In one week, I will be launching a rocket, watching out for rattlesnakes, dancing ballet, singing like animals, toasting marshmallows, snapping like a shrimp and more! What? You guessed it! April is National Poetry Month! I’m excited to visit schools in Central Oregon with interactive poems and introduce children to new children’s poets.
Every year, I read and re-read all of the new children’s poetry books and select a variety of poems that children can act out, make noise to and repeat, repeat.
One of my favorite poems this year is How to Build a Poem by Charles Ghigna. Children will discover words that rhyme and be inspired to create their own poem.
Below is a list of 2019 children’s poems perfect for school visits, library programs or storytime.
- Basketball Rule #2 by Kwame Alexander
- Mix a Pancake by Christina Rossetti
- How to Tell a Camel by J. Patrick Lewis
- Walking on Mars by Irene Latham
- Toasting Marshmallows by Marilyn Singer
- Animal Songs by Georgia Heard
- Bigclaw Snapping Shrimp by Georgia Heard (Snap! Repeat!)
- We Don’t Say Ribbit! by Georgia Heard
- Rattlesnake Warning by Georgia Heard
- The Rocket Launch by Allan Wolf
- Shooting Stars by Allan Wolf
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Man by Allan Wolf
- September 24th Noisy, Noisy by Jack Prelutsky
- November 17th, Space Poem by James Carter
- March 22nd Wind Song by Lilian Moore
I’m the Big One Now! Poems about Growing Up by Marilyn Singer illustrated by Jana Christy
- I’m the Big One Now! by Marilyn Singer
- First Ballet Recital, First Piano Recital: A Poem for Two Voices by Marilyn Singer
- First Good Whistle by Marilyn Singer
Bonus Gross Poems:
No More Poems! by Rhett Miller illustrated by Dan Santat
- 3:00am PEE
- Stinky-Mouth You
- Purple Pox (Not really gross but very funny!)
Longest Title Ever: Warning to a Person Sitting Under an Apple Tree in an Autumn Garden on a Sunny Afternoon with their Nose Stuck in a Good Book by June Crebbin. I love this poem! Two sentences and the perfect poem to read aloud and repeat. (Discuss poem titles and rhyming poems.)
Favorite Quiet Poem:
End your presentation with How to Pay Attention by April Halprin
For more poetry ideas, explore past Poetry Paige and other ALSC Blog posts here.
What 2019 poems are you reading aloud this month? Please share in the comments below.
Hana Brown
Hello! Thank you for this article. At my library we want to have a poem a day available for the public to take, but I’m confused about copyright issues. Is it ok to make one of the poems from the books you list above available for the public to take as long as it is cited/credited? Thanks for clarifying if you can.
Paige
Hi Hana, Thank you for your comment. You can always purchase poem in your pocket cards at http://pomelobooks.com/pocket-poems-cards/ to hand out or print out “You’ll find hundreds of downloadable poem cards to share with children and teens at Pinterest.com/PomeloBooks!” Also, explore the https://www.poetryfoundation.org/ for copyright information and other poems to share with the public. Happy Poetry Month! Paige
April Halprin Wayland
Thanks so much for the nod, Jane…and for sending me skittering off to read these books and more!
Sylvia Vardell
Love these recommendations, Paige! You’re always a wonderful advocate for poetry for young people. Thanks for all you do!
Paige
Thank you, April and Sylvia!