Poetry is perfect for the youngest readers—great for developing vocabularies and fun for adults to read out loud. Check out some newly published books, all of which can be found in the Library's nonfiction section, that have the members of our Best Books for Kids committee feeling jazzed.

Cricket in the Thicket: Poems about Bugs by Carol Murray

You guessed it: cartoonish bugs of all kinds abound in this colorful book, which includes fun facts about insects as well as alliterative poems.

This book is: amusing, detailed, inventive, sweet. 

 

Bravo: Poems about Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle

Names you've heard of -- Pura Belpré, Tito Puente, César Chávez -- as well as several you probably haven't populate the pages of this book of poems and portraits.

This book is: colorful, historical, vivid.


 

 

Animal Ark by Joel Sartore and Kwame Alexander

Sartore is a National Geographic photographer on a mission to showcase every animal in the world. This book showcases his portraits together with poetry that calls for kids to protect the animals they see on its pages.

This book is: educational, realistic, thought-provoking.

 

A Song about Myself by John Keats

One of the lesser-known poems by a well-known author, illustrated with XX watercolors.

This book is: colorful, lyrical, sweet.

 

 

 

 

Thunder Underground by Jane Yolen

Yolen, author of the iconic Why Do Dinosaurs...? series, turns her eye below the surface. This collection of poems explores what it means to be underground -- beneath the soil, in the subway, in animal burrows, and more.

This book is: attention-grabbing, detailed, full of wordplay.

 

 

One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes

Grimes combines her own words with those of the most famous poets from the Harlem Renaissance, paired with vibrant art from prominent African-American illustrators.

This book is: inspiring, thought-provoking.

 

 

 

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!