Top 10 Children's Poetry Books

3. "Pieces: A Year in Poems & Quilts"

Each of the 20 poems about nature by Anna Grossnickle Hines is illustrated by a delicate and beautiful miniature quilt she created. The visual imagery in her poetry is brilliantly captured in the accompanying quilts. This is an excellent book for all ages. I can see it being read and enjoyed again and again. Hines includes an interesting section on making the quilts at the end. (ISBN 0688169635)

4. "A Child's Calendar"

The poetry of Pulitzer prize winner John Updike and the watercolors of Caldecott Medal winner Trina Schart Hyman provide a look at a family's year in rural New England. While the poetry celebrates the seasons, the artwork shows specific activities, such as making Valentines and going on a picnic. Children will enjoy poems and illustrations that reflect a child's viewpoint. (ISBN 0823414450)

5. "A Poke in the I"

This collection of 30 concrete poems was edited by poet Paul B. Janeczko. Concrete poems can be one-word poems or poems with a number of words, but in every case, the words are arranged into a particular shape that reflects the poem's meaning. The quality of the poetry, the design of the book, and the witty collages by Chris Raschka create an enjoyable experience for the reader. (ISBN 0763606618)

6. "The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury"

Well-known children's poet Jack Prelutsky did an excellent job in selecting the more than 200 poems by 137 poets in this collection. The joyous watercolors by Meilo So help to tie the poems, which are organized by theme, together. The subjects range from nature to siblings, school, and everyday life. This is a lively and interesting collection. (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999. ISBN: 0679893148)

7. "Winter Eyes"

Douglas Florian's books include "Insectlopedia" and "Mammalabilia." "Winter Eyes" is a collection of 28 poems. There are humorous poems and simple poems that celebrate (or decry) the season, as well as a few concrete poems. The poems all express a child's view of winter. Florian's watercolor and colored pencil illustrations reinforce a child's perspective. (Greenwillow, 1999. ISBN: 0688164587)

8. "In Every Tiny Grain of Sand"

Subtitled "A Child's Book of Prayers and Praise," this is an unusual picture book in that it is divided into four sections, each with artwork by a different illustrator. The selections in the book are from a variety of authors, cultures, and religions. These encompass Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Native American, Muslim, Baha'i, Algerian, Buddhist, Celtic, African-American, and East African, among others and include quite a bit of poetry.

9. "Seeing the Blue Between"

This book is an excellent choice for the 9 to 12 year old child who want to write poetry. It contains letters of advice and inspiration, as well as poems, from 32 well-known writers of poetry for children and young adults. (Candlewick Press, 2002. ISBN: 0763608815)

10. "Poetry Matters"

Ralph Fletcher's "Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out" is an excellent resource for 8-12 year olds who are interested in writing. Fletcher has an engaging, informal writing style. He peppers his comments on writing poetry with lots of samples of poetry, many of them written by children. (HarperCollins, 2002. ISBN: 0380797038)