If This Bird Had Pockets: A Poem in Your Pocket Day Celebration by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Poem in Your Pocket Day is a distinctly human celebration. What if animals had pockets? What kind of poems would you find in their pockets? 

Featured Animals: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Eastern Newt, Goliath Birdeater, Leafcutter Ant, Bottlenose Dolphin, Short-Tailed Chinchilla, Northern Giraffe, Spotted Turtle, Red Fox, Barren-Ground Caribou, Bluegill, American Alligator, Gray Wolf, Royal Starfish, Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Monarch Butterfly, Star-Nosed Mole, Sea Otter, Chicks

Thoughts: Such an interesting premise! I love that all the poems are written from the animals' points-of-view and that the reader learns so much about each animal in the poems. (I could have used "It's Not Difficult" years ago.) I have a feeling kids will want to know even more about the animals in this poetry collection. My favorite poems are "Sipping Song," "Metaphor in a Meadow," and "Wilderness and Safety." The digitally painted illustrations are colorful and detailed.  My favorite illustrations are the chinchillas, the giraffes, the sea otter, and the last illustration where the girl is thinking about all the different animals. I can't wait to incorporate the ocean animal poems into my storytimes and events this summer. (The Collaborative Summer Library Program theme this year is oceanography.) 

This collection can spark creativity. Children could use the illustrations to inspire their own poems. Have children write a poem from the point-of-view of their favorite animals. Chances are most are not featured in If This Bird Had Pockets. Create your own animal pocket poem collection. The educator guide linked below has poetry prompts to get you started. 

Find bonus activities and an educator guide on the publisher's website here. 

Themes: Animals 

(Illustrated by Emma J. Virján. Wordsong, 2022.)