April is National Poetry Month! Celebrate the power of words with all kinds of poetry and discover new poets ever day. Below are some of Lerner’s top fiction and nonfiction poetry titles to expand students’ understanding of the genre and to encourage their own creativity and curiosity.
Bo and the Poetry Lesson by Elliott Smith and illustrated by Subi Bosa
Interest Level: Grade 1 – Grade 3
Bo has to write a poem for school, but he thinks poetry is silly. See how he finds the right words to finish his assignment.
“[A] lot of fun, and very relatable.” — Book Riot
Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 6
How can we make the world a better place? This inspiring resource for middle-grade readers is organized as a dictionary; each entry presents a word related to creating a better world, such as ally, empathy, or respect. For each word, there is a poem, a quote from an inspiring person, a personal anecdote from the authors, and a “try it” prompt for an activity.
★ “Creates multiple pathways for engagement.” — starred, Publishers Weekly
Haiku, Ew!: Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Julia Patton
Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 5
Nature is beautiful! It’s magnificent! It’s amazing! And it’s also super gross! Fourteen hilariously icky haiku present the grosser side of nature. Check out flamingos that keep cool by pooping on their legs. And butterflies that emerge from oozy caterpillar soup. The haiku are accompanied by additional facts that will delight—and disgust—readers of all ages.
“Offers a crowd-pleasing angle on both nature and poetry.” — Kirkus Reviews
On a Flake-Flying Day: Watching Winter’s Wonders by Buffy Silverman
Interest Level: Grade PreK – Grade 3
From Buffy Silverman, author of On a Gold-Blooming Day and On a Snow-Melting Day, comes the third installment of a seasonal celebration. With winter’s arrival, plants and animals hunker down for the cold season. Rhyming text and eye-catching photos sparkle in this wonderful read-aloud that encourages kids to closely observe the natural world. Back matter offers more information on the featured animals, plants, and weather conditions.
“Ultimately, the incredible photography makes this book worthy of a spot on readers’ shelves, but the rhyming text and end notes certainly bolster its value. Breathtaking images and lively text.” –Kirkus Reviews
Good Night, Good Beach by Joy Cowley and illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper
Interest Level: Grade PreK – Grade 1
Summer holidays by the sea have a rhythm all their own. With a few resonant images Cowley takes us straight to the end of a long hot day with beach treasures under the pillow and the salty smell of the sea. The cadence of the final words echoes the shushing waves in a gentle signal of time for readers to sleep—“good day, good sea, good sand, good night”. This simple poem by internationally renowned Joy Cowley transports the reader to a childhood summer with language that asks to be read over and over. Hilary Jean Tapper’s warm watercolor and ink illustrations add an inclusive cast of extended family, friends and children of different ages.
“Tapper’s illustrations, simple yet lively ink drawings with soft watercolor washes, are particularly evocative of a child’s beach experience. . . A pleasing, summery picture book.” — Booklist
Where We Come From by John Coy, Shannon Gibney, Sun Yung Shin, and Diane Wilson, illustrated by Dion MBD
Interest Level: Grade K – Grade 4
In this unique collaboration, four authors lyrically explore where they each come from—literally and metaphorically. Richly layered illustrations connect past and present in this accessible and visually striking look at history, family, and identity.
★ “Outstanding in all ways, this title deserves a place in most collections and adds a wonderful opportunity for upper elementary students (and higher!) to unpack our complicated histories.” — starred, School Library Journal
Eating My Words: And 128 Other Poems by Brian P. Cleary
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8
Brian Cleary brings his trademark humor and wordplay to middle grade readers in this poetry collection. Featuring limericks, concrete poems, haiku, quatrains, acrostics, and much more, the book is in equal parts entertaining and educational. Spot illustrations accompany the poems, as do brief notes about poetic forms and poetic devices. An exceedingly accessible resource for poetry month—and all year round!
“The poet’s apparent preference for shorter forms may encourage reluctant readers to stay the course and inexperienced writers to stretch their language skills. The illustrations, which are likewise drawn from the earlier series, add comical cartoon spot art or riffs featuring a racially diverse cast of, mostly, children in various predicaments.”—Booklist
The Denim Diaries: A Memoir by Laurie Boyle Crompton
Interest Level: Grade 8 – Grade 12
With poignant verse, young adult author Laurie Boyle Crompton recounts her coming of age in rural Pennsylvania and her early twenties in New York City. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, Laurie struggles with sexual relationships, playing the role of happy family at church despite her parents’ fights at home, her father’s alcoholism, her own self-image, and squeezing into painful designer jeans. Crompton’s heartwarming and heartbreaking memoir follows her journey through disordered eating and sexual assault to recovery and acceptance.
★ “Crompton’s free verse gives readers a powerful view of her inner self-loathing until she learns to accept herself as she is. At times, this is a tough read, but Crompton’s candidly honest story will resonate with anyone struggling with self-image issues and difficult family relationships.” — starred, Booklist
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