to invite peace within our hearts.

This earth-shattering collection should be read during a time of reflection when the reader can devote ample time to ponder the immensity of the subject.



Bookspeak: Poems about Books by Laurie Purdie Salas 
Picture Book (New Picture Books)
JE Salas
Publication Date: 2011

Bibliophiles rejoice!

The joys of a good book jump off the pages of this volume dedicated to verse about beloved books.

Purdie adds her own special touch of whimsy by incorporating subtle, yet intricate takes on such mundane subjects such as the lowly index in her educational and endearing poem, Index and a hysterical  ode to the middle of a book's inferiority complex in The Middle's Lament: A Poem for Three Voices.

The complexity and character which are shown in the author's radiant use of language can only be influenced by her love of the written word.

More books such as these are needed to help advocate the pleasure of reading a traditional paged book in this ever increasing digital world.




A Stick Is An Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play by Marilyn Singer
Juvenile Non-fiction (New Juvenile Non-fiction Books)
J 811 Sin
Publication Date: 2012

You'll be ready to dance in the sunlight and enjoy the curiosities of the outdoors after reading this book!

Author Marilyn Singer invites readers to remember the fun they had playing in the "great outdoors" during this festive, bouncy book of outdoor poems.

Bubbles gently flutter by during a "bubble match" between a brother and sister in the poem, Bubbles, and the wonders of catching fireflies on a sultry summer night is captured in Catching Fireflies.

This crisp and energetic poetry collection will bring out the inner child in all of us and will most assuredly become a beloved favorite.

 Click on the National Poetry Month Badge on the right-hand side of this page for more information about National Poetry Month from Poets.org!