April 2021 marks the 25th annual celebration of National Poetry Month. Learn more about the art of poetry via the American Poetry Museum and these titles available at the Lititz Public Library.
Blooming beneath the sun / poems by Christina Rossetti ; art by Ashley Bryan – The world changes so quickly, but the joy and fun of being a child always remains. Christina Rossetti’s classic nursery rhymes have embodied the simple essence of childhood for centuries, and now award-winning illustrator Ashley Bryan brings new life to them with this wonderfully illustrated selection of Rossetti’s poetry.
Read-aloud rhymes for the very young / selected by Jack Prelutsky ; illustrated by Marc Brown ; with an introduction by Jim Trelease – A collection of more than 200 short poems by both known and anonymous American and English authors.
In the hollow of your hand : slave lullabies / collected Alice McGill ; pictures by Michael Cummings – A collection of lullabies orally transmitted by African-American slaves revealing their hardships and sorrows as well as soothing notes of well-being and belief in a better time to come.
Joyful noise : poems for two voices / Paul Fleischman ; illustrated by Eric Beddows – Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise. The poems resound with the pulse of the cicada and the drone of the honeybee. They can be fully appreciated by an individual reader, but they’re particularly striking when read aloud by two voices, making this an ideal pick for classroom use. Eric Beddows′s vibrant drawings send each insect soaring, spinning, or creeping off the page in its own unique way.
I am loved : poems / by Nikki Giovanni ; illustrations by Ashley Bryan – You are loved. You are loved. You are loved. As a bonus, one page is mirrored, so children reading the book can see exactly who is loved–themselves!
A humble life : plain poems / written by Linda Oatman High ; illustrated by Bill Farnsworth – Beautifully illustrated, A Humble Life captures with warmth and appreciation a year in the lives of Plain People – people in the Amish and Mennonite communities of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
Honey, I love / Eloise Greenfield ; illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist – A young girl expresses what she loves about life.
Cast away : poems for our time / Naomi Shihab Nye – Acclaimed poet and Young People’s Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye shines a spotlight on the things we cast away, from plastic water bottles to those less fortunate, in this collection of more than eighty original and never-before-published poems. A deeply moving, sometimes funny, and always provocative poetry collection for all ages.
Where the sidewalk ends : the poems & drawings of Shel Silverstein – Shel Silverstein’s masterful collection of poems and drawings stretches the bounds of imagination and will be cherished by readers of all ages.
Songs of our ancestors : poems about native Americans / by Mark Turcotte ; illustrated by Kathleen S. Presnell – A collection of more than twenty poems that focus on famous North American Indians and events in their history.
A beautiful day in the neighborhood : the poetry of Mister Rogers / lyrics by Fred Rogers ; illustrations by Luke Flowers – Through songs, puppets, and honest conversations, Mister Rogers instilled the values of kindness, patience, self-awareness, and self-esteem in his young viewers. But most of all, he taught children that they were loved, just by being who they were. Perfect for bedtime, sing-along, or quiet time alone, this beautiful book of meaningful poetry is the perfect gift for every child-including the child in every one of us
Lion of the sky : haiku for all seasons / Laura Purdie Salas ; illustrations by Merc©· L©đpez – Haiku meet riddles in this wonderful collection from Laura Purdie Salas. The poems celebrate the seasons and describe everything from an earthworm to a baseball to an apple to snow angels, alongside full-color illustrations.
A Child’s first book of poems / with pictures by Cyndy Szekeres -An illustrated collection of short poems on animals and other subjects by such authors as Aileen Fisher, Eleanor Farjeon, Christina Rossetti, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
The Random House book of poetry for children / selected and introduced by Jack Prelutsky ; illustrated by Arnold Lobel ; opening poems for each section especially written for this anthology by Jack Prelutsky – More than 550 poems by American, English, and anonymous authors.
Maples in the mist : children’s poems from the Tang Dynasty / translated by Minfong Ho ; illustrated by Jean & Mou-sien Tseng – A collection of short poems written over 1000 years ago by such poets of the Tang Dynasty as Li Po, Yin Luan, and Du Mu.
Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems : poems / Francisco X. Alarcón ; illustractions, Maya Christian Gonzalez = Jitomates risue nos y otros poemas de primavera : poemas / Francisco X. Alarcón ; ilustraciones, Maya Christina Gonzalez – A bilingual collection of humorous and serious poems about family, nature, and celebrations by a renowned Mexican American poet.
Cool salsa : bilingual poems on growing up Latino in the United States / edited by Lori M. Carlson ; introduction by Oscar Hijuelos – Here are the sights, sounds & smells of Latino culture in America in thirty-six vibrant, moving, angry, beautiful & varied voices, including Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Ana Castillo, Sandra Cisneros, Luis J. Rodriguez, Gary Soto & Martin Espada. Presented in both English & Spanish, each poem helps us to discover what it is like to grow up Hispanic in America.
Songs from the Baobab : African lullabies and nursery rhymes / songs collected by Chantal Grosléziat ; music arrangements by Paul Mindy ; book illustrated by Elodié Nouhen – Representing 11 languages originating from Central and West Africa and brought to life with lavish illustrations, this collection’s rhymes and lullabies soothe babies to sleep as the songs travel from one country and one language to another.
Colours of Islam / Dawud Wharnsby ; illustrated by Shireen Adams – Collects nine illustrated children’s poems that explore Islam and the diversity of its followers.
