Literary Genre Bibliography: Poetry
Grades K-2
Brown, Marc. Marc Brown’s Playtime Rhymes. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2013.
ISBN: 9780316207355
Summary: A memorable interactive book featuring Marc Brown’s favorite read-and-play-along finger
rhymes. Instructional pictures are included. Adult readers will enjoy the traditional rhymes and young
children will be delighted to get moving to the rhythmic language.
Curricular use: When reading this book aloud, students will hear rhythm and beat and sounds. They will
hear rhyming words. This book will help foster language development and a love for words.
Audience: Marc Brown’s Playtime Rhymes will be suited to all students in preschool, kindergarten and even
first grade. Music teachers will enjoy this addition to the collection as well.
Vestergaard, Hope. Digger Dozer Dumper. New York: Candlewick Press, 2013. ISBN: 9780763650780.
Summary: Have you ever wondered what it was like to be any sort of work or construction vehicle? Read
this book of poems and you’ll understand the job the vehicle does, along with getting an idea of its
“personality.” The colorful and cartoonish illustrations will add further engagement for readers.
Curricular use: All students, at some point, love watching work or building zones. This book of poems will
allow them to make connections to their own experiences, along with increasing their language
development through rhymes and rhythm. It would be ideal for grade levels studying community, as
well. Pair this book with Building Our House by Bean, Demolition by Sutton, or Goodnight, Goodnight,
Construction Site by Rinker.
Audience: While not all primary students love work and construction vehicles, those that do will especially
enjoy this book.
Grades 3-4
Singer, Marilyn. Rutherford B. Who Was He? New York: Disney Hyperion Books, 2013.
ISBN: 9781423171003.
Summary: This is simply a book filled with poems about the presidents. It starts with George Washington
and ends with Barack Obama, and even gives Grover Cleveland his two poems - he served two terms but
not in succession. The book is filled with historical references and the detailed illustrations deserve close
attention as well. Presidential biographies are found at the end of the book.
Curricular use: While third and fourth graders will not understand much of the history mentioned in the
poems on their own, whole group discussions will provide the needed knowledge. Classrooms can read
specific poems based on periods in history, and the biographies are an accessible resource.
Audience: Any history lover will appreciate this book. It can act as a springboard for those just beginning to
learn about our presidents.
Yolen, Jane. Grumbles from the Forest. Pennsylvania: WordSong, 2013. ISBN: 9781590788677.
Summary: While not necessarily the most “literary,” this book of poems includes different perspectives of
characters found in well-known and loved fairy tales. The poems are easily accessible, though I will
admit that some of the rhymes are a bit of a stretch. While I didn’t personally love the illustrations, young
readers will enjoy the spooky pictures. See if you can find the reverso poem!
Curricular use: This book of poetry is a perfect tool for teaching point of view as two characters from each
fairy tale offer their own perspective to the story. In some cases, the same character offers two differing
perspectives. Pair this book with the awesome, yet somewhat difficult to comprehend, Mirror Mirror and
Follow Follow by Singer.
Audience: Students will need to have some background knowledge of the fairy tales mentioned in this book,
but they are the better known stories so the audience may be wider than expected.
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Grades 5-6
Kennedy, Caroline. Poems to Learn by Heart. New York: Disney Hyperion Books, 2013. ISBN:
9781423108054.
Summary: This lovely collection of poetry is basically a go-to collection for classrooms and families. There is
a poem for every occasion, but the book is divided into sections: nature, sports, monsters and fairies, and
friendship and family. There are old favorites, along with poems that are new to everyone, short and long
poems, and serious and funny verses. Jon Muth’s watercolor paintings add even more delight to this
anthology.
Curricular use: Poetry, in general, adds to our lives. It helps with language development and builds a sense
of community if shared in groups. I would encourage every teacher to read a poem a day to their
students.
Audience: With the proper scaffolding, this book of poetry will appeal to everyone.
Lewis, J. Patrick. When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books,
2013. ISBN: 9781452101194.
Summary: A commanding and sometimes hard-to-read collection of poems about seventeen male and female
heroes standing up for the rights of all mankind. The poems show that “the thunder lies in even the
smallest voice.” Short biographies of these civil rights leaders can be found at the end of the book.
Curricular use: Because of the historical nature of this book, whole group discussion will foster more
understanding for fifth and sixth graders. But When Thunder Comes will encourage conversation in
classrooms looking to broaden cultural horizons and gender fair awareness, during Black History Month,
and studying about civil rights and other different historical periods. Sit-In : How Four Friends Stood Up
by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brave Girl : Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909
by Markel will be valuable companion books to this book of poetry.
Audience: While this book will also require teacher scaffolding, its appeal will be broad, especially among
teachers and students interested in equality for everyone.
Also worth mentioning:
Hughes, Langston. Lullaby (For a Black Mother). 2013. A beautiful poem, but sadly I didn’t love the pictures. It would
pair perfectly with My People – also by Hughes.
Leppanen, Debbie. Trick or Treat: A Happy Haunter’s Halloween. 2013. Had this book received at least one starred
review, it would have been included in a heartbeat. Kids will love the sometimes scary and usually rhyming poems
about their most favorite holiday.
Lewis, J. Patrick. Face Bug Poems. 2013. If you have a bug lover in your life, they will enjoy this silly yet informative book.
Excellent true information found at the end of the book.
Lewis, J. Patrick. World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You’ve Never Heard Of. 2013. A very silly book. Are the
holidays real? Are they made up? I don’t know, but you’ll giggle as you read them.
MacLachlan, Patricia. Cat Talk. 2013. You probably need to balance out your dog poetry books with the cat poems (or
vice versa!) It is a very sweet book, and the cat’s voices are perfect. Any age will enjoy this book.
McPhail, David. My Mother Goose. 2013. Perfect choice if you’re needing to replace an older Mother Goose book.
Rogers, Stan. Northwest Passage. 2013. I am not sure where this book would fit in (a unit on Canada?) or who its readers
will be, but it’s a lovely book inspired by the song by a Canadian folk artist. It speaks of the quest for a route through
the Artic to the Pacific Oceans. Further maps and comments are added by Matt James. Definitely for older readers.
Sidman, Joyce. What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms & Blessings. 2013. A chant, charm, or blessing for every occasion:
repairing friendships, riding a bike, or a poem for a teacher. Older readers.
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