Library Notes
Erika Kosin
Poetry can be entertaining and educational for children
April has been hailed as National Poetry month since 1996 and as many celebrate poetry’s place in literature lets take a look at the types of poetry that are meant for children. Children are exposed to the rhythms and rhymes of the English Language early on in the form of Nursery Rhymes. Children are drawn to the beat and the silliness these rhymes have to offer and the lyrical nature of these rhymes help them develop the language skills necessary to succeed in school. From the silly and nonsensical stylings of Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up to the introduction of Shakespeare and the rhythms of his prose, poetry offers the opportunity for children of all ages to increase their vocabulary through words not regularly heard by the child being used to make a rhyme. While many poems may be above the child’s comprehension level, reading poems with them may help develop language skills through the rhythm of the words and there are poetry books available for every age, level and taste. Here are some poetry books that may speak to children and their parents.
Runny Babbit by Shel Silverstein – while most adults may be aware of other poetry books by this author, many may not know of this little gem. This book is a collection of poems that moves consonants around under the pretence that animals use language differently then humans. Not only are the poems amusing but children may like the challenge of figuring out how the words have been changed.
Awful Ogre’s Awful Day by Jack Prelutsky – A series of poems that make up a day in the life of the awful Ogre, each describing a different aspect of his day. Since some of the entries are on the gross and silly side, this collection of poems has great boy appeal. It also contains humorous illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky.
Poetry for Young People: Maya Angelou edited by Edwin Graves Wilson, PH.D – This collection of Maya Angelou’s famous poems, serves as a rewarding introduction to the more serious side of poetry. It contains a brief biography of the poet’s life, a brief explanation of each poem, and definitions of the words used that may be unfamiliar to children. A great way to introduce children to poetry of a more serious nature.
Poetry Speaks to Children edited by Elise Paschen – This collection of poems with child appeal includes poems from famous poets such as Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes as well as a poetic excerpt from the book The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. The poems in this collection range from serious to silly making this book a great introduction to many great poets. As an added bonus this book includes an accompanying CD containing tracks of some of the poems with quite a few being read by the poet themselves.
