Let's Play!: Poems About Sports and Games from Around the World

Gr 3–6—This picture book compendium of sports and game poetry doesn't attempt to comprehensively detail every sport from around the world. Rather, as explained in the author's note, it simply highlights a variety of activities and sports, from video and board games to basketball, hockey, and baseball. Readers will enjoy these varied poems (free verse, concrete, haiku, and more) organized by theme. Educators can use this to their advantage by guiding readers to talk about how and why the poems are grouped. For example, soccer is placed on a spread with American football, and "Snakes and Ladders" is immediately followed by "Computer Game." The collagelike illustrations feature male and female characters as well as a diverse representation of the cultures from all over the globe. The book closes with a glossary that briefly explains each of the sports and games. This solid addition to poetry collections has potential for sparking discussion.—Andy Plemmons, David C. Barrow Elementary, Athens, GA