Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login
Living Literature
 4Real Forums : Living Literature
Subject Topic: Best poetry for young children Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message << Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
Sarah M
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: Jan 06 2008
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1423
Posted: May 22 2008 at 11:15am | IP Logged Quote Sarah M

What do you ladies recommend in the way of good poetry for young ones (say...ages 3-7 or so)? So much of it seems silly and nonsensical, like Shel Silverstein, and while I know it has a place, it's not exactly what I'm looking for. I'd like to find some beautiful, simple poetry around nature themes.

Any ideas?
Back to Top View Sarah M's Profile Search for other posts by Sarah M
 
Chari
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5228
Posted: May 22 2008 at 12:49pm | IP Logged Quote Chari

There is a series called:

"Poetry for Young People"

I just bought one for a 5yo on Emily Dickinson.

They also have Edgar Allen Poe
Shakespeare
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Frost and more .....though I am having a blank.

I know they sell them through catalogs.......maybe Rainbow Resource Center??

The poems are well chosen for children and they have nice illustrations. I LOVE them!

Other good poetry books are A Child's Garden of Verses.........only use ones with GREAT illustrations

Margarite De'Angeli's Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes

One Thousand Poems for Children by Sechrist

__________________
Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
Back to Top View Chari's Profile Search for other posts by Chari Visit Chari's Homepage
 
Helen
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Dec 03 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2826
Posted: May 22 2008 at 1:03pm | IP Logged Quote Helen

I love the Poetry for Young People series. My library has a lot of them. (We especially liked the Tennyson book.)

Helen Ferris' Favorite Poems old and new is fantastic. I think if you could only have one poetry book, it would be this one. My 4 year old loves the poems in here as does my teenager. The poems are broken down according to theme, so it would be a good resource for nature poems. (Emmanuel books carries this book)
I saw one at a used book fair recently.

I have another book I really like but I can't think of the name. It's something like Classic Poetry. I believe there was a link about it here.

__________________
Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
Back to Top View Helen's Profile Search for other posts by Helen Visit Helen's Homepage
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: May 22 2008 at 1:53pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

A couple links for past threads with some recommendations which might be what you are looking for.
Poetry for the very young
favorite poetry books for young ones

__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
SallyT
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Aug 08 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2489
Posted: May 22 2008 at 5:02pm | IP Logged Quote SallyT

Charles Causley. My hands-down favorite. He's not well-known over here -- he was a poet in Cornwall (a "serious" poet for grownups as well as children), who died about 5 years ago.

He has many collections for children; our personal family favorite is one called Early in the Morning. These are wonderful, playful (but not frivolous or kiddified) formal poems which are great fun to read aloud. This particular book is especially good for younger children. I can't recall how many poems in this collection are about nature, specifically -- the title poem is, for sure.

If you want a taste of his poems, I've posted some of his "grownup" ones on my blog, for Poetry Friday and for liturgical-year observances. You can check them out here.

Sally

__________________
Castle in the Sea
Abandon Hopefully
Back to Top View SallyT's Profile Search for other posts by SallyT Visit SallyT's Homepage
 
Erin
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator


Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5814
Posted: May 22 2008 at 11:36pm | IP Logged Quote Erin

I second the vote for Robert Louis Stevenson. I have a beautifully illustrated one by Hilda Boswell.

__________________
Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
Back to Top View Erin's Profile Search for other posts by Erin Visit Erin's Homepage
 
hereinantwerp
Forum Pro
Forum Pro


Joined: Dec 17 2005
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 322
Posted: June 03 2008 at 12:35pm | IP Logged Quote hereinantwerp

There is also a beautiful Robert Lewis Stevenson book illustrated by Tasha Tudor.

My favorite over the years has been "Sing a Song of Popcorn", illustrated by different famous children's book authors. There are thoughtful selections as well as sillier ones. Easy to find at the library or used. It is my favorite selection of poetry, so well-chosen.

We have the Helen Farris book as well and it is good. No pictures though, more longer poems for olders.

We have also enjoyed "Until I saw the Sea," by Allison Shaw, probably out of print but check the library--beautiful poems and large photographs, all about the Sea--great for summer!

Shirley Hughes has one called "Out and About", a book of poetry through the seasons, fun but reflective too, which is wonderful for this age group.

I just checked and all of those are available used on Amazon for under 50 cents, plus postage of course!

For some reason my kids have not connected with the Poetry for Young People series--not sure why.

Out and About
Until I saw the Sea
sing a song of popcorn

A wonderful poetic book is by Rosemary Wells with paintings by David MacPhail, "Night Sounds, Morning Colors." This is one of my favorite children's books ever. Unfortunately it is also OOP, and very expensive used, but you could check the library.

We also like Edward Lear's book of nonsense and T. S. Eliots book of Cats . . . but these are on the silly side, of course!

__________________
Angela Nelson

Mother to Simon (13), Calvin (9), and Lyddie Rose (3)

my blog: live and learn
Back to Top View hereinantwerp's Profile Search for other posts by hereinantwerp Visit hereinantwerp's Homepage
 
SuzanneG
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: June 17 2006
Location: Idaho
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5465
Posted: June 03 2008 at 12:39pm | IP Logged Quote SuzanneG

hereinantwerp wrote:
My favorite over the years has been "Sing a Song of Popcorn", illustrated by different famous children's book authors. There are thoughtful selections as well as sillier ones. Easy to find at the library or used. It is my favorite selection of poetry, so well-chosen.

I'd have to say that this is our favorite too! It's fun to have the illustrations be different, yet in the same book. And, you're right....so well-chosen.

__________________
Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
Back to Top View SuzanneG's Profile Search for other posts by SuzanneG
 
stefoodie
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 8457
Posted: March 25 2010 at 7:21am | IP Logged Quote stefoodie

Jamberry

Kipling

Poems for K-3ers

Poetry Help Needed - older thread

Snow Day

Tang Dynasty poetry

Winter Poems

__________________
stef

mom to five
Back to Top View stefoodie's Profile Search for other posts by stefoodie Visit stefoodie's Homepage
 
Maggie
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Dec 01 2007
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 712
Posted: March 25 2010 at 9:28am | IP Logged Quote Maggie

Sarah,

I LOVE "A Child's Garden of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Those are BEAUTIFUL poems. (My copy is from when I was little!).

I also really enjoy "Favorite Poems Old and New" selected by Helen Ferris. These are organized very well according to subject...and is a huge selection. Very sparse, black and white drawings throughout, which are beautiful and lend a simple and refreshing quality to the anthology.



__________________
Wife to dh (12 years) Mama to dd (10) ds (8), dd (1), ds (nb) and to Philip Mary (5/26/09), Lucy Joy (12/6/09), and Margaret Mary (3/6/10) who entered Heaven before we had a chance to hold them.
Back to Top View Maggie's Profile Search for other posts by Maggie
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  [Add this topic to My Favorites] Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com