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Poetic books celebrated in April
by Kathleen E. Conroy
kathleen@thecharlotteweekly.com
“Poetry is what gets lost in translation.”
– Robert Frost
Since 1996, the nation has celebrated National Poetry Month, an April event established by the Academy of American Poets. Whether your children or teenagers like simple rhymes, rap songs, haiku, limericks or free-flowing poetry, get them lost in their own translation of poetic imagery in April with these family-friendly books.
‘Shout! Little Poems That Roar’
by Broad Bagert
This vibrant collection of 21 poems celebrates the joys (snack time!) and pitfalls (2 + 2 = 23?) of childhood. Bagert’s often silly, always winsome poems cover everything from the seasons and the stars to finger painting and kids who quack. With humor and warmth, the book shows there’s fun in work and play, poetry in everything and a million different uses for ketchup. Kids are likely to shout for a reread. Ages 3-5. Dial Books for Young Readers, $16.99.
‘A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children’
compiled by Caroline Kennedy
When Kennedy published “The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis” in 2001, the book became a national best seller. That grassroots response inspired Kennedy to create an anthology for families, drawing from the poems her own family cherished. The spectacular result, “A Family of Poems,” is a collection of more than 100 poems from five continents, illustrated with sumptuous watercolors by Jon J. Muth. All ages. Hyperion Books for Children, $19.95.
‘Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow’
by Joyce Sidman
Discover the hidden world of the meadow in this unique combination of poetry riddles and scientific wisdom. From sunrise through twilight, this book takes readers through the fields, encouraging them to watch for a nest of rabbits, a foamy spittlebug, a leaping grasshopper, bright milkweed, a quick fox and a cruising hawk. Ages 7-10. Houghton Mifflin Company, $16.
‘Vile Verses’
by Roald Dahl
Dahl, best remembered as the author of well-loved children’s stories, also generated some astonishingly imaginative, outrageous and wonderfully disgusting verses. From oozing grobes to slimy slugs, this extraordinary collection bursts with Dahl’s poems, verses and songs. With full-color original illustrations from a distinguished group of more than 20 artists, including Quentin Blake, William Joyce and Lane Smith, this lavish volume is a must-have for any Dahl fan’s library. Ages 10 and up. Viking, $21.25.
‘Earth Magic’
by Dionne Brand
Inspired by her childhood in Trinidad, poet and writer Brand conjures the world of the Caribbean in her first book of children’s poetry. The captivating poems are an eloquent, unsparing tribute to the lives of the Caribbean people and the power of nature: the sounds and smells of market day, the blazing sun, the joyful beat of much-awaited rain, and a girl who dares to do better. Simple chants and schoolyard skipping songs alongside more sophisticated poems reveal a place of beauty and hardship where life moves in harmony with the elements. Ages 10 and up. Kids Can Press, $14.95.
‘Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry’
by Joyce Sidman
On a clear, sunny day, a small adventure begins. First, a dog slips joyfully out of his house. Next a car pulls up to the curb, depositing a lone white cat. Then, slowly, a storm brews over the park. Young readers watch an unlikely friendship take shape in this one-of-a-kind book that combines story, art and delightful concrete poetry. Ages 5-8. Houghton Mifflin, $16.
‘I Heard It From Alice Zucchini’
by Juanita Havill
From the still chill of a winter night to the “ra-ta-ta, ra-ta-ta, ra-ta-ta-too” of a lively vegetable stew, these 20 whimsical poems celebrate the joys of a garden from start to finish. A tour de force of imagination, this delightful book invites readers to join in the Pea Pod Chant, wander through the Rhubarb Forest, dance with the Dainty Doily Dill Weed, gossip with Alice Zucchini and hold their breath on the pumpkin’s enchanted evening. Ages 6 and up. Chronicle Books, $15.95.
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