Judy Freeman's 150 Favorite Poetry Books for Children
RSSJudy Freeman, Curriculum Connections -- School Library Journal, 03/02/2010
When I started thinking about all of the many children’s poetry books that have given me great pleasure in my library career and my life, I decided to create a list of my 10 favorite titles. That was too hard, so I upped the number to 25, and then 50, but still, the list grew. Finally, I threw up my hands and decided to pick my best of the best, and then count how many I had. Below is the list of 150 books I can’t live without, a cornucopia of poetry that you can use to beef up your library collections, to introduce to your children (along with your own favorites I may have missed here), or to get over your own FOP (fear of poetry).
Adoff, Arnold. Chocolate Dreams. Illus. by Turi MacCombie. Lothrop, 1989. (Gr. 5-8)
Adoff, Arnold. Eats. Illus. by Susan Russo. Lothrop, 1979. (Gr. 2-6)
Adoff, Arnold. In for Winter, Out for Spring. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. Harcourt, 1991. (Gr. K-4)
Adoff, Arnold. Street Music: City Poems. Illus. by Karen Barbour. HarperCollins, 1995. (Gr. 2-6)
Agee, Jon. Orangutan Tongs: Poems to Tangle Your Tongue. Illus. by the author. Disney/Hyperion, 2009. (Gr. 1-5)
Alarcón, Francisco X. Angels Ride Bikes and Other Fall Poems / Los Ángeles Andan en Bicicleta y Otros Poems de Otoño. Illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez. Children's Book Press, 1999. (Gr. 2-6)
Andrews, Julie, and Emma Walton Hamilton, comps. Julie Andrews' Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies. Illus. by James McMullan. Little, Brown, 2009. (Gr. K-6)
Bodecker, N. M. Let's Marry Said the Cherry and Other Nonsense Poems. Illus. by the author. Atheneum, 1974. (Gr. K-5)
Booth, David, comp. Doctor Knickerbocker and Other Rhymes. Illus. by Maryann Kovalski. Ticknor & Fields, 1993. (Gr. 2-5)
Brewton, Sara, John E. Brewton, and G. Meredith Blackburn, III, comps. My Tang's Tungled and Other Ridiculous Situations. Illus. by Graham Booth. Crowell, 1973. (Gr. 2-6)
Briggs, Raymond, comp. The Mother Goose Treasury. Illus. by the author. Putnam, 1966. (Gr. PreK-2)Cleary, Brian P. Rainbow Soup: Adventures in Poetry. Illus. by Neal Layton. Carolrhoda, 2004. (Gr. 3-6)
Clements, Andrew. Dogku. Illus. by Tim Bowers. Simon & Schuster, 2007. (Gr. PreK-4)
Crews, Nina, comp. The Neighborhood Mother Goose. Illus. by the author. Greenwillow, 2004. (Gr. PreK-1)
De Paola, Tomie, comp. Tomie de Paola's Mother Goose. Illus. by Tomie de Paola. Putnam, 1985. (Gr. PreK-2)
Dillon, Leo, and Diane Dillon. To Everything There Is a Season. Illus. by the authors. Scholastic, 1998. (Gr. 1-6)
Eliot, T. S. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Illus. by Edward Gorey. Harcourt, 1982. (Gr. 4-6)
Feldman, Eve. Billy & Milly, Short & Silly. Illus. by Tuesday Mourning. Putnam, 2009. (Gr. PreK-2)Fleischman, Paul. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. Illus. by Eric Beddows. HarperCollins, 1988. (Gr. 3-8)
Florian, Douglas. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. Illus. by the author. Harcourt, 2007. (Gr. K-6)
Florian, Douglas. Insectlopedia: Poems and Paintings. Illus. by the author. Harcourt, 1998. (Gr. 2-6)
Franco, Betsy. Counting Our Way to the 100th Day! Illus. by Steven Salerno. McElderry, 2004. (Gr. PreK-3)
George, Kristine O'Connell. Fold Me a Poem. Illus. by Lauren Stringer. Harcourt, 2005. (Gr. 1-4)
George, Kristine O'Connell. Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems. Illus. by Barry Moser. Harcourt, 2004. (Gr. 2-6)
George, Kristine O'Connell. Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems. Illus. by Debbie Tilley. Clarion, 2002. (Gr. 5-7)
Graham, Joan Bransfied. Flicker Flash. Illus. by Nancy Davis. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. (Gr. 2-6)
Graham, Joan Bransfield. Splish Splash. Illus. by Steve Scott. Ticknor & Fields, 1994. (Gr. K-6)
Grandits, John. Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems. Illus. by the author. Clarion, 2007. (Gr. 5-9)
Grandits, John. Technically, It's Not My Fault: Concrete Poems. Illus. by the author. Clarion, 2004. (Gr. 4-7)
Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love. Illus. by Diane and Leo Dillon. Crowell, 1978. (Gr. 2-5)
Grimes, Nikki. Meet Danitra Brown. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. Lothrop, 1994. (Gr. 3-5)
Grimes, Nikki. My Man Blue. Illus. by Jerome Lagarrigue. Dial, 1999. (Gr. 3-6)
Grimes, Nikki. When Gorilla Goes Walking (Orchard, 2007; Gr. 2-5)
Harley, Avis. African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways. Photos. by Deborah Noyes. Candlewick, 2009. (Gr. 2-6)
Hirsch, Robin. FEG: Ridiculous Poems for Intelligent Children. Illus. by Ha. Little, Brown, 2002. (Gr. 5-8)Hoban, Russell. Egg Thoughts and Other Frances Songs. Illus. by Lillian Hoban. HarperCollins, 1972. (Gr. K-2)
Hoberman, Mary Ann. The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems. Illus. by Betty Fraser. Harcourt, 1998. (Gr. PreK-3)
Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together. Illus. by Michael Emberley. Little, Brown, 2001. (Gr. K-2)
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life. Illus. by Charlene Rendeiro. Boyds Mills, 1995. (Gr. 4-8)
Hopkins, Lee Bennett, comp. Click, Rumble, Roar: Poems about Machines. Photos by Anna Held Audette. Crowell, 1987. (Gr. 2-5)
Hopkins, Lee Bennett, comp. Oh, No! Where Are My Pants? And Other Disasters: Poems. Illus. by Wolf Erlbruch. HarperCollins, 2005. (Gr. 1-4)
Hughes, Langston. The Dream Keeper and Other Poems. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. Knopf, 1994. (Gr. 4-6)Igus, Toyomi, comp. I See the Rhythm. Illus. by Michele Wood. Children's Book Press, 1998. (Gr. 4-8)Janeczko, Paul B., comp. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Illus. by Chris Raschka. Candlewick, 2005. (Gr. 4-8)
Janeczko, Paul B., comp. A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems. Illus. by Chris Raschka. Candlewick, 2001. (Gr. 3-8)
Janeczko, Paul B., comp. A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout. Illus. by Chris Raschka. Candlewick, 2009. (Gr. 3-8)
Katz, Alan. I'm Still Here in the Bathtub: Brand New Silly Dilly Songs. Illus. by David Catrow. Simon & Schuster, 2003. (Gr. PreK-3)
Katz, Alan. Oops! Illus. by Edward Koren. McElderry, 2008. (Gr. 1-5)
Katz, Susan. Oh, Theodore: Guinea Pig Poems. Illus. by Stacey Schuett. Clarion, 2007. (Gr. K-4)
Kennedy, Caroline, comp. A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children. Illus. by John J Muth. Hyperion, 2005. (Gr. 1-6)
Kennedy, X. J. Brats. Illus. by James Watts. McElderry, 1986. (Gr. 3-6)
Kennedy, X. J., comp. Knock at a Star: A Child's Introduction to Poetry. Illus. by Karen Weinhaus. Little, Brown, 1982. (Gr. 4-6)
Kirk, Daniel. Dogs Rule! Illus. by the author. Hyperion, 2003. (Gr. PreK-6)
Kirk, Daniel. Go! Illus. by the author. Hyperion, 2001. (Gr. PreK-3)
Koontz, Dean. The Paper Doorway: Funny Verse and Nothing Worse. Illus. by Phil Parks. HarperCollins, 2001. (Gr. 2-6)
Krull, Kathleen, comp. Gonna Sing My Head Off!: American Folk Songs for Children. Illus. by Allen Garns. Knopf, 1992. (Gr. K-5)
Lansky, Bruce, comp. Miles of Smiles: Kids Pick the Funniest Poems, Book #3. Illus. by Stephen Carpenter. Meadowbrook, 1998. (Gr. K-6)
Lear, Edward. How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear. Illus. by the author. Holiday House, 1982. (Gr. 4-6)
Lee, Dennis. Alligator Pie. Illus. by Frank Newfield. Houghton Mifflin, 1974. (Gr. PreK-4)
Lee, Dennis. Dinosaur Dinner (With a Slice of Alligator Pie). Illus. by Debbie Tilley. Knopf, 1997. (Gr. PreK-3)
Lewis, J. Patrick. A Hippopotamustn't and Other Animal Verses. Illus. by Victoria Chess. Dial, 1990. (Gr. 1-5)
Lewis, J. Patrick. Please Bury Me in the Library. Illus. by Kyle M. Stone. Harcourt, 2005. (Gr. 2-5)
Lewis, J. Patrick. Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles. Illus. by Lynn Munsinger. Chronicle, 2009. (Gr. 1-5)
Lewis, Richard, comp. Miracles: Poems by Children of the English-Speaking World. Simon & Schuster, 1966. (Gr. 1-6)
Lillegard, Dee. Wake Up House!: Rooms Full of Poems. Illus. by Don Carter. Knopf, 2000. (Gr. PreK-3)Lobel, Arnold. The Book of Pigericks. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins, 1983. (Gr. 2-6)
Lobel, Arnold. The Frogs and Toads All Sang. Illus. by Arnold Lobel and Adrianne Lobel. HarperCollins, 2009. (Gr. PreK-2)
Lobel, Arnold, comp. The Random House Book of Mother Goose. Illus. by Arnold Lobel. Random House, 1986. (Gr. PreK-2)
Lobel, Arnold. Whiskers & Rhymes. Illus. by the author. Greenwillow, 1985. (Gr. PreK-3)
Long, Sylvia, comp. Sylvia Long’s Mother Goose. Illus. by Sylvia Long. Chronicle, 1999. (Gr. PreK-1)Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. Illus. by Christopher Bing. Handprint, 2001. (Gr. 4-12)
Low, Alice. The Fastest Game on Two Feet: And Other Poems About How Sports Began. Illus. by John O'Brien. Holiday House, 2009. (Gr. 3-6)
Marshall, James, comp. James Marshall's Mother Goose. Illus. by James Marshall. Farrar, 1979. (Gr. PreK-1)
Martin, Bill, Jr., and Michael Sampson, comps. The Bill Martin Jr Big Book of Poetry. Illus. by Steven Kellogg and others. Simon & Schuster, 2008 (Gr. PreK-3)
McCord, David. One at a Time. Illus. by Henry B. Kane. Little, Brown, 1977. (Gr. K-4)
McMillan, Bruce. One Sun: A Book of Terse Verse. Photos. by the author. Holiday House, 1990. (Gr. PreK-2)
McNaughton, Colin. Making Friends with Frankenstein: A Book of Monstrous Poems and Pictures. Illus. by the author. Candlewick, 1994. (Gr. 2-6)
Medina, Jane. The Dream on Blanca's Wall: Poems in English and Spanish. Illus. by Robert Casilla. Wordsong/Boyds Mills, 2004. (Gr. 4-6)
Milne, A. A. Now We Are Six. Illus. by Ernest H. Shepard. Dutton, 1927. (PreK-4)
Milne, A. A. When We Were Very Young. Illus. by Ernest H. Shepard. Dutton, 1924. (PreK-4)
Moses, Will, comp. Will Moses Mother Goose. Illus. by Will Moses. Philomel, 2003. (Gr. PreK-1)
Moss, Jeff. Bone Poems. Illus. by Tom Leigh. Workman, 1997. (Gr. 3-5)
Moss, Jeff. The Butterfly Jar. Illus. by Chris Demarest. Bantam, 1989. (Gr. 2-6)
Myers, Christopher. Black Cat. Illus. by the author. Scholastic, 1999. (Gr. 3-6)
Ness, Evaline, comp. Amelia Mixed the Mustard and Other Poems. Illus. by the author. Scribner, 1975. (Gr. 2-5)
O'Neill, Mary. Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Color. Illus. by John Wallner. Doubleday, 1989. (Gr. PreK-3)
Opie, Iona, comp. Here Comes Mother Goose. Illus. by Rosemary Wells. Candlewick, 1999. (Gr. PreK-1)Opie, Iona, comp. My Very First Mother Goose. Illus. by Rosemary Wells. Candlewick, 1996. (Gr. PreK-1)Paxton, Tom. Aesop's Fables. Illus. by Robert Rayevsky. Morrow, 1988. (Gr. 3-6)
Prelutsky, Jack, comp. The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom. Illus. by Meilo So. Knopf, 1997. (Gr. 2-6)
Prelutsky, Jack. The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders. Illus. by Petra Mathers. Greenwillow, 2002. (Gr. PreK-3)Prelutsky, Jack. If Not for the Cat. Illus. by Ted Rand. Greenwillow, 2004. (Gr. 2-6)
Prelutsky, Jack. My Dog May Be a Genius. Illus. by James Stevenson. Greenwillow, 2008. (Gr. 1-5)Prelutsky, Jack. The New Kid on the Block. Illus. by James Stevenson. Greenwillow, 1984. (Gr. K-5)Prelutsky, Jack. A Pizza the Size of the Sun. Illus. by James Stevenson. Greenwillow, 1996. (Gr. 1-6)Prelutsky, Jack, comp. Poems of A. Nonny Mouse. Illus. by Henrik Drescher. Knopf, 1989. (Gr. K-4)Prelutsky, Jack, comp. The Random House Book of Poetry for Children. Illus. by Arnold Lobel. Random House, 1983. (Gr.1-5)
Prelutsky, Jack, comp. Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme. Illus. by Meilo So. Knopf, 2005. (Gr. 1-3)
Prelutsky, Jack. Rolling Harvey Down the Hill. Illus. by Victoria Chess. Greenwillow, 1980. (Gr. 2-4)Prelutsky, Jack, comp. The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury. Illus. by Meilo So. Knopf, 1999. (Gr. 1-6)
Prelutsky, Jack. Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast. Illus. by Arnold Lobel. Greenwillow, 1988. (Gr. 1-6)Prévert, Jacques. How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird. Illus. by Mordicai Gerstein. Roaring Brook, 2007. (Gr. K-6)Rex, Adam. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich: And Other Stories You're Sure to Like, Because They're All About Monsters, and Some of Them Are Also About Food. You Like Food, Don't You? Well, All Right Then. Illus. by the author. Harcourt, 2006. (Gr. 2-6)
Riley, James Whitcomb. The Gobble-Uns'll Git You Ef You Don't Watch Out. Illus. by Joel Schick. Lippincott, 1975. (Gr. 2-6)
Rockwell, Ann, comp. Gray Goose and Gander & Other Mother Goose Rhymes. Illus. by Ann Rockwell. Crowell, 1980. (Gr. PreK-1)
Rosen, Michael, comp. Walking the Bridge of Your Nose. Illus. by Chloë Cheese. Kingfisher, 1995. (Gr. 1-5)Rylant, Cynthia. Waiting to Waltz: A Childhood. Illus. by Stephen Gammell. Bradbury, 1984. (Gr. 5-8)Schertle, Alice. Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes. Illus. by Petra Mathers. Harcourt, 2009. (Gr. PreK-2)Schertle, Alice. How Now, Brown Cow? Illus. by Amanda Schaffer. Harcourt, 1994. (Gr. 1-6)Schlitz, Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village. Illus. by Robert Byrd. Candlewick, 2007. (Gr. 5-9)
Schnur, Steven. Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic. Illus. by Leslie Evans. Clarion, 1997. (Gr. 2-6)Schwartz, Alvin, comp. And the Green Grass Grew All Around: Folk Poetry from Everyone. Illus. by Sue Truesdale. HarperCollins, 1992. (Gr. 2-6)
Schwartz, Alvin, comp. I Saw You in the Bathtub and Other Folk Rhymes. Illus. by Syd Hoff. HarperCollins, 1989. (Gr. K-3)
Seeger, Ruth Crawford, comp. American Folk Songs for Children. Illus. by Barbara Cooney. Doubleday, 1948. (Gr. 2-6)
Sendak, Maurice. Chicken Soup with Rice Illus. by the author. HarperCollins, 1962. (Gr. PreK-2)
Seuss, Dr. The Cat in the Hat. Illus. by the author. Random House, 1957. (Gr. PreK-2)
Seuss, Dr. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Illus. by the author. Random House, 1957. (Gr. PreK-6)Shields, Carol Diggory. Brain Juice: American History Fresh Squeezed! Illus. by Richard Thompson. Handprint, 2002. (Gr. 3-6)
Shields, Carol Diggory. Brain Juice: English, Fresh Squeezed! Illus. by Richard Thompson. Handprint, 2004. (Gr. 3-6)
Shields, Carol Diggory. Brain Juice: Science Fresh Squeezed! Illus. by Richard Thompson. Handprint, 2003. (Gr. 3-6)
Sidman, Joyce. Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow. Illus. by Beth Krommes. Houghton Mifflin, 2006. (Gr. K-5)
Sidman, Joyce. This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin, 2007. (Gr. 4-7)
Siebert, Diane. Tour America: A Journey Through Poems and Art. Illus. by Stephen T. Johnson. Chronicle, 2006. (Gr. 3-8)
Sierra, Judy, comp. Schoolyard Rhymes: Kids' Own Rhymes for Rope Skipping, Hand Clapping, Ball Bouncing, and Just Plain Fun. Illus. by Melissa Sweet. Knopf, 2005. (Gr. 1-5)
Sierra, Judy. There's a Zoo in Room 22. Illus. by Barney Saltzberg. Harcourt, 2000. (Gr. 1-4)
Sierra, Judy. Wild About Books. Illus. by Marc Brown. Knopf, 2004. (Gr. PreK-2)
Silverstein, Shel. Falling Up. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins, 1996. (Gr. K-6)
Silverstein, Shel. A Light in the Attic. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins, 1981. (Gr. PreK-6)
Silverstein, Shel. Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins, 2005. (Gr. 2-6)
Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. Illus. by the author. HarperCollins, 1974. (Gr. PreK-6)
Singer, Marilyn. It's Hard to Read a Map with a Beagle on Your Lap. Illus. by Clement Oubrerie. Henry Holt, 1993. (Gr. 3-6)
Singer, Marilyn. Turtle in July. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. Macmillan, 1989. (Gr. 1-4)
Slier, Deborah, comp. Make a Joyful Sound: Poems by African American Poets. Illus. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. Scholastic, 1996. (Gr. 1-6)
Steptoe, Javaka, comp. In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers. Illus. by the author. Lee & Low, 1997. (Gr. 2-6)
Stevenson, James. Corn Chowder. Illus. by the author. Greenwillow, 2003. (Gr. 3-6)
Taback, Simms. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Illus. by the author. Viking, 1997. (Gr. PreK-2)
Thayer, Ernest Lawrence. Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888. Illus. by Christopher Bing. Handprint, 2000. (Gr. 2-Adult)
Tripp, Wallace, comp. A Great Big Ugly Man Came Up and Tied His Horse to Me: A Book of Nonsense Verse. Illus. by the author. Little, Brown, 1973. (Gr. K-3)
Updike, John. A Child's Calendar. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. Holiday House, 1999. (Gr. 1-6)
Viorst, Judith. If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries: Poems for Children and Their Parents. Illus. by Lynne Cherry. Atheneum, 1981. (Gr. 2-6)
Viorst, Judith. Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems for Children and Their Parents. Illus. by Richard Hull. Atheneum, 1995. (Gr. 2-6)
Whipple, Laura, comp. Eric Carle's Animals, Animals. Illus. by Eric Carle. Philomel, 1989. (Gr. K-4)Whipple, Laura, comp. Eric Carle's Dragons Dragons & Other Creatures That Never Were. Illus. by Eric Carle. Philomel, 1991. (Gr. 2-6)
Whipple, Laura. If the Shoe Fits: Voices from Cinderella. Illus. by Laura Beingessner. McElderry, 2002. (Gr. 4-8)
Winn, Marie, comp. The Fireside Book of Fun and Game Songs. Illus. by Whitney Darrow, Jr. Simon & Schuster, 1974. (Gr. PreK-6)
Withers, Carl, comp. A Rocket in My Pocket: The Rhymes and Chants of Young Americans. Illus. by Susanne Suba. Holt, 1948. (Gr. K-6)
Worth, Valerie. All the Small Poems and Fourteen More. Illus. by Natalie Babbitt. Farrar, 1994. (Gr. 2-6)Yolen, Jane. Alphabestiary: Animal Poems from A to Z. Illus. by Allan Eitzen. Boyds Mills, 1995. (Gr. 1-4)Yolen, Jane. Bird Watch: A Book of Poetry. Illus. by Ted Lewin. Philomel, 1990. (Gr. 3-6)
Yolen, Jane, and Andrew Fusek Peters, comps. Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry. Illus. by Polly Dunbar. Candlewick, 2007. (Gr. PreK-1)
Judy Freeman (www.JudyReadsBooks.com) is the author of Books Kids Will Sit Still For 3 (2006), The Winners Handbook: A Closer Look at Judy Freeman’s Top-Rated Children’s Books of 2008 (2009), and Once Upon a Time: Using Storytelling, Creative Drama, and Reader's Theater with Children in Grades PreK-6 (2007, all Libraries Unlimited), winner of the 2009 Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award. Her latest and most exciting project is writing children’s book reviews and other content for author James Patterson’s award-winning Web site for parents, teachers, and librarians.
