Poetry

by Adele Epstein
 * __ Explore an Ocean of Words through Poetry __**

Did you ever think what would happen if Dracula went to the Blood Bank? Were you ever disgusted with your brother? Wouldn’t it be great if you had a homework machine? If these questions seem strange then you’ve never entered the hysterically funny world of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. Their poetry helps you think outside the box while tickling your funny bone more than any show you could watch on television. Reading Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky’s books or even going on their respective web sites can provide hours of entertainment. Below you will find other poets whose books also hit the spot. In other words, this summer if you want to give yourself a special treat, pick up a poetry book and enjoy the rhythms, rhymes and beauty found in poetry!

__ K-2 Poets __ [|Jack Prelutsky] [|Shel Silverstein] [|Susan Pearson] [|Bill Martin] [|Eloise Greenfield] [|Susan Katz] [|Jane Yolen] [|Andrew Clements] [|Kristine O’Connell]

__ Grades 3-5 Poets __ [|Jack Prelutsky] [|Shel Silverstein] [|Nikki Grimes] [|Walter Dean Myers] [|Calef Brown] [|Gary Soto] __ Recommended Poetry Books and Poets __ Here are a few poetry books, names of poets and related websites that you might enjoy. Click on the author’s name to go to their web site. You can get copies of these and other books: • At the library in your child’s school • At a public library branch near you

__ How to Write Poetry __ by Paul B. Janeczko Provides practical advice with checklists on the art of writing poetry. __ Love to Mama __ by Pat Mora Thirteen Latin American poets present a collection of works that combine English and Spanish and describe the bonds between mothers, grandmothers, and children. __ Fold Me a Poem __ by Kristine O’Connell George A collection of poems about origami animals. A young boy skillfully folds origami animals from a stack of brightly colored paper. __ Please Bury Me in the Library __ by J. Patrick Lewis Presents an illustrated collection of fifteen poems about the joy of books and reading. A kid-friendly homage to reading. __ The Friendly Four __ by Eloise Greenfield Contains poems for individual and multiple voices that follow the experiences of a group of four friends as they spend a happy, creative summer playing together. __ Dogku __ by Andrew Clements Tells a story through haiku about a dog and the many things a dog named Mooch does, such as riding in a car, barking at the neighbors, and chewing on dirty socks. __ Count Me a Rhyme __ by Jane Yolen A rhyming counting book with full-color photographs of animals together with poems that tell stories about them. __ Looking for Jaguar and other Rain Forest Poems __ by Susan Katz Presents a collection of poems about the plants and animals of the rain forest. __ Flamingos on the Roof __ by Calef Brown A collection of twenty-eight illustrated poems. A creative source of imaginative rhymes in the style of Edward Lear. __ Night on Neighborhood Street __ by Eloise Greenfield A collection of poems exploring the sounds, sights, and emotions enlivening an African-American neighborhood during the course of one evening. __ Blues Journey __ by Walter Dean Myers Presents blues lyrics that chronicle the history of the African-American experience, and includes information about the development of blues music. __ Jazz __ by Walter Dean Myers A collection of illustrated poems that celebrate the roots and various styles of jazz music, such as ragtime, bebop, and swing. __ A Dime a Dozen __ by Nikki Grimes A collection of poems about an African-American girl growing up in New York. __ It’s Raining Laughter __ by Nikki Grimes A collection of poems about children growing up, illustrated with photographs of African-American children. __ The New Kid on the Block __ by jack Prelutsky Presents humorous poems about such strange creatures and people as Baloney Belly Billy and the Gloopy Gloopers. __ The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry __ Edited by Bill Martin Jr. An illustrated collection of poems for children, featuring the writings of a wide variety of poets, selected as favorites by Bill Martin, Jr. __ My Dog May Be a Genius __ by Jack Prelutsky A Poetry book filled with more than fifty books of verse with inventive wordplay. __ The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders __ by Jack Prelutsky An illustrated collection of humorous poems about people and animals. Exciting poems and irresistible pictures whih are sure to make you laugh out loud. __ The Free and the Brave: A Collection of Poems about the United States __ compiled and Annotated by Patricia M. Stockland An anthology of poems about the United States, plus "Toolbox Tips" that help the reader understand poetry and how poems are written. This is part of a series of books called the poet’s toolbox. __ Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems __ by Jack Prelutsky Presents a collection of whimsical poems about creatures that are part animal and part inanimate objects. __ Who Swallowed Harold? And other Poems about Pets __ by Susan Pearson An illustrated collection of children's poetry about pets and animals. You’ll read poems about pets of all sizes and shapes. It includes eighteen poems, some funny, some touching, about the pets we love. __ Zoo Doings __ by Jack Prelutsky A collection of forty-six animal unforgettable poems that made jack Prelutsky famous. The verses are as witty and as chantable as always. __ Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem __ by Jack Prelutsky Explains to kids how to write poems about everyday subjects from their lives, such as experiences with their family, friends, and pets, providing tips, example poems, and exercises. __ What a Day It Was at School __ by Jack Prelutsky A collection of poems on such facets of a day at school as heavy backpacks, spelling tests, art and music, the nurse's office, and the cafeteria.