Your kids may actually start loving poetry after reading these fun poetry picture books with you!
April is National Poetry Month, so this is the perfect to introduce (or re-introduce) your kids to some great poetry in your homeschool!
Your kids may absolutely love reading poetry, but if not, that’s perfectly okay too.
I remember the first time I opened our ancient copy of The 100 Best Poems for Children on our bookshelf and chose a poem to read to my kids. Within about 30 seconds the looks on their faces were completely dazed and confused!
Learning to like poetry is still something we’re working on in our homeschool, but with practice and lots of repeated exposure, we believe that kids CAN learn to enjoy poetry.
One of the best ways to help your kids enjoy poetry is to provide your kids with great poetry resources to read.
This is why we’ve curated this list of nine awesome poetry picture books for your kids!
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The List of Awesome Poetry Picture Books
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children by Jack Prelutsky
We’re starting our list with an award-winning author and illustrator combination! Jack Prelutsky is the country first Children’s Poet Laureate and Arnold Lobel is a Caldecott-award-winning illustrator.
Together they’ve teamed up to curate over 500 beloved poems, with over 400 original illustrations.
Although this volume was published was back in 1983, it is still fresh and relevant for kids today!
Poetry for Kids: Robert Frost edited by Jay Parini
This beautiful hardcover book is part of a lovely series of poetry picture books for kids ages 8-12.
It features 35 of Robert Frost’s most beloved poems such as “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
Additionally, there is an included list of definitions for each poem to help your kids understand what they are reading.
(Other featured poets in this wonderful series include Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and William Shakespeare.)
Free Resource Library
If you want to keep track of the poetry picture books you read with your kids, be sure to grab the Family Reading Tracker from the Free Resource Library here at The Reluctant Homeschool Mama!
Click right here or on the image below to get access right now!
You’ll also get access to over 50 other great printables to help you organize your homeschool!
My First Book of Haiku Poems by Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen
Haiku poems are often a favorite for kids because they’re short!
With only three lines, each with five syllables, seven syllables, and five syllables respectively, haiku can be serious, humorous, and clever. They’re often based on nature.
This beautiful book features lovely watercolor illustrations for twenty different haiku.
As an awesome bonus, the original Japanese version of each poem appears alongside the English version.
Days Like This: A Collection of Small Poems by Simon James
Ideal for second and third graders, this beautiful poetry picture book focuses on the beauty of enjoying life’s simple moments.
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Where the Sidewalk Ends is THE quintessential volume of children’s poetry!
This lovely hardcover book is a special edition that contains twelve extra poems that you don’t want to miss.
Related article: 25 Fantastic Kindergarten Read-Aloud Books Your Kids Will Love
A Moon in the Sky: Poems Your Kids Would Have Written by Bruce Shutts
This book is a fabulous reminder of what it feels like to be a young child of four or five years old!
With a sweet and humorous tone, there are lots of opportunities to connect with your kids in meaningful ways as you read these poems together!
What’s Wrong With a Pet Dinosaur by Tony Philips
Recently published in 2021, this poetry picture book is set to become a well-beloved favorite for kids and families!
Poems focus on many of the concerns that young kids may have, like how to deal with a monster under their beds, or which animal is the best animal in the whole world.
The Way the Cookie Crumbled and Other Positivitely Preposterous Poems by Lizzy Judge
This volume of twelve different whimsical poems is ideal for kids who are 8-12 years old.
Each poem tells a different story that continues for several pages.
While there are some very minor grammatical and punctuation errors, this book is still worth adding to your poetry collection!
Breathe and Be: A Book of Mindfulness Poems by Kate Coombs
While all of the other poetry picture books on this list are funny and light-hearted, this one is focused on helping kids develop mindfulness.
It’s wonderful to read aloud before bed or when kids need some time to unwind.
Bonus books about the joy of poetry
Something Must Rhyme with Orange? By Gordon McIntyre
This fantastic book isn’t a poetry picture book, but it IS a book about learning to enjoy poetry.
When Zoe realizes that there are no real rules to follow when writing her own poems, she begins to actually enjoy writing them!
If you plan to have your kids start writing their own poetry, this is the book to read to help them feel comfortable getting started!
Why reading poetry is important for your child’s education
There are many reasons why helping your kids to enjoy poetry is worth the effort. Here are just a few, according to Reading Partners:
Poetry can:
- motivate young children to read
- teach kids about voice, pitch, volume, and inflection when reading aloud
- help kids build their vocabulary
- encourage creativity
Final thoughts about these great poetry books for kids:
If you’ve been unsure how to help your kids enjoy poetry, we encourage you to give one of the poetry picture books on this list a try!
Look for them at your local library or click on any of the titles to order them quickly from Amazon.
Finally, we’d love to hear what you think about this list of poetry books for kids. Let us know if there are any other books out there that you think we need to add!
Related articles about homeschooling, books, and more:
27 Awesome Springtime Read Alouds for Your Homeschool Bookshelf
35 Fabulous Books Your Middle-Schooler Needs to Read
How to Easily Create a Fabulous Homeschool Library
27 Fantastic Winter Read Alouds Your Kids Will Enjoy
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Have you read any of these poetry picture books with your kids before? Which one is your favorite?
