A Canon of Classic Poems for Young People

Here is a list of classic poems still popular with young people. The subject matter, language, rhythm, and imagery of these poems are still inviting for today’s readers and listeners. Most of these selections continue to be included in current anthologies of popular children’s poetry and many are available online as well.


The list begins:


Hilaire Belloc, “The Vulture”
William Blake, “The Tyger”
Gwendolyn Brooks, “We Real Cool”
Lewis Carroll, “Jabberwocky”
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
Emily Dickinson, Poem: 288, “I'm Nobody! Who are You?”


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Best Multi-Poet Anthologies for Young People

There are many, many wonderful poetry anthologies published for children, full of poems by different poets. In addition, new poets often appear FIRST in anthologies before publishing their own individual collections of poetry. Here is a beginning list of some of the most popular and acclaimed poetry anthologies that include quality works by a variety of poets gathered around many interesting themes and topics.


The list begins:

1. Brenner, Barbara. Ed. 1994. The Earth is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems about Our Planet. New York: Scholastic.
2. Brenner, Barbara. Ed. 2000. Voices: Poetry and Art from Around the World. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society.
3. Clinton, Catherine. Ed. 1993/1998. I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
4. Cohn, Amy L. Ed. 1993. From Sea to Shining Sea: A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs. New York: Scholastic.
5. Cullinan, Bernice and Wooten, Deborah. Eds. 2009. Another Jar of Tiny Stars; Poems by NCTE Award-winning Poets. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills.

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Most Anthologized Poets for Young People

In his seminal work, Poetry's Playground: The Culture of Contemporary American Children's Poetry (Wayne State University Press, 2007, p. 117-119), Joseph Thomas identifies the poets listed below as the most frequently anthologized within a selection of key anthologies he suggests are children’s poetry essentials. The following poets appeared in at least half of the “canon” anthologies and are listed in descending order of frequency.


The list begins:


Frost, Robert
Sandburg, Carl
cummings, e e
Roethke, Theodore
Coatsworth, Elizabeth
Dickinson, Emily
Hughes, Langston


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50 Poetry Books for the Very Young Child (Ages 0-5)

From birth—if not before—children respond to the rhythm and rhyme of poetry. Indeed, children’s book author and literacy expert Mem Fox claims, "Rhymers will be readers; it's that simple. Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they're four years old, they're usually among the best readers by the time they're eight" (Reading Magic; Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever, 2001, p. 85). Here are 50 recommended titles of poetry written with our youngest listeners in mind.


The list begins:


1. Ada, Alma Flor and Campoy, Isabel, Comp. 2010. Muu, Moo! Rimas de animales/Animal Nursery Rhymes. Rayo/HarperCollins.


2. Ada, Alma Flor, and Isabel Campoy, Comp. 2003. Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes. New York: HarperCollins.


3. Ahlberg, Allan and Ingram, Bruce. 2010. Everybody Was a Baby Once. Candlewick.


4. Anholt, Catherine and Laurence Anholt. 1998. Big Book of Families. Cambridge: Candlewick.


5. Archer, Peggy. 2007. From Dawn to Dreams; Poems for Busy Babies. Ill. by Hanako Wakiyama. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick.




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100 Poetry Books for Children (Ages 6-12)

Sharing poetry during these pivotal years of childhood is an important component in developing their literacy skills, as well as broadening their appreciation of literature in all forms. In fact, research commissioned by the Poetry Foundation found that “most poetry readers (80 percent) first encounter poetry as children, at home or in school.” Fortunately, there are many, many excellent works available for sharing with this age group. Here are 100 exemplary titles to get you started.

The list begins:

1. Adoff, Arnold. 2010. Roots and Blues, A Celebration. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
2. Agee, Jon. 2009. Orangutan Tongs; Poems to Tangle Your Tongue. New York: Disney-Hyperion.
3. Alarcón, Francisco X. 2005. Poems to Dream Together/ Poemas para Sonar Juntos. New York: Lee & Low.
4. Andrews, Julie and Hamilton, Emma Watson. 2009. Julie Andrews' Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies. Ill. by James McMullan. New York: Little, Brown.
5. Argueta, Jorge. 2001. A Movie in My Pillow/Una película en mi almohada. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.

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100 Poetry Books for Young Adults (Ages 13-18)

As young adults move toward reading and responding to classic poetry for adults, let’s not forget there are many rich collections of poetry published just for them. ‘Tweens and teens will find many fascinating options here in poetry about young love, culturally rich poems, absorbing novels in verse, and even poetic works written by other young people. This list is only a beginning.

The list begins:

1. Adoff, Arnold. 2010. Roots and Blues, A Celebration. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
2. Aguado, Bill, comp. 2003. Paint Me Like I Am: Teen Poems from WritersCorps. New York: HarperTeen.
3. Appelt, Kathi. 2004. My Father’s Summers. New York: Henry Holt.
4. Atkins, Jeannine. 2010. Borrowed Names; Poems About Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters. Henry Holt.
5.  Begay, Shonto. 1995. Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa. New York: Scholastic.

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2011

In examining the nearly one hundred books of poetry published for young people in 2011, I found there was quite a variety in style, tone, content, and format available. In fact, I noticed ten mini-trends (if 2-3 books constitute a trend) that are worth exploring: animals, humor, music, culture, novels in verse, stories in verse, emerging new voices, poetic innovation, ebooks, and book poetry. Some titles feature tried-and-true “formulas” for creating appealing poetry for young people (using the connecting theme of “animals,” for example), and others venture into brand new territory (such as creating poems using only the letters from a single word, as in Bob Raczka’s Lemonade). Once again, it’s heartening to see the field of poetry for young people offer such a bounty of choices and voices. With titles by poetry “fixtures” like Shel Silverstein, as well as National Book Award-winning new writers like Thanhha Lai, we can stock our shelves with gems that will hold up for years and look forward to what’s next in poetry for kids and teens.

The list begins:

Engle, Margarita. 2011. Hurricane Dancers; The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck. Henry Holt.

*A powerful novel in verse set in the early 1500’s about a slave named Quebrado, a Spanish pirate named Bernardo de Talavera, and a hostage named Alonso de Ojeda and their intertwining fates when all three are stranded on an island after a hurricane destroys their ship.

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2010

Here are my picks for my favorite poetry books of the year. For me, it is all about the poetry “package,” if you will. The poems, of course, are number one, and they should be interesting, thoughtful, distinctive, and rhythmic. I also value poetry that reads well out loud since I believe that is so crucial in connecting with children. But I also value the design and illustration of each book, since the presentation of the poems as a set provides an essential context for entering, enjoying, and remembering the poems. So many of today’s poetry works do this so well—creating inviting visuals, well-designed layouts, and a distinct combination of art and language. Consider these contributions to the world of poetry for young people this year.

The list begins:

Ada, Alma Flor and Campoy, Isabel. 2010. Muu, Moo! Rimas de animales/Animal Nursery Rhymes. New York: Rayo/HarperCollins.

*A blilingual (Spanish/English) collection of 16 playful nursery rhymes taken from Argentina, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Spain together with some original verses, with Zubizarreta (the translator) retaining the musicality of the originals. Simple, rhythmic poems vary in length and featuring not cows, but a conejito (rabbit), a burro (donkey) and una lechuza (an owl), among other appealing animal characters.

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2009

I think it was a great year for poetry for young people with a tremendous variety of subject matter and format and heaps of quality and innovation. I wrote earlier about trends I observed this year and about the organizing thread of TIME in many poetry books this year, in particular. As a group, all the titles below offer a mini-library of what’s new and great about poetry for kids: in form, in format, in look, in impact, in humor, in emotional power, etc. There are so many wonderful works worthy of consideration and sure to hold up in repeated readings over and over again. Just $200 (app.) would buy this entire collection of my recommended list (for example) of some of the best poetry of 2009, a fabulous year’s worth of reading for all ages—adults included.

The list begins:

Argueta, Jorge. 2009. Sopa de frijoles/ Bean Soup. Ill. by Rafael Yockteng. Toronto, ON: Groundwood.

*It’s bilingual (Spanish/English), it’s a recipe, it’s poetry plus cooking full of metaphors and similes and beans.

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2008

The year included an interesting variety, with picture book collections dominating, and new trends in poetry morphed with biography growing strong. There was also more experimentation with poetic form/topic and book layout which is fun for those of us who like to provide diverse models for aspiring writers and artists. This year’s list showcases a variety of categories, including poetry written by kids, novels in verse, and even nonfiction works about poets and poetry. I did a bit of research and found that you could purchase hard cover copies of this whole list for only $382-- and have a wonderful mini-library of 2008 poetry for young people that runs the gamut from the hilarious (Frankenstein monster parodies) to the transcendent (Billie Holiday's lyrical life). What a bargain!

The list begins:

Alarcón, Francisco X. 2008. Animal Poems of the Iguazú / Animalario del Iguazú. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

*Animal spirits, Spanish/English, vivid, energetic art

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2007

My favorite children’s poetry of 2007 included a great deal of variety: anthologies, biographical poetry, picture book collections, novels in verse, edgy YA work, playful verses for very young children, and more. New voices and new works by old favorites. Great curricular connections in science, social studies, and beyond. Fun experimentation with poetic form and voice. Beautifully written, beautifully illustrated. Serious, humorous, and everything in between. After much deliberation, here’s my list of not-to-be-missed poetry for kids in 2007. Be sure your library has multiple copies of each!

The list begins:

Alexander, Elizabeth and Nelson, Marilyn. 2007. Miss Crandall’s School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.

*Powerful sonnets tell the story of Prudence Crandall and her school for African American women in the early 1800’s

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2006

Once again, 2006 included a variety of works by new and favorite poets-- picture book collections, nature themes, humorous verse, historical poem-stories, a poem biography, poems for the very young, all accompanied by the work of many distinctive illustrators. Stock up with new titles, double up with multiple copies, and speak up sharing poems with kids you care about every day.

            The list begins:

            Brown, Calef. 2006. Flamingos on the Roof. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

*Zany, syncopated story-poems are accompanied by crazy, cock-eyed story-paintings about all kinds of make-believe creatures.

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2005

Nature, history, and the art of poetry itself are some of the dominant themes in this year’s poetry. Several of the big names are represented this year (such as Prelutsky, Silverstein) as well as poets of color (such as Alarcon and Soto). The illustrations in many of these collections are also quite striking and add even more interest for young readers. And some collections even invite interaction, including origami and drawing or painting murals. Check ‘em all out.

The list begins:

            Alarcón, Francisco X. 2005. Poems to Dream Together/ Poemas para Sonar Juntos. New York: Lee & Low.

*Alarcon focuses on family and community through bilingual poems about dreams and goals.

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Favorite Poetry for Young People 2004

Some of the strongest poetry this year was written for ‘tweens and teens, including a memoir by Kathi Appelt, concrete poetry by John Grandits, and gripping verse novels by Paul Janeczko, Walter Dean Myers, and Sonya Sones. There were also lovely picture book poetry collections for young readers, including a very contemporary Mother Goose and haiku by Jack Prelutsky. Look these risky ventures over and enjoy every one.

            The list begins:

            Appelt, Kathi. 2004. My Father’s Summers: A Daughter’s Memoir. New York: Holt.

*This memoir, told in prose poems, offers a movingly descriptive story set in Houston, Texas beginning in 1965. It is a coming of age story as well as a story about family ties that offers one girl’s perspective and experience of universal themes.

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