April is National Poetry Month! Here’s a list of recent books with rhyming text or novels-in-verse to share with all the young readers in your life.
Cats Can
By Roseanne Greenfield Thong
Illustrated by Ebony Glenn
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593115596 | Viking BFYR
Whether they’re stretching and scheming, playing or dreaming, cats love to make mischief, sneak snacks, and cuddle up in a cozy spot, just like . . . kids! Cats Can proves that kittens and kids are more alike than we think. Roseanne Greenfield Thong’s rhyming romp is perfectly matched by the vibrant, energetic illustrations of Ebony Glenn in this playful read-aloud.
Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem
By Amanda Gorman
Illustrated by Loren Long
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593203224 | Viking BFYR
In this stirring, much-anticipated picture book by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman, anything is possible when our voices join together. As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes – big or small – in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves. With lyrical text and rhythmic illustrations that build to a dazzling crescendo by #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long, Change Sings is a triumphant call to action for everyone to use their abilities to make a difference.
Counting to Bananas: A Mostly Rhyming Fruit Book
By Carrie Tillotson
Illustrated by Estrela Lourenço
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593354865 | Flamingo Books
When a narrator starts filling this story with fruit, Banana can’t wait to step into the spotlight. The book is called Counting to Bananas, after all. But as more and more fruits (and non-fruits) are added to the story, Banana objects. When will it be time for bananas?! With laugh-out-loud text from debut author Carrie Tillotson and brought to life by illustrator Estrela Lourenço this is the story of a banana and narrator who have very strong opinions about what should (and should not!) be in this book.
Dog Says, Cat Says
By Marilyn Singer
Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780525553960 | Dial BFYR
From morning to night, a cat and dog who live together show their innate feline and canine natures. The dog barks at the delivery man while the cat barely notices; the dog runs out to play when the children return from school, while the cat prefers to keep napping on the soft couch. Neither gets the better of the other in their rhyming interchanges, and by day’s end they realize that, despite being opposites, they are happier when they’re together.
Frankie Gets a Doggie
By Amy Huntington
32 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781635923209 | Astra Young Readers
Frankie and Dad are going on an adventure! They head to the local animal shelter where they meet all kinds of dogs, until they find just the right one. But how will Kitty react to their new pet? Here is a charming, accessible story about adopting a pet and giving it a loving home that’s perfect for dog-and animal-lovers, and an ideal gift for any family considering pet ownership.
Hello, Moon
By Julie Downing
32 Pages | Ages 3-6 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780823447015 | Neal Porter Books
When the sun goes down and most of us are getting ready for bed, the nighttime animals of the forest all wake up to the light of the moon. It calls to the them, from the slyest fox to the tiniest mouse, who feasts on leaves and fruit and scurries beneath the brush. A gentle rhyming text that will appeal to the youngest child is illustrated with soft and dreamy artwork in this perfect bedtime book in the tradition of Goodnight Moon.
Ocean Lullaby
By Laura McGee Kvasnosky
Illustrated by Kate Harvey McGee
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593118016 | Philomel Books
The sun is setting. The waves are gently lapping at the shore. It’s time for all the ocean creatures to rest. Whales, turtles, dolphins, and more drift and doze. And as the tide pools catch the light of the moon and the stars glowing above, a mother and her baby listen to the soft sounds of the ocean lullaby.
Oceans of Love
By Janet Lawler
Illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593326756 | Viking BFYR
From whales and dolphins, to hermit crabs and jellyfish, the ocean is filled with many different creatures. Join them on this imaginary undersea journey as ocean mamas care for their babies, each in their own special way! Because one thing is universal: there’s no other love like that between mamas and their little ones. With bright and beautiful watercolor illustrations comes this tender and heartwarming celebration of all the different mamas and babies you can find, especially those that live under the sea.
Song for Jimi: The Story of Guitar Legend Jimi Hendrix
By Charles R. Smith Jr.
Illustrated by Edel Rodriguez
56 Pages | Ages 7+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780823443338 | Neal Porter Books
From his turbulent childhood through his epical appearance at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals, Charles R. Smith Jr. covers it all in this rich and rhythmic account of a singular life, accompanied by the psychedelic splendor of Edel Rodriguez’s acid-tinged artwork. Written as a series of verses beginning with intro and ending with outro, this unique mix of rhythm and rhyme captures the essence of rock icon Jimi Hendrix and his struggle to live life on his own terms.
Take Off Your Brave: The World through the Eyes of a Preschool Poet
By Nadim
Illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536223163 | Candlewick
Four-year-old Nadim puts his words on paper and gives us a glimpse of how he sees the world: one filled with glitter, magical boxes, and cuddles with Mom. A place where school smells like daffodils and honey (and sometimes dirty socks), where Wednesdays are rainbow-colored, where fish in the sea make a shhhh sound, and where everyone has love, even baddies. The poems in this anthology make for joyful reading and are paired with vibrant, child-friendly artwork by Yasmeen Ismail that invites us to full-heartedly enter Nadim’s world. At once funny and sweet, gentle and zany, this anthology may just entice readers young and old to release the poet within.
When I Was a Fairy
By Tom Silson
Illustrated by Ewa Poklewska-Koziello
32 Pages | Ages 5-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781838740207 | Flying Eye Books
When I Was a Fairy is a heart-warming tale about love, loss, and growing old. Touching on themes of dementia, old age, and relationships between grandparents and their grandchildren, this is not only a story about fairies, but also on the magic of life and what we can share with one another from generation to generation.
For older readers:
Behold Our Magical Garden: Poems Fresh from a School Garden
By Allan Wolf
Illustrated by Daniel Duncan
48 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536204551 | Candlewick
There’s a lot more to gardens than meets the eye! In this collection of buoyant poems filled with fun facts, young nature enthusiasts and budding gardeners are called on to help solve a mystery by the compost bin, join a Wild West–style standoff between some good bugs and a few bad ones, interview the sun to find out what happens when it drinks a glass of water, and learn the fancy names of plants to spice up dinner conversation. They’ll be spurred to grab their own gardening tools, drop in some seeds, encounter a few insects, gather fresh vegetables, and find a whole lot of magic. Allan Wolf’s playful poems and Daniel Duncan’s whimsically detailed, welcoming illustrations combine in a charming celebration of the many wonders and lessons to be learned from a school garden. For further inspiration, engaging notes on the poems and an author’s note on jotting down observations can be found in the back matter.
Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among Figures of Speech
By Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek
Illustrated by Richard Jones
72 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536203035 | Candlewick
A freewheeling romp through the world of imagery and metaphor, this quietly startling collection of thirty poems, framed by the four elements, is about art and reality, fact and fancy. Look around: what do you see? A clown balancing a pie in a tree, or an empty nest perched on a leafless branch? As poet Connie Wanek alludes to in her afterword – a lively dialogue with former US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser—sometimes the simplest sights and sounds “summon our imaginations” and cry out to be clothed in the alchemical language of poetry. This compendium of the fleeting and unexpected turns the everyday – turtles, trees, and tadpoles; cow pies, lazy afternoons, and pillowy white marshmallows – into poetic gold. A brilliant and timeless collaboration that evokes both the mystery and grandeur of the natural world and the cozy, mundane moments of daily life, this exquisitely illustrated collection is the go-to gift book of the season for poetry fans of all ages.
On the Move: Home Is Where You Find It
By Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
144 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536218107 | Candlewick
Some of Michael Rosen’s relatives were lost before he was born, in the Holocaust. First, he wondered about them. And he wrote poems. Next, he searched for their stories. And he wrote poems. Then he found their stories. And he wrote poems. Now, in a companion book to The Missing: The True Story of My Family in World War II, Michael Rosen has brought together forty-nine of his most powerful poems, exploring the themes of migration and displacement through the lens of his childhood in the shadow of World War II, the lives of his relatives during that war, and migration, refugees, and displacement today and tomorrow, here, there, and everywhere. Throughout, atmospheric watercolors from master illustrator Quentin Blake evoke the hardship, exhaustion, isolation, and companionship of being on the move. At once intimate and universal, On the Move probes the power of art to adapt, bear witness, and heal.