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In 1996, the Academy of American Poets established National Poetry Month to help promote poetry’s role in American life and culture and encourage readers of all ages to engage with and enjoy poetry. While reading and understanding poetry sometimes gets a reputation for being a complex, academic exercise, poetry is meant to be enjoyed by everyone and April offers an opportunity to incorporate poems into your family’s reading life. Not only do rhythmic and/or rhyming words help develop literacy skills in young children, exposing kids to poetry also helps them see the exciting and varied forms written language can take.
There are many classic kids books of poetry and rhyme, from the beloved works of Shel Silverstein to the classics like A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson. Poems can be silly or serious, rhyming or not, and give parents and children a great chance to model and practice reading aloud. Whether your child is just hearing poetry for the first time or is ready to read it independently, these books will help incorporate poems in their reading all year long.
A Poem for Every Day of the Year edited by Allie Esiri
Incorporate poetry into your daily routine as a family with this collection of poetry edited by Allie Esiri. Containing well-known classics from poets like Lewis Carroll, Christina Rossetti, Seamus Heaney, and many others, the book ties poems to the seasons and holidays throughout the year. Versions for bedtime, Christmas, and autumn are available as well.
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Poems Aloud by Joseph Coelho and Daniel Gray-Barnett
Joseph Coelho celebrates the verbal beauty to be found in poetry in this engaging book full of colorful and lively illustrations from Daniel Gray-Barnett. Each of the 20 poems Coelho has written for this book comes with a different instruction for how to read it aloud: from whispers and tongue twisters to cheers and songs.
Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock by Vikram Madan
Perfect for older elementary and middle grade readers, this book incorporates graphic novel-style illustrations to bring to life Vikram Madan’s whimsical and imaginative poetry. From ghost guppies to squishosaurs to the Nozzlewock (with its vacuum nose), young readers will laugh out loud at this fun collection, which received starred reviews from Kirkus and The Horn Book.
For more great poetry, check out this list of 50 suggested poetry books for kids and this list of YA authors who have written poetry for teen readers.