12 Poetry Books for Kids

I think poetry is one of the most feared versions of literature available. And I think there’s a reason for it. As a student in school you learn poetry and you have to find the deeper meaning of the words. Or you have to stand up and recite a memorized poem in front of the class. All of these things cause you associated poetry with work and (sometimes) terror, if you were like me and hated being the center of attention in the class.

But, poetry is so much more than that! It can be fun, exciting, silly, poignant, and so much more, but so many adults try to steer clear of it as much as possible. Today, for National Poetry Month, I’m sharing just a handful of beautiful books to introduce kids to poetry. To the ideas that poetry doesn’t have to be written by someone from 200 years ago, it can be enjoyable! With literally hundreds of poems between these 12 books, families are sure to find some poetry that makes them feel all the feels, makes them want to read more, and might even get them excited to read a novel in verse next! You can check out these novels in verse to get you started!

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12 Poetry Books for Kids

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! edited by J. Patrick Lewis

What could be better than cuddling up with your child and this book on your lap and allowing your imaginations to soar with the words and images? Lovingly selected by U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and paired with vibrant animal photography, this collection of poems is an exuberant celebration of the animal kingdom and a beautiful introduction to this genre of literature

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josée Masse

Once upon a time, Mirror Mirror, a brilliant book of fairy tale themed reversos–a poetic form in which the poem is presented forward and then backward–became a smashing success. Now a second book is here with more witty double takes on well-loved fairy tales such as Thumbelina and The Little Mermaid.

Read these clever poems from top to bottom and they mean one thing. Then reverse the lines and read from bottom to top and they mean something else–it is almost like magic!

Guess Who, Haiku by Deanna Caswell, illustrated by Bob Shea

Author Deanna Caswell’s playful take on the inventive Japanese form of poetry offers clues about the creatures hiding on every page in this creative and clever picture book of charmingly illustrated poems for the very young.

As readers meet a cow, a bee, a horse, a bird, a frog, a fish, a mouse, a cat, and a dog, they will be delighted to learn that they are the subject of the final poem. Parents will appreciate the simple guide to understanding the haiku.

Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry edited by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, illustrated by Euka Holmes

Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award–winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors’ hearts sing and their minds wonder. In this Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner, stunning mixed-media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, complete the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and perhaps even pick up a pen.

Poems Aloud: Poems Are For Reading Out Loud! by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett

In this wittily illustrated anthology of poems, designed to be read aloud, twenty poems arm children with techniques for lifting poetry off the page and performing with confidence.

Perfect for confident children and shy readers alike, this book teaches all sorts of clever ways to performing poetry. Children will learn 20 techniques for reading aloud by trying out 20 funny and thoughtful original poems by the much-loved and award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho.

There are tongue twisters, poems to project, poems to whisper, poems to make you laugh. There are poems to perform to a whole class and others to whisper in somebody’s ear. Richly textured, warm and stylish illustration by Daniel Gray-Barnett bring each page to life.

Poems Out Loud! First Poems to Read and Perform illustrated by Laurie Stansfield

From rockets to mermaids and everything in between, there’s something for everyone in this diverse and contemporary collection. Perfect for young children aged 4+ who are approaching poetry for the very first time, these poems can be performed out loud, shared with others or simply read in your head. Featuring award-winning poets, brand new voices, hip-hop artists and spoken-word performers, this is a wonderfully fresh, diverse and relevant new anthology that will get children laughing, thinking, sharing and performing! With gorgeous illustrations by Laurie Stansfield, and an accompanying CD that features performances from the poets themselves.

Poetry Comics by Grant Snider

From the cloud-gazing hours of early spring to the lost bicycles of late autumn, Grant Snider’s brilliantly illustrated Poetry Comics will take you climbing, floating, swimming, and tumbling through all the year’s ups, downs, and in-betweens. He proves that absolutely everything, momentous or minuscule, is worthy of attention, whether snail shells, building blocks, the lamented late bus, or the rare joy of unscuffed shoes. These poems explore everything you never thought to write a poem about, and they’re so fun to read you’ll want to write one yourself. Not to worry, there’s a poem for that, too!

Stomp and Chomp: My First Book of Dinosaurs by Simon Mole, illustrated by Matt Hunt

Did you know that Giganotosaurus had a tongue big enough to be your bed? That plant eaters evolved at different heights to assure there would be more than enough food for all—with each nibbling at a different point on the tree? Thirty exuberant poems, divided into four fact-packed sections, put readers up close and personal with species from T. rex and Triceratops to Stegosaurus and Velociraptor. Some have lines of terrible teeth, while others sport feathery peacock tails.

All thunder off the page in vibrant illustrations pitched to poems that ring with humor and heart, while relaying well-researched facts about dinosaur anatomy, diet, herd behavior, and more. Young devotees will demand to read this energetic tribute to the dinosaurs, in all their larger-than-life glory, over and over again. Back matter includes a time line and information about the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright! by Fiona Waters, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! is a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 animal poems—one for every day of the year. Filled with favorites and new discoveries written by a wide variety of poets, including William Blake, Christina Rosetti, Carl Sandburg, Grace Nichols, Matsuo Basho, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Lewis Carroll, Emily Dickinson, and many more. This is the perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or end of the day.

A Whale of a Time: Funny Poems for Each Day of the Year by Lou Peacock, illustrated by Matt Hunt

From the creators behind the award-winning anthologies Sing a Song of Seasons and Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright, this rib-tickling illustrated anthology is filled with unforgettable classics and new discoveries, including poetry in translation. 

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Julie Morstad

december 29
and i woke to a morning
that was quiet and white
the first snow
(just like magic) came on tip toes
overnight

Flowers blooming in sheets of snow make way for happy frogs dancing in the rain. Summer swims move over for autumn sweaters until the snow comes back again. In Julie Fogliano’s skilled hand and illustrated by Julie Morstad’s charming pictures, the seasons come to life in this gorgeous and comprehensive book of poetry.