Child Poetry

Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.

Jack hates the fat black cat.

This sweet rhyming story shows different ways to hide.

From bubbles in the bath, to teddy bears in bed—it's all the things I like!

Six hours. One marathon swim. That’s all Tully Birch needs to get her life straightened out. With the help of her best friend, Arch, Tully braves the waters of Lake Tahoe to break the record for the youngest person ever to complete the famous “Godfather swim.” She wants to achieve something no one in the world has done, because if she does, maybe, just maybe, her mom will come back.

The hungry old lady gobbles a basket, a bow, some candy and other "egg-cellent" Easter items in this silly read along!

From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin's rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children.

Presenting a delightful collection of children's favorite Mother Goose rhymes by Tomie dePaola. Young listeners and their parents will enjoy meeting up with familiar friends, including Old King Cole, Little Bo-Peep, Jack and Jill, and many more in an audiobook that is sure to be a story-hour favorite.

From international poetry sensation Nikita Gill comes her highly anticipated YA debut These Are the Words: an empowering, feminist and beautiful poetry collection exploring all the things Nikita wished someone had told her when she was younger. Taking you on a journey through the seasons of the soul, Nikita gives you the words to help heal from your first breakup, to celebrate finding your family, to understand first love, to express your anger and your joy, to fight for what you believe in and to help you break some rules to be your truest self.

Night Monkey and Day Monkey's worlds are as different as … night and day! What one fears, the other loves, what one understands only confuses the other. But in learning about each other's opposite worlds, they also learn to be the best of friends. Boisterous and rhythmic fun from Julia Donaldson, the creator of The Gruffalo. Read by Imelda Staunton.

Taut free verse tells the little-known story of the first contraband camp of the Civil War - seen by some historians as the "beginning of the end of slavery in America". One night in 1861, three escaped slaves made their way from the Confederate line to a Union-held fort. The runaways were declared "contraband of war" and granted protection. As word spread, thousands of runaway slaves poured into the fort, seeking their freedom. These "contrabands" made a home for themselves, building the first African American community in the country.

Painter and writer Calef Brown pours his boundless creative energy into his poetry. In Flamingos on the Roof, Brown crafts 29 nonsense poems conjuring mythic and contemporary images of everything from gatorflies to light-bulb-topped birthday cakes. Kids will revel in the lively wordplay, while parents and teachers will recognize the value in teaching kids alliterative and assonant sounds.

Kate Coombs’ children’s books have garnered rave reviews from School Library Journal and been ALA Notable Book selections. Filled with imagery sure to inspire wonder in young listeners, Water Sings Blue is a delightful collection of poems celebrating the beauty of the ocean.

Paul Fleischman's Poems for Two Voices make for irresistable listening. Whether funny, sad, boisterous or serene, each poem is a virtuoso performance - skillfully illuminating a unique personality from the natural world.

The Rhyming Rabbit loves to make up entertaining poems, inspired by everything he sees, but the other rabbits don’t appreciate his talent for rhyme. Sad and lonely, the Rhyming Rabbit sets off one starry night all on his own - will he ever find someone to share his poems with? The Rhyming Rabbit is a clever rhyming adventure from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard. This delightful story is brought to life by much-loved actor David Tennant, in this brilliant audio edition.

Until she finishes her laundry, Anna won't be chased away by an ice troll!

This adorable audiobook celebrates all the familiar milestones and moments shared by every single kindergartener. Whether it's the first-day-of-school jitters or the hundredth-day-of-school party, every aspect of the kindergarten experience is introduced with a light and funny poem.

In this poem, a bee, a flower, a butterfly, and a snail all ask, “Where’s the rain?” Finally, a girl brings the rain to them with her watering pail.

One hundred and one numbers race each other up the apple tree. As the numerals pile up, suddenly bad bumblebees come buzzing. Numbers tumble out every which way. What number will save the day?

Last week, I saw a mermaid. It's not something I'd pretend! I'd really like to catch her, so she could be my friend. But how to catch a mermaid? You don't learn this in school. We'll need to build a gentle trap and start near the tide pool. Many claim to have caught a mermaid, but can you? The newest title in the New York Times best-selling How to Catch series will have children and parents excited to see if these characters can actually pull off catching a mermaid!