Poetry is so wonderful to read to children. Kids love rhymes, word play, and listening to language. Poems can improve children’s vocabulary and language skills, and enhance their reading when they are older.
This month is National Poetry Month, and here is a poetry book that kids and adults will enjoy reading. There is a poem for everyone! Jack Prelutsky’s poems were so popular with my second grade class that my copy of this book is falling apart. The illustrations by James Stevenson are a perfect match for these poems.
Does your brother annoy you? Here’s a poem, just for you:
My Brother’s Really Stingy
My brother’s really stingy,
he’s the lowest, he’s the worst.
He never shares his lollipops
unless he licks them first.
Are you celebrating Earth Day today? How about this poem:
The Manatee
I’m partial to the manatee
which emanates no vanity.
It swims amidst anemones
and hasn’t any enemies.
Are you just plain silly?
Penguins
Penguins cautiously reside
on our planets’ underside,
where they’re careful not to cough,
lest they trip and tumble off.
There are gross poems, word play poems, circle poems, mirror poems, long poems, short poems…every kind of poem under the sun!
A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky
rating: 4 of 5 stars
A great read aloud poetry book!
