Poetry
Books in Verse to Celebrate Poetry Month With Your Students
Happy National Poetry Month! Established in 1966, the celebratory month is a wonderful reminder of how literature and expression tie together, and is a great opportunity to celebrate some excellent works of poetry in all their many forms. From spoken word, rhymes, songs, and verse there is so much to explore. While poetry can sometimes be a difficult genre of writing for students to get into, exploring different types of poetry can help students connect and engage in a new way, and possibly even consider putting pen to paper and creating their own poems and stories.
Check out these recommended books in verse to draw in and engage your students in the art of poetry. You'll also find a short list of additional resources to dive deeper into the study of poetry.
Elementary Titles
Little Cat's Luck by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell
Izzy Kline Has Butterflies by Beth Levine Ain
Gone Camping: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Moo by Sharon Creech
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry
The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan
Middle Grade Titles
Alone by Megan E. Freeman
Birdie by Eileen Spinelli
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido
Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes
House Without Walls: May 10, 1979 to June 7, 1980 by Ching Yeung Russell
Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
Rebound by Kwame Alexander
The Colors of the Rain by R.L. Toalson
Under the Broken Sky by Mariko Nagai
High School Titles
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Shout by Laure Halse Anderson
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Additional Resources:
Columbia Granger's World of Poetry
This library resource features 250,000 full text poems with commentaries and criticisms. (NYPL library card needed)
National Youth Poet Laureate
Learn more about this award winning youth poetry program including this year's inaugural youth poet Amanda Gorman.
Poetry Foundation
Find poems, prose, guides, podcast and more.
Poets.org
Find poems, poets, and activities to celebrate National Poetry Month. Also features a poem of the day to listen to or read.
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