Child Poetry

One night in the ocean, the Pout-Pout Fish can't get to sleep! He's all ready for bed, but he just can't catch a snooze. When he asks his friends for advice, they're all sure they know what he should do - count sheep, use a pillow made of rocks, swim in circles - but nothing works. What to do when good advice isn't good for everyone?

When a teacher asks her class what one thing they would save in an emergency, some students know the answer right away. Others come to their decisions more slowly. And some change their minds when they hear their classmates’ responses. A lively dialog ignites as the students discover unexpected facets of one another - and themselves. With her ear for authentic dialog and knowledge of tweens’ priorities and emotions, Linda Sue Park brings the varied voices of an inclusive classroom to life through carefully honed, engaging, and instantly accessible verse.

Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring memoir, Nikki shows how the power of those words helped her conquer the hazards - ordinary and extraordinary - of her life.

This book contains five bedtime stories about wonderful animals and their journeys and the adventures in their lives. "The Mystic Dragons" is about a lost little dragon that lives in the rainforest. "Mighty Oak and Little Willow" is about two little trees going through the seasons. "Ky the Butterfly" is about a little caterpillar that wishes he could become a butterfly. "Tucker the Mighty Tracker" is about a puppy's passion for tracking, and a judgmental friend who soon realizes he is her hero. "Tucker and His New BFF" is about a little lost puppy and a new friend that rescues him.

A girl discovers a connection between her home in the Philippines and her new home in the U.S. through a special garden in this middle grade novel that celebrates nourishment and growth. Twelve-year-old Isabel is the new kid in her San Francisco middle school. It’s the first time in many years that she’ll be living with her mother again. Mama's job in the US allowed Isabel and her grandparents to live more comfortably in the Philippines, but now Isabel doesn't really know her own mother anymore.

Acclaimed poet Robert Frost provides this short poem that reminds us that when it comes to Christmas, maybe money shouldn't be our top priority. Some things may be worth more than a few extra dollars. A feel-good non-rhyming poem story that may help put some perspective in the pageantry.

Step into the magical world of Child's Play fairy tales.... Traditional tales are a well-established part of all cultures. Retold from the originals, these lively stories will captivate listeners.

There once was a very hungry king. Who needed a cook like anything...but the king is very fussy; he tries all the cooks in the kingdom, but no one is good enough. Then he spots Wobbly Bob. Maybe Bob can whip up his favourite dinner? But how will Bob be able to cook for the king when he’s scared of...well, everything?!

In a dry dusty place where the sand sparkled gold, stood a mighty flat rock—all craggy and old. And under that rock in a tinyful house, lived the littlest, quietest, meekest brown mouse. Fed up of being ignored by the other animals, Mouse wishes he could roar like Lion. But, as he discovers, even the biggest, bossiest people are scared sometimes...and even the smallest creatures can have the heart of a lion!

With its playful rhymed verse, this bedtime favorite from author Ann Whitford Paul, If Animals Kissed Good Night, is sure to delight time and again. If animals kissed like we kiss good night . . .what would they do? Giraffe and his calf would stretch their necks high, and kiss just beneath the top of the sky. Wolf and his pup would kiss and then HOWL. And Sloth and her baby move soooo slooowwwww . . .they're sure to be kissing until long after everyone is fast asleep!

As children all over the world get ready for bed, the moon watches over them. The moon knows that when we sleep, we dream. And when we dream, we imagine what is possible and what the world can be. With poetic prose, Goodnight Racism delivers important messages about antiracism, justice, and equality in an easy-to-listen format that empowers listeners both big and small. Goodnight Racism gives children the language to dream of a better world and is the perfect audiobook to add to their social justice toolkit.

Honey. Beeswax. Pollinate. Hive. Colony. Work. Dance. Communicate. Industrious. Buzz. Sting. Cooperate. Where would we be without honeybees? Where would we be without one another? In eighty-two poems and paragraphs (including the renowned Gate A-4), Naomi Shihab Nye alights on the essentials of our time—our loved ones, our dense air, our wars, our memories, our planet—and leaves us feeling curiously sweeter and profoundly soothed.

Whether celebrating life’s joyous milestones, sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of the world around us, this uplifting audiobook will inspire listeners of every age. A celebration of love and shared discovery, this audiobook will encourage listeners to reach for the stars!

But while some days can feel more sad than happy, there's always a bright spot on the horizon. Anna Dewdney and Judy Schachner perfectly blend rhyme, humor, and comfort to show readers the way out of a tough spot--no matter if it's big or small.

All children love traditional rhymes. Popular rhymes make Books with Holes a must for every child. Download this audiobook version now!

When Crab finds a new shell, he doesn’t want to share it with anyone - especially not a blobby purple anemone and a tickly bristleworm. But life in the rock pool proves tougher than Crab thinks and he soon finds he needs his new housemates. Sharing a Shell is a charming underwater tale of friendship and fun from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard. With brilliant rhythmic verse, charmingly read by Julian Clary, this is a firm favourite with children and parents alike.

Those crafty robbers Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len are out of jail, and they're heading back to the farm with another cunning plan to cause trouble. They've been stealing eggs from the fat red hen, but now they're setting their sights higher and are planning to steal the fat red hen herself! Fortunately the quiet, clever ladybird is on their trail, and she and her farm animal friends have a plan of their own.

Jack hates the fat black cat.

Anikwa and James, 12 years old in 1812, spend their days fishing, trapping, and exploring together in the forests of the Indiana Territory. To Anikwa and his family, members of the Miami tribe, this land has been home for centuries. As traders, James' family has ties to the Miami community as well as to the American soldiers in the fort. Now tensions are rising - the British and American armies prepare to meet at Fort Wayne for a crucial battle, and Native Americans from surrounding tribes gather in Kekionga to protect their homeland.

This book by Dr. Seuss, about making up one's mind, is the literary equivalent of buried treasure! What happens when a brother and sister visit a pet store to pick a pet? Naturally they can't choose just one! The tale captures a classic childhood moment - choosing a pet - and uses it to illuminate a life lesson: that it is hard to make up your mind, but sometimes you just have to do it!