April is Poetry Month; for young folks, too! Take a moment to sit with these your child and savor these books of poetry, recommended by independent booksellers.
- SHOUT by Laurie Halse Anderson
“Laurie Halse Anderson invites readers not to speak but to shout in her new poetry memoir, a long-awaited follow-up to her bestselling YA novel Speak, which centers around a survivor of sexual assault. In SHOUT Anderson shares memories from her young adulthood when she herself was raped and how she found the strength to keep going. Between autobiographical poems lie fierce rants about rape culture and censorship, as well as love letters and encouragement to survivors of sexual assault. SHOUT is a fist raised to the sky, arriving on the heels of #MeToo and urging readers to never be silenced. A must-read.” -Mary Wahlmeier, Raven Book Store, Lawrence, KS - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers
“Mr. Rogers is no longer with us but his wonderful legacy lives on in his songs, poems, and television show reruns. This book is a collection of 75 of Mr. Rogers’ lyrics from the songs he used on his show for so many years, all written by him. They are so encouraging, uplifting, and positive that even adults will benefit from these lyrics on days they are feeling a little down or blue. Though current generations of children may not have been blessed by Mr. Rogers’ kind, calm, compassionate demeanor when he was on TV, they can still benefit from his creative genius in taking ordinary life events and helping kids realize that is exactly what they are: ordinary events that one will get through and learn from. This book is one of those books that should be on every family’s shelf and taken down regularly and enjoyed.” -Pat Trotter, Bookends on Main, Menomonie, WI - The Book Hog by Greg Pizzoli
“I absolutely adore Greg Pizzoli! His signature bright and bold style brings this heartfelt tale about an illiterate book-lovin’ hog to life! The Book Hog is a beautiful love letter to librarians, who work so hard to put books into children’s hands, encourage and inspire readers, and open their doors to the world. A delightful read, perfect for story time!” -Eugenia Vela, BookPeople, Austin, TX - Poetree by Shauna LaVoy Reynolds
“As an adult who feels disconnected from poetry, I wish there had been more books like this for me to read as a child. I like the combination of poetry and friendship in this tale and the idea of children having their own poetrees!” -Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC
Want to find more poetry? Check out these titles for Kids and titles for Teens/Young Adults.