Farewell, National Poetry Month!

Another National Poetry Month has come and gone.  Despite NPM being officially over, I have one more poetry roundup post to present. After all, we should celebrate poetry every month! In the interest of time, I browsed through these collections rather than read each one through.

Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices


This is such a fun collection.  Poems are told through the perspective of sundry household appliances (vacuum cleaner) and animals (cow).  Anyone poem-searching to fulfill a memorization assignment would do well to browse through this collection: most are the ideal length to satisfy teachers' expectations and just as importantly, would be fun to perform.

Extra Innings: Baseball Poems


Baseball season is in full swing (groan), so this slim volume caught my eye.  Lee Bennett Hopkins is a master of poetry collections; if he's the editor or poet, you're in for a great read.  Poems reflect the excitement and drama of the game; the most famous baseball poem, "Casey at the Bat," is also included.

Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry


We have a handful of "first book of poetry" books, but this collection edited by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters is my favorite.  Illustrations and poems are balanced perfectly against wide, clear pages; the poems describe everyday delights, emotions, and observations of very young children.

Poetry Speaks to Children


This was on the New York Times Bestseller list when it was published in 2005.  Not surprising, given that it's a handsomely illustrated and constructed volume of classic and modern poetry. The CD contains many poems recorded by the authors, which adds to its appeal and depth.



Tra la! It's May!  I just delivered my children's/YA orders for May; many great reads are in store for our patrons!