8 Beautiful Poetry Books for Kids

World Make Way: New Poems Inspired by Art from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
A striking combination of art and poetry is presented in World Make Way. New poems were commissioned to accompany each featured piece of artwork from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Poems by Marilyn Singer and Elaine Magliaro stand side-by-side with art from Gustav Klimt and Han Gan, for example. A wonderful way to introduce children to both art and poetry and to encourage self expression through artwork and words.

Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People, by Jane Yolen, photography by Jason Stemple
The colors found in the nature photography of Jason Stemple, which include green, purple, orange, and blue, serve as inspiration for poet Jane Yolen, who captures the vibrant and myriad colors of the outside world in her words. A great book to read with your child before venturing outside to spot real life example of the many hues.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein, by Shel Silverstein
How can we write about children’s poetry books and not include Shel Silverstein? His imaginative and compelling poetry and drawings have stood the test of time and are at once entertaining and thought-provoking. This is a wonderful gift for baby showers or birthdays.

Silver Seeds, by Paul Paolilli and Dan Brewer, paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
Another fantastic introduction to poetry for children, Silver Seeds captures the beauty of a day, from dawn until a nighttime filled with stars. The authors take one word, such as Sun, and use the letters as the first word in each line of poetry. Children will be captivated by the art as well.

Cricket in the Thicket: Poems about Bugs by Carol Murray, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Cute and educational, Carol Murray’s poetry book about bugs is packed with delightful poems and interesting insect tidbits, plus wonderful art by Caldecott winner Melissa Sweet. Coverage of everything from crickets to ants to bumblebees and even the (probably not often celebrated) dung beetle, make this book a must for the kid who loves bugs!

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems, by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josée Massee
Reverso poems are when the first half of a poem means one thing, and then when read in reverse as the second half, it means another. Marilyn Singer brings this form of poetry to life in her book, Mirror Mirror, which tells the tales of fairy tales, from Little Red Riding Hood to Rapunzel. Kids and adults alike will be fascinated.

All the Small Poems and Fourteen More, by Valerie Worth, pictures by Natalie Babbitt
These poems are wonderful to read with children as they draw attention to everyday, seemingly insignificant things like beetles and tigers and kaleidescopes, and make the reader consider them again in a new light. These gems are a joy to read.

Poem-mobiles: Crazy Car Poems by J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian, pictures by Jeremy Holmes
Fantastic illustrations by Jeremy Holmes bring these imaginative car poems (who wouldn’t love to read about a “dragonwagon” and an “eel-ectric” car?) to life. Penned by former U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis, and acclaimed poet, Douglas Florian, this book of original poetry sings.