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Western Libraries

Poetry for Children & Teens: Poets & Links

Poetry for Young People at Western Libraries

Where to Start!

Poetry Inspired by Original Art
Heart to Heart edited by Jan Greenberg
Side by Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World edited by Jan Greenberg
Something Permanent by Cynthia Rylant, photography by Walker Evans
Hoofbeats, Claws & Rippled Fins: Creature Poems edited by Lee_Bennett_Hopkins, original illustrations by Stephen_Alcorn

Non-fiction-based and discipline-based poetry collections
Science
Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman
Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors by Joyce Sidman
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman

History
When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders by J. Patrick Lewis
I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery by Cynthia Grady

Math
Marvelous Math selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Physical Education
Rimshots: Basketball Pix, Rolls, and Rhythms by Charles R. Smith Jr.
Slam Dunk compiled by Lillian Morrison
Extra Innings collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrated Poetry & Single Poem Picture Books
Casey at the Bat, illus. Christopher Bing
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, illus. Susan Jeffers

Songs and Ballads
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat by Nikki Giovanni
Balladsby Robert Service http://www.internal.org/Robert_W_Service
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka

 

Poets of Novels in Verse

 

Katherine Applegate               Joseph Bruchac

Jen Bryant                                 Ann E. Burg

Sharon Creech                        Margarita Engle

Helen Frost                              Nikki Grimes

Karen Hesse                           Ronald Koertge

Patricia McCormick                 Marilyn Nelson

Sonya Sones                           Maria Testa

April Halprin Wayland            Jacqueline Woodson

Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

NEA - Bringing Poetry to the Classroom

The National Education Foundation has lessons plans and ideas for bring poetry into the classroom:

http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/bringing-poetry-to-the-classroom.html

Sylvia Vardell

Dr. Sylvia Vardell brings expertise and passion to the field of children's and teen poetry. She is a leader and innovator, who connects kids with poetry and poets. Check out her Poetry for Children Blog: http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/

Poetry Friday Series!

American Poets with Some Works for Youth

Robert Frost

Ted Kooser

Ogden Nash

Theodore Roethke (Well a least a couple...)

Carl Sandburg

Louis Untermeyer (Collection Editor)

 

Additional poetry by classical poets can be found on the StoryIt Website:
http://www.storyit.com/Classics/JustPoems/classicpoems.htm