NPM Day 18: More Themes for Sharing Poetry

I like sharing poetry with elementary age students when I visit their classrooms. Sometimes I just share a poem or two. Other times, I share whole collections about a specific topic

February is Library Lovers Month. To me, libraries equal books and books equal words. Drawing inspiration from "Word Collection" in Read! Read! Read! by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, I also shared 13 Words by Lemony Snicket, A Curious Menagerie by Carin Berger, and An Ambush of Tigers by Betsy R. Rosenthal. 

Frogs are such a fun topic. I shared poetry, picture books, and nonfiction. We also made origami jumping frogs out of paper. 

• "Polliwogs" and "The Great Frog Race" from the The Great Frog Race and Other Poems by Kristine O'Connell George 
• "Pond" from Fold Me a Poem by Kristine O'Connell George 
• I Don’t Want to be a Frog by Dev Petty
• I’m a Frog! By Mo Willems
• Ah Ha! By Jeff Mack
• Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins

Kids love to answer the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" There are two great poetry collections about jobs: The Underwear Salesman and Other Jobs for Better or Verse by J. Patrick Lewis and Steady Hands: Poems about Work by Tracie Vaughn Zimmerman. I planned to share the librarian poem from each collection and then a selection based on the answers I received to my question. 

Resources

• Activity guide for A Curious Menagerie on the publisher's website
• Teacher's guide for The Great Frog Race on the author's website
• Teacher's guide for Fold Me a Poem on the author's website
• Activities for I Don't Want to Be a Frog on the publisher's website
• Activity for Steady Hands from the publisher via TeachingBooks

Links to My Reviews 

• Read! Read! Read!
• A Curious Menagerie 
• An Ambush of Tigers
• 13 Words
• The Great Frog Race and Other Poems 
• Ah Ha!
• I Don't Want to Be a Frog
• The Underwear Salesman and Other Jobs for Better or Verse
• Steady Hands: Poems about Work

NPM Day 17: Inspired by Eric Carle & Friends

The What's Your Favorite book series by Eric Carle and Friends are fabulous multiple author/illustrator collections that make a perfect vehicle for sharing poetry in addition to the books. You can share poems that line up with the items in the books or survey your audience about their favorite animals, bugs, and food and share poems that line up with the answers. I'm leaving out What's Your Favorite Color? It would pair well with Red Sings from the Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman and I'm sure there are other color poems. 

• What's Your Favorite Animal? by Eric Carle and Friends 
• The animals: cats, giraffes, rodents, blue carp, snail, octopus, bunnies, dog, elephant, duck, horses, cows, penguins, leopard, 
• The Beauty of the Beast selected by Jack Prelutsky
• In the Wild by David Elliott
• Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors by Joyce Sidman
• Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies
• National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs that Squeak, Soar, and Roar! Edited by J. Patrick Lewis
• Zoobilations! Animal Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian
• Flutter & Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido: Animal Poems / Poemas de Animales by Julie Paschkis
• Pug and Other Animal Poems by Valerie Worth 

• What's Your Favorite Bug? by Eric Carle and Friends 
• the bugs: caterpillars, praying mantis, moths, dragonfly, katydid, daddy longlegs, bees, ants, ladybug, firefly, peacock spiders, millipedes, worker bee, walking stick, rhino beetle 
• Nasty Bugs selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
• Bugs: Poems about Creeping Things by David L. Harrison
• Face Bug by J. Patrick Lewis
• Song of the Water Boatman & Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman
• Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian

• What’s Your Favorite Food? By Eric Carle and Friends
• the food: pine honey, cheese, cake, ramen, salad, strawberry daifuku, berries, French fries, paella, chicken alfredo, pizza, pitaya, matzo ball soup, ice cream
• Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmers’ Market by Michelle Schaub
• Follow the Recipe: Poems about Imagination, Celebration, & Cake by Marilyn Singer 
• Fresh Delicious: Poems from the Farmers’ Market by Irene Latham
• Delicious: Poems Celebrating Street Food around the World by Julie Larios 

Resources 

• Activity kit for What's Your Favorite Animal? on the publisher's website
• Lesson plan for National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry by NG School Publishing via TeachingBooks
• Reader's guide for Ubiquitous on the author's website
• Reader's guide for Song of the Water Boatman on the author's website
• Educator's guide and printables for Fresh-Picked Poetry on the author's website
• Farmer's market scavenger hunt for Fresh Delicious on the author's website

Links to My Reviews 

• Red Sings from the Treetops: A Year in Colors
• What's Your Favorite Animal? 
• In the Wild
• Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors
• Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals
• National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis
• Zoobilations! Animal Poems and Paintings
• Pug and Other Animal Poems
• Songs of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems
• Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmers' Market
• Follow the Recipe: Poems about Imagination, Celebration, and Cake
• Delicious! Poems Celebrating Street Food Around the World

NPM Day 16: Thematic Poetry Part 6 - Performance Poetry

Today marks the last day of the thematic poetry lists. There are many more possibilities for lists. The ones I've shared over the last few days are just the ones I've been keeping. The focus of today's list is performance poetry. 

• Boom! Bellow! Bleat! Animal Poems for Two or More Voices by Georgia Heard
• Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman 
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman 
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman 
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman 
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman 
• You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Tall Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman 
• Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman
• Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More!: Poems for Two Voices by Carole Gerber 
• Nature's Remarkable Partners: Wild Poems for Two Voices by Leslie Bulion 

Resources

• Teacher's guide for Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! on the publisher's website
• Educator's Guide for the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series on the publisher's website
• Activity Sheets and Lesson Plans for Joyful Noise from Recorded Books via TeachingBooks
• Educator's guide and coloring page for Nature's Remarkable Partners on the publisher's website

Links to My Reviews

• Boom! Bellow! Bleat! Animal Poems for Two or More Voices

NPM Day 15: Thematic Poetry Part 5 - Seasons

Today's thematic poetry list is all about seasonal poetry. I love adding seasonal poetry to my storytimes. 

• When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano
• Red Sings from the Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman
• Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year selected by Fiona Waters
• Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko
• Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka
• Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons by Jon J. Muth
• Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas
• Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies 
• Beautiful Day! Petite Poems for All Seasons by Radoula Pappa
• Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Resources 

• Reader's guide for Red Sings from the Treetops on the author's website
• Support materials for Firefly July from RIF Literacy Central
• Event kit for Hi, Koo! from Scholastic via TeachingBooks
• Videos and an activity page for Lion of the Sky on the author's website
• Teacher resources for Forest Has a Song on the author's website

Links to My Reviews

• Forest Has a Song
• Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys
• Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons
• When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons
• Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons
• Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature
• Beautiful Day! Petite Poems for All Seasons
• Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems 

NPM Day 14: Thematic Poetry Part 4 - Concrete Poetry

Today's thematic poetry list focuses on a specific poetic form, concrete poetry. Concrete poetry is fun to create and read. 

• A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters by Betsy Franco
• A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poetry selected by Paul B. Janeczko
• Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka
• A Dazzling Display of Dogs by Betsy Franco
• A Curious Collection of Cats by Betsy Franco

Resources

• Bob Raczka's Wordsmithing videos on his website

Links to My Reviews 

• A Curious Collection of Cats
• A Dazzling Display of Dogs
• A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters

NPM Day 13: Thematic Poetry Day 3 - Fairy Tales

Today's thematic poetry list is fairy tales. Fairy tales are one of my favorite things along with poetry. 

• Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer
• Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems
• Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist by Jane Yolen & Rebecca Kai Dotlich
• Sleep Tight, Snow White: 15 Bewitching Bedtime Rhymes by Jen Arena 
• Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems by Gail Carson Levine (not all of the poems are fairy tale themed, but there are a few)
• You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman

Resources 

• Educator's Guide for the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series on the publisher's website
• Consider using Fairly Fairy Tales by Esmé Raji Codell to create your own fairy tale poems. For example, Jack and the Beanstalk but with spaghetti. 
• In the introduction (pp. 18-23) to Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It, Levine gives advice about how to write your own false apology poems. You might also take a look at her two creative writing books, Writing Magic and Writer to Writer. 
• In a note to readers at the beginning to Grumbles from the Forest, the authors invite readers to try their hands at writing their own fairy tale poems from a different perspective. 
• At the end of Mirror Mirror, Singer introduces the reverso, a poetic form she created, and invites readers to try their hand at writing one. 

Links to My Reviews 

• Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems 
• Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse
• Sleep Tight Snow White: 15 Bewitching Bedtime Rhymes
• Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems

NPM Day 12: Thematic Poetry Part 2 - Birds

Today's thematic poetry list is all about birds. I've found that keeping themed lists makes it easy for me to find poetry to share with children.

• Today at the Bluebird Café: A Branchful of Birds by Deborah Ruddell
• Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems by Kristine O’Connell George
• On the Wing by David Elliott
• Superlative Birds by Leslie Bulion
• Feathers: Poems about Birds by Eileen Spinelli
• The Cuckoo’s Haiku and Other Birding Poems by Michael J. Rosen
• On the Wing: Bird Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian 
• Snow Birds by Kirsten Hall 

You might also look at animal themed poetry collections to see if they have a bird section. 

• National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis 
• The Beauty of the Beast edited by Jack Prelutsky
• Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies 

Resources 

• Teacher's guide for Hummingbird Nest on the author's website
• Teacher's guide for Superlative Birds from the publisher's website
• Teacher and Parent Activity Kit for Snow Birds on the publisher's website

Links to My Reviews

• On the Wing by David Elliott
• Today at the Bluebird Café: A Branchful of Birds
• Snow Birds
• The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems 
• Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals
• National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis