Child Poetry

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.

This gorgeous collection of nature poems is an exciting celebration of the natural world and its wonders from Enid Blyton, the world's best-loved storyteller. From birds in May and August flowers to green trees in November and summer seaside walks, explore the enchanting worlds of animals, birds, trees and plants throughout the year in verse.

The moving true story of how young Ukrainian Jewish piano prodigies Zhanna (alias “Anna”) and her sister Frina outplayed their pursuers while hiding in plain sight during the Holocaust. A middle grade nonfiction novel-in-verse by award-winning author Susan Hood with Greg Dawson (Zhanna’s son).

Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama is growing up, but he still loves to play with all his toys! When Mama Llama says it's time to clean up, Llama responds like any child more interested in playing than cleaning...by ignoring her! But Mama has an imaginative response of her own. What if she never cleaned? What would happen then? Well, Llama Llama is going to find out! Here is a truly funny take on a childhood chore that all children will relate to and laugh at! And it is sure to be helpful to get kids cleaning up!

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.

Anna can’t wait to move to the beautiful country—the Chinese name for America. Although she’s only ever known life in Taiwan, she can’t help but brag about the move to her family and friends. But the beautiful country isn’t anything like Anna pictured. Her family can only afford a cramped apartment, she’s bullied at school, and she struggles to understand a new language.

Bound by destiny, Melisto and Rhaskos - Amber and Clay - never meet in the flesh. By the time they do, one of them is a ghost. But the thin line between life and death is just one boundary their unlikely friendship crosses. It takes an army of snarky gods and fearsome goddesses, slaves and masters, mothers and philosophers to help shape their story into a gorgeously distilled, symphonic tour de force.

Grace has grown up in slavery. As difficult as life on the Virginia plantation is, at least she has her family: Momma; her younger brothers, Thomas and Willy; Aunt Sara; and Uncle Jim. When she overhears Master and Mistress plotting to sell her brothers, she and her family decide to run away that same night. But without time to plan their escape and go north along the Underground Railroad, their only choice is to head deep into the woods of the Dismal Swamp.

So many of our little Black kids and kids of color are struggling as they attempt to navigate a world where they feel inferior, inadequate, and not enough because of the color of their skin. Who Am I? Words of Affirmation for Children of Color attempts to affirm our children and remind them that they ARE enough, empowering them to do anything they can conceive in their minds.

Luna has always loved the night sky. She's an eleven-year-old who knows everything there is to know about space, and dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. The first step in her plan to get there is to ace the space unit in her science class and secure a spot in NASA's summer space camp. But when Luna's teacher is unexpectedly replaced with a substitute, Ms. Manitowabi, who is looking to shake up science class by bringing in art, Luna's carefully laid plans are crushed. And that's not all that's shifting in Luna's life — changes at home and in her friendships have her feeling topsy-turvy.

It’s October 1944, and while Claire’s older brother, Danny, is off fighting in World War II, her dad hires a group of German POWs to help with the apple harvest on their farm. Claire wants nothing to do with the enemies in the orchard, until she meets soft-spoken, hardworking Karl. Could she possibly have something in common with a German soldier? Karl, meanwhile, grapples with his role in the war as he realizes how many lies Hitler’s regime has spread—and his complacency in not standing up against them.

Billy is a small boy with a big imagination. Mr. Booth is a serious teacher with a strict lesson plan. When the irresistible force of Billy's unrestrained creativity meets the immovable object of Mr. Booth's fixed worldview, one thing is obvious: someone is going to learn a lot this school year! The irrepressible Billy, star of the New York Times bestselling When I Grow Up, returns in an uproarious back-to-school tale from the uniquely inspired "Weird Al" Yankovic.

The breathtakingly beautiful story of one little girl and her five paper dolls. A string of paper dolls go on a fantastical adventure through the house and out into the garden. They soon escape the clutches of the toy dinosaur and the snapping jaws of the oven-glove crocodile, but then a very real pair of scissors threatens. A stunning, rhythmical story of childhood, memory and the power of imagination from the author of The Gruffalo.

Set sail with Jack for an adventure on the high seas in this wondrous story, perfect for listening to at home, in the car, at bedtime - or any time at all! Jack's granny is sick with a bad case of the moozles! And the only cure is the fruit of the flumflum tree, which grows on the faraway Isle of Blowyernose. It's a perilous journey, but Jack bravely sets sail with a motley crew of three and a large patchwork sack that Granny has filled with an odd assortment of items from chewing gum to tent pegs. But what use will they be against hungry sharks, a leaky boat and a thieving monkey?

Jack hates the fat black cat.

Virtuoso wordplay, irresistible rhythm, and laugh-out-loud humor abound in the first kids' book by the one and only "Weird Al" Yankovic. This unbridled celebration of creativity and possibility invites listeners of all ages to consider afresh what they want to be when they grow up.

This collection of short poems spans the entire year of kindergarten, offering sweet and simple tips on how to be your best self - sharing your umbrella with a friend, taking turns on the swings, and inviting someone to join in a game.

Uncle Wally's Old Brown Shoe, inspired by the familiar nursery rhyme The House That Jack Built, follows the course of one very unusual shoe as it travels through a fascinating, imaginative world to encounter an assortment of quirky characters

Discovered by his daughter, Adrianne Lobel, The Frogs and Toads All Sang has the same warmth, compassion, and humor that is found in his best-loved work. Brimming with sweet silliness, this new book reminds us why Arnold Lobel's characters continue to be so popular years after debut.

The Halloween House & Other Scary Stories is a short collection of three Halloween-themed stories for young listeners, guaranteed to bring smiles to the faces of children and adults alike. Contents include "The Halloween House", a cautionary poem about the dangers of trick or treating without obeying the rules, "The Nothing That Lives Under My Bed", and "The Skeleton Inside Me". Great for late night bedtime stories.