Book Finder

The special place in fathers’ hearts for their children is celebrated in this warmly illustrated, wise book. Rich language describes each animal dad’s prediction of their child’s growing up until a human father is pictured embracing an infant. This is as appealing as the author/illustrator’s I Love You as Much.

Clearly organized with lucid introductions to each section as well as for select poems, this handsome anthology includes a range of poems and poets for an evocative, informative, and often inspiring look at science and nature.

Move over Mother Goose! These cheerfully illustrated ditties not only take off from the earlier rhymes, but add a decidedly contemporary feel with likely appeal especially for truck and grit lovers. The rhymes can be shared aloud or even read aloud with more traditional offerings.

The familiar rhyme continues all the way to 20 as a rabbit helps the farm animals get ready for a party. A small chick on each page encourages young readers to look closely as chicks are hidden on each spread. Bright, boldly lined illustrations are appealing and child-like.

Short rhymes introduce out-of-the ordinary animals and invite readers to touch a part of the illustration to feel such things as an octopus’ textured tentacles. This could be a colorful companion to the much-loved classic, Pat the Bunny.

From A to Z, the 26 lowercase letters rowdily get ready for bed. Told in verse and illustrated with slightly eccentric but appealing mixed-media illustrations the letters bounce and cavort until the uppercase “parent” letters put their kids to bed.

A feast for the eye as well as the ear, this collection is just right for sharing. The poetry and rhymes include work by known poets as well as by children. Different sections are sure to appeal to different interests and tastes but all are imaginative. A note for adults helps demystify sharing poetry with children.

Short rhymes are riddles, asking readers to figure which books are being described while additional clues are presented in animated illustrations. From Click, Clack, Moo to traditional folktales, young readers (and their adults) will enjoy this interactive book.

Poets have always looked to the sky for inspiration. A range of contemporary and older poets and their exploration of the stars, sky, moon — and more — are presented, illustrated with lush, evocative paintings.

Schools and students create many lists. This collection is filled with poetry made up of lists, generally suggesting the pattern of a school year. A range of contemporary poets offer accessible and appealing work in a delicately illustrated, long list-like format.

Written in verse, this is a Pura Belpré Award-winning portrait of Juan Francisco Manzano, the poet who was born a slave in Cuba in 1797. Margarita Engle explores Manzano’s poetic interpretations of his world and what freedom really means in a slave society.

A rhyming text in an intriguing format introduces the Moon’s cyclical nature — its phases. An informational note concludes this introductory look at the Moon and why it appears to change.

Sam’s clear, boyish voice becomes clear from the first poem and as he and his family take to the car traveling toward an ocean vacation. Sam is all boy — reflected in his candid observations, his often humorous actions, and black/white illustrations.

Mixed-media illustrations and playful poetry portray a range of mostly well known dinosaurs from their start to extinction. Wordplay and poetry combine to present prehistoric creatures in a large format just right to support the subject.

A variety of animals in their natural habitat are presented here in handsome full-color photographs accompanied by a range of short poems that they inspired. Both words and pictures present reflections, literal and figurative, and will likely generate discussion.

Children learn from their mothers and mothers learn from their children. Photographs from the authors’ extended family combine with gentle language to convey universal emotions and universal wisdom.

A range of poetic styles, some rooted in the authors’ family, are shared in this handsome, easily accessible collection. Attractive illustrations are sprinkled throughout, building the joy when the poems are shared, even when listening to the beautifully read CD.

Stillwater, a large panda, tells each child a story that illustrates a principle of Zen. Although the tales will captivate children, adults may recognize the philosophy imbedded in them. Delicate, handsome illustrations capture the mood and flow of the stories.

Despite the dry subtitle, this is actually a lively guide to poetry forms both familiar and obscure. In a picture-book format, Janeczko uses examples and informative language to illustrate a wide variety of poems.

Calling the Doves is poet Juan Felipe Herrera’s story of his migrant farmworker childhood. In delightful and lyrical language, he recreates the joy of eating breakfast under the open sky, listening to Mexican songs in the little trailer house his father built, and celebrating with other families at a fiesta in the mountains. He remembers his mother singing songs and reciting poetry, and his father telling stories and calling the doves.

Sophisticated readers will appreciate the sly humor and wordplay in the “kissin’ cousin of haiku.” Senyru focuses on everyday activities (e.g., “Freedom vanishes, as the babysitter arrives… kids are tied in nots”) complemented here by comic illustrations.

A range of forest inhabitants are presented imaginatively in a variety of poetic styles. From the “Bucktoothed Cleaver” (a beaver) to the chipmunks that invest in the “Acorn Savings Bank,” poetry and illustrations allow readers to see animals afresh.

Children everywhere enjoy similar things, celebrated here in rhymes from around the world. Some are traditional while others are by credited authors; each is accompanied by soft illustrations until it’s time to say good night (in many languages).

Dazzling watercolors turn Hughes’ short poem into an unforgettable glimpse of African American history and an emotional journey through time. A concluding note details the illustrator’s personal connection to the classic poem.