Remembering Paul B. Janeczko

Teacher, poet, and anthologist Paul B. Janeczko has passed away. Such a loss; such a significant contribution to the world of literature for young people. I would like to take a moment to celebrate his significant and influential work. He is one of the first people to champion poetry in terms of it's appeal and value to young readers, as well as to provide guidance in the teaching and sharing of poetry with young people. He paved the way for all of us who think of poetry in terms of guiding young people to enjoy and embrace it. Including ME! I first encountered his work when I, myself, was a sixth grade teacher. (He started as a teacher too.) I found the choices he made and the formats he provided so helpful and appealing and my respect for him and his work has grown over the years. What a life well lived; what a huge contribution to all of us who love poetry and look for engaging and creative ways to introduce young readers to the genre we love so much. Here's just a sampling of the depth and breadth of his work. There are MANY others! 

I first encountered Paul's work in poetry collections that included comments or auto biographical bits from poets themselves along with the poems. Like these:

Janeczko, Paul B. 1983. Poetspeak: In Their Work, About Their Work: A Selection. New York: Atheneum.

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 1990. The Place My Words are Looking for. New York: Bradbury.

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2002. Seeing the Blue Between: Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Then later, he focused on poetry teaching with engaging picture book collections illustrated by Chris Raschka:

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2001. A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems. Somerville, MA:   Candlewick.

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2005. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Janeczko, Paul. B. Ed. 2009. A Foot in the Mouth; Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout. Ill. by Chris Raschka. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. 

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2014. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2015. The Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects. Ill. by Chris Raschka. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. 

Plus he created books centered on poetry form:

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 1988. The Music of What Happens: Poems that Tell Stories. New York: Orchard.Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2000. Stone Bench in an Empty Park. New York: Orchard. (haiku)

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2001. Dirty Laundry Pile. Poems in Different Voices. New York: HarperCollins.

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2007. Hey, You! Poems to Skyscrapers, Mosquitoes, and Other Fun Things. New York: HarperCollins. (poems of address)

He created thematic collections too, of course:

Janeczko, Paul B. 1999. Very Best (Almost Friends): Poems of Friendship. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2004. Blushing: expressions of love in poems & letters. New York: Orchard Books. 

There are also several books of poetry by Janeczko himself:

Janeczko, Paul B. 1998. That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems. New York: Atheneum.

Janeczko, Paul B. 1993. Stardust Hotel. New York: Orchard.

And amazing, powerful novels in verse written by him alone:

Janeczko, Paul B. 2004. Worlds Afire. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. 

Janeczko, Paul B. 2011. Requiem; Poems of the Terezín Ghetto. Candlewick. 

Plus nonfiction books about poetry helpful to teachers and students alike:

Janeczko, Paul B. 1994. Poetry from A to Z: A Guide for Young Writers. New York: Bradbury.

Janeczko, Paul B. 2011. Poetry Reading in the Middle Grades. Heinemann.

And he collaborated with other poets on dual-authored books, like: 

Lewis, J. Patrick and Janeczko, Paul B. 2006. Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku. New York: Little, Brown.

Nye, Naomi Shihab, and Paul Janeczko eds. 1996. I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You: A Book of His and Her Poems Collected in Pairs. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Plus, he authored many works of "straight" nonfiction he created like Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Cyphers, and Secret Writing, among others. He has a lifetime of major contributions to poetry-- with two new books out this year. Look for The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and other How-To Poems which debuts next month! He will be awarded the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry in November-- a lovely recognition of his life's work. Personally, I owe Paul a major debt of gratitude for paving the way for anthologies of poetry that include a teaching component-- a focus of my own work with Janet Wong and our Poetry Friday anthologies. Goodbye, Paul, and thank you for the many, beautiful gifts you left us. 

REQUIEM by Paul B. Janeczko

Poetry Tag continues with a book review of a new book of poetry connected to yesterday's book review.

Today’s tagline: More poems about history

Guest Reviewer: Debbie Owen

Featured Book: Janeczko, Paul B. 2011. Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-4727-8.

Debbie writes: In this small, but powerful book, poet Paul B. Janeczko gives readers a haunting look into the lives of Jews imprisoned in the Terezin Concentration Camp. Terezin was proudly hailed by Hitler as a sanctuary for artistic Jews. As proof of this refuge, The Red Cross was allowed to tour the camp. Janeczko chronicles this visit in the poem titled “SS Lieutenant Theodor Lang” found below.

Though most of the characters in Janeczko's poems are fictional, the poems were informed by research and based on historical events and facts. Janeczko uses the “Author's Note” to inform readers on factual aspects of his book. Though not completed yet in this ARC, there is a section reserved at the back of the book for “English Translations of Foreign Words”. Janeczko also provides readers with additional resources such as books, websites, and DVD's. Artwork found at Terezin after the war is distributed throughout. These dramatic black and white drawings are a testament to the atrocities experienced by the Jews. In this advance copy, all artwork is not yet finalized.

Paul B. Janeczko provides readers with a moving, lyrical view into the hearts of the imprisoned men, women, and children of Terezin Ghetto as well as German soldiers. It's this look into the perspective of German soldiers that makes Janeczko's Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto one of the more unique books on Holocaust poetry.

Highlighted Poem (excerpt) from Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto

SS Lieutenant Theodor Lang
“Because of the meddlesome king of Denmark
we were forced
to allow
Red Cross inspectors to visit our town.
We had months to prepare
our show, a charade
to show them that there was no truth
to the pesky rumors about how
we treated our Jews.”

The poem details the preparations for the Red Cross visit, and yet, ends with the chilling truth:

“The inspectors
were in our town for a short time,
only long enough to see
what we wanted them to see.
No more.
They saw enough
to know that we were treating the Jews
in a civilized and humane manner.
We waited a few months
to resume the transports.
The town was getting crowded
and the ovens of Auschwitz waited.”

Connections
Teachers could use this poem in a study of the propaganda used during WWII and Hitler's use of it for the express purpose of covering up the systematic slaughter of millions of Jewish citizens.

Tomorrow’s tagline: Poetry that offers hope

[We’re now more than halfway through Poetry Month—still time to grab a copy of PoetryTagTime, an e-book with 30 poems, all connected, by 30 poets, all connected and downloadable right now at Amazon for your Kindle or Kindle app for your computer, iPad or phone. Just 99 cents.]

Image credit: Candlewick; PoetryTagTime

Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell and students © 2011. All rights reserved.

Paul Janeczko’s Birthday today

Happy birthday, Paul B. Janeczko!

Former English teacher Paul Janeczko began compiling poem anthologies for his students in the 1970’s which led to more formal publication of many, many anthologies for teens and children, as well as poetry of his own in the years since. He has also written books for teachers on using poetry and poetry writing in the classroom and is now a frequent speaker and workshop leader. Janeczko’s work has been recognized with many awards and “best” list citations, including the American Library Association Books for Young Adults, American Library Association Notable Books, New York Public Library Best Books, School Library Journal Best Young Adult Books of the Year, among others.

Paul Janeczko has created many appealing anthologies of poetry for young people such as Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices (HarperCollins, 2001), Very Best (Almost) Friends: A Collection of Friendship Poetry (Candlewick, 1998), and Hey, You!: Poems to Skyscrapers, Mosquitoes, and Other Fun Things (HarperCollins, 2007), as well as authoring several of his own original poetry books such as That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems (Atheneum, 1998), Stardust otel (Scholastic, 1993), Brickyard Summer (Orchard, 1989) and the novel in verse Worlds Afire (Candlewick, 2004). In several of his anthologies for children gather poems based on unique themes particular to poetic form, from concrete poetry to haiku including:

Poetry from A to Z: A Guide to Young Writers (Bradbury, 1994)
A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms (Candlewick, 2005)
A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems (Candlewick, 2001)
Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku with J. Patrick Lewis (Little Brown, 2006)
Stone Bench in an Empty Park (Orchard Books, 2000)

As a response activity, children may enjoy discovering unusual forms of poetry or even trying their hands at writing them. Or working as a group, children can create their own alphabet book of poetry with each child responsible for a letter to build a poem upon. Other Janeczko anthologies that offer additional guidance to budding poets include Seeing the Blue Between: Advice and Inspirations for Young Poets (Candlewick, 2002), The Place My Words Are Looking For: What Poets Say About And Through Their Work (Bradbury, 1990), and Poetspeak: In Their Work, About Their Work: A Selection (Bradbury, 1983).

For more information about Janeczko and his work, look for Poetry People; A Practical Guide to Children's Poets (Libraries Unlimited, 2007).


Picture credit: www.authorsontheweb.com

CYBILS Poetry Shortlist 2014

What a treat to end the calendar year with a dialogue about the best poetry published for young people! I was honored to serve as a Round I judge for the poetry category of the Cybils Award alongside Tricia Stohr-Hunt, Margaret Simon, Bridget R. Wilson, Kelly Ramsdell Fineman, and Nancy Bo Flood, led by our noble chair, Jone Rush MacCulloch. In case you’re not familiar with the Cybils, you’ll find more info here. “Cybils” stands for “Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards” and these were first awarded in 2006. Currently, there are 13 categories of awards including poetry, as well as book apps, nonfiction, easy readers, graphic novels, speculative fiction, etc. I’ve been lobbying for TWO categories of poetry awards, so that both anthologies AND novels in verse might be recognized (separately). We’ll see what happens with that idea.

Meanwhile, we were allowed to select a maximum of seven titles for our shortlist and we used every slot! Our list features these seven wonderful works of poetry:

Cybils Poetry Shortlist 2014

1. Water Rolls, Water Rises by Pat Mora
2. Dear Wandering Wildebeest by Irene Latham
3. Firefly July edited by Paul B. Janeczko
4. Santa Clauses by Bob Raczka
5. Voices from the March by J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon
6. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
7. Hi, Koo by Jon Muth

And here are our blurbs on each poetry title on the shortlist.

Water Rolls, Water Rises: El Agua Rueda, El Agua Sube by Pat Mora, published by Children’s Book Press, 2014.

In a series of free verse poems in English and Spanish, our most precious natural resource takes center stage. Water rolls, rises, slithers, hums, twists, plunges, slumbers and moves across the Earth in varied forms and places. Mora’s three-line poems are filled with imagery and emotion. “Water rises/ into soft fog,/ weaves down the street, strokes and old cat.” (In Spanish: “El agua sube/ formando suave neblina/ que ondula pro la calle, acacia a un gate viejo.”) The lyrical movement of water described in verse is accompanied by Meilo So’s gorgeous mixed media illustrations highlighting 16 landscapes from Iceland, to China, to Mexico, the United States and more. Back matter includes an author’s note and information about the images in the book. A joyous, bilingual celebration, this collection brings water to life.

Tricia Stohr-Hunt
The Miss Rumphius Effect

http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com

Dear Wandering Wildebeest: and Other Poems from the Waterhole by Irene Latham, illustrated by Anna Washam, published by Millbrook, 2014.

In Dear Wandering Wildebeest, Irene Latham’s poetry bounces with the impala and peeps like the meerkat.  With childlike illustrations by Anna Wadham, Irene Latham takes us on a journey to the water hole of the African grasslands.  Each poem is accompanied with factual information that will inform even the oldest readers. 

To All the Beasts who Enter Here, there is word play with "Saw-scaled viper/ rubs, shrugs,/ sizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzles,"  form experiments in Triptych for a Thirsty Giraffe, humor of "Dung Beetle lays eggs/ in elephant poop,” and even danger, "Siren-howls/ foul the air./ Vultures stick to task." Children and adults alike  will love the language and learning that wanders in this book along with the animals of the watering hole.

Margaret Simon
Reflections on the Teche

http://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com

Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, published by Candlewick, 2014.

Prolific anthologist Paul B. Janeczko brings the old and the new together in Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. The collection of 36 poems contains poems by classic poets such as Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. Intermingled with these are poems by well known children's poets including J. Patrick Lewis and X. J. Kennedy. Firefly July takes readers through the seasons beginning in spring and ending with winter. The poems take readers to different locations as well. Both city and country settings appear in the poems. As the subtitle states, the poems are short, but the images they evoke are almost tangible. Melissa Sweet's mixed media illustrations are colorful, playful, imaginative, and whimsical. They draw readers into the poems. Firefly July is a stellar collection that will likely be a family favorite for years to come.

Bridget R. Wilson
What Is Bridget Reading? 

http://whatisbridgetreading.blogspot.com

Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Chuck Groenink, published by Carolrhoda, 2014.

Who knew that among his many talents, Santa was an expert at writing haiku? In this collection of 25 poems using the 5-7-5 format, Raczka brings us Santa's many observations, some about his job: "Wishes blowing in/from my overfilled mailbox--/December's first storm" and others about the weather, the time of year, and Christmas preparations: "Clouds of reindeer breath/in the barn, steam rising from/my hot chocolate". A fun read all at once, or one per day in anticipation of Christmas, some of the haiku work for winter in general as well: "Just after moonrise/I meet my tall, skinny twin--/'Good evening, shadow.'"

Kelly Ramsdell Fineman
Writing and Ruminating 

http://kellyrfineman.livejournal.com/

Voices from the March: Washington, D.C., 1963 written by J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon (WordSong/Boyds Mills Press, 2014) 

Voices from the March is a historical novel in verse that focuses specifically on the momentous march on Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. Six fictional characters (young and old, black and white) tell their tales on this historic day in cycles of linked poems alongside the perspectives of historic figures (the “Big Six”) and other march participants for a rich tapestry of multiple points of view. It’s been fifty years since the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, when discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin became against the law, but as recent events attest, we still have progress to make as a nation. In this powerful work, Lewis and Lyon tackle issues of racial and social justice in 70 lyrical poems that reflect the perspectives of young people and adults struggling with taking action for positive change in peaceful ways. In addition, extensive and helpful back matter includes a guide to the fictional and historical voices, bibliography, index, and list of websites and related books.

Sylvia Vardell
Poetry for Children

http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com

Brown Girl Dreaming written by Jacqueline Woodson, published by Penguin Group, Nancy Paulson Books, 2014.

Brown Girl Dreaming is many things in one rich collection – memoir, history, biography – and lyrical, exquisite poetry.  Events of the author’s personal and family history provide the framework for a series of individual poems.  Woven throughout are key events of the Civil Rights journey and also personal effects of racism and discrimination.  In this beautiful and powerful tapestry of verse, one hears the poignant reflections of Jacqueline Woodson, “one of today’s finest writers,” who kept on dreaming through tough times and good times and who keeps on writing in “mesmerizing verse.”

Nancy Bo Flood
The Pirate Tree; Social Justice and Children's Literature

www.thepiratetree.com

Hi Koo!: A Year of Seasons by Jon J Muth, published by Scholastic, 2014.

Inspired by his twins, Muth wrote a haiku book that doesn't followe the often used three line, 5-7-5 syllable form. This made this title a stand out among other haiku books. Readers take a seasonal journey from summer through spring by Koo the panda. (Thus the pun in the title: Hi Koo!) Beginning with a simple observation about the wind: found!/ in my Coat pocket a missing button/ the wind's surprise, to the last haiku: becoming quiet/ Zero sound/ only breath, Muth offers to young readers a new way to experience haiku. 

The watercolor and ink drawings complement the text. The subtle alphabet theme adds another dimension to the book. The author's note at the book's beginning sets the tone: "...haiku is like an instant captured in words--using sensory images. At its best, a haiku embodies a moment of emotion that reminds us that our own human nature is not separate from all of nature." This book of poetry will help readers to slow down to appreciate the small moments of nature and daily happenings. 

Jone Rush MacCulloch
Check It Out

http://maclibrary.wordpress.com

Anyone can nominate a book for consideration and this year there were 36 poetry titles nominated. Here’s that list, fyi:

Cybils Nominated Poetry Books 2014

1. 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology
2. Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Songs: Illus. by 12 Award-Winning Picture Book Artists
3. Bryan, Ashley. Ashley Bryan's Puppets: Making Something from Everything
4. Bunting, Eve. P is for Pirate: A Pirate Alphabet
5. Cleary, Brian P. If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems 
6. Cleary, Brian P. Ode to a Commode: Concrete Poems 
7. Elliott, David. On the Wing
8. Florian, Douglas. Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles
9. Frank, John. Lend a Hand: Poems About Giving
10. Graham, Joan Bransfield. The Poem That Will Not End
11. Heppermann, Christine. Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty
12. Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Tall Tales to Read Together
13. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Manger
14. Janeczko, Paul B. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems
15. Jiang, Emily. Summoning the Phoenix: Poems and Prose @ Chinese Musical Instruments
16. Latham, Irene. Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole
17. Lewis, J. Patrick and Lyon, George Ella. Voices from the March on Washington
18. Lewis, J. Patrick. Everything is a Poem: The Best of J. Patrick Lewis
19. Lewis, J. Patrick. Harlem Hellfighters
20. Lewis, J. Patrick. Poem-mobiles: Crazy Car Poems
21. Lynn, Danika. Imagination Stew
22. McMahon, Jeff. Swimming to the Moon / A Collection of Rhymes Without Reason
23. Michelson, Richard. S is for Sea Glass: A Beach Alphabet
24. Mora, Pat. Water Rolls, Water Rises Water Rolls, Water Rises: El agua rueda, el agua sube
25. Muth, Jon J. Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons
26. Nesbitt, Kenn. The Biggest Burp Ever: Funny Poems for Kids
27. Oliver, Lin. Little Poems for Tiny Ears
28. Raczka, Bob. Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole 
29. Radunsky, Vladimir. Alphabetabum: An Album of Rare Photographs & Medium Verses
30. Schmidt, Annie M. G. A Pond Full of Ink
31. Singer, Marilyn. Rutherford B., Who Was He?: Poems About Our Presidents
32. Swaim, Jessica. Classic Poetry for Dogs: Why Do I Chase Thee
33. Thomas, J. C. Ninja Mouse: Haiku
34. Wilson, Karma. Outside the Box: A Book of Poems
35. Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming
36. Yolen, Jane. Sister Fox's Field Guide to the Writing Life

Next, a group of Round 2 judges will consider our shortlist of seven titles and select ONE for the final award. That will be announced on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2015. I’ll be sure to post that info here then, too.

Meanwhile, congratulations to the poets, illustrators, editors, and publishers who produced these wonderful, diverse works of poetry— from haiku to memoir to novels in verse, with a historical focus, ecological theme, santa-center, seasonal slant, or just plain fun—do not miss these poetry gems!

And who knows what the new year will bring? I look forward to posting my 2015 “sneak peek” list of forthcoming poetry books very soon! 

Meanwhile, head on over to my fellow Cybils Poetry Judge, Tricia's place at Miss Rumphius Effect for the first Poetry Friday gathering of the new year. 

Poetry Text Sets (Ages 5-12)

Here is the second installment of my list of "text sets" from my resource book, The Poetry Teacher's Book of Lists.  “Text sets” of books linked in some way can prompt lessons of compare/contrast and discussion of poetic voice, stylistic choices, etc. The following sets are ideal for children ages 5-12, but can certainly crossover to other ages. Each mini set includes 3 or more poetry books authored by one poet, focused on a single topic or theme, and formatted to be very similar in design and appearance. This aids in guiding discussion, comparison, and analysis. This focus on a single poet or anthologist offers the opportunity to talk about the writer's voice and how you recognize his or her distinctive style across multiple books. So many possibilities for exploration and fun. And for more about my LIST book, go here.

FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN (ages 5-12)

The Shel Silverstein set
Silverstein, Shel. 1974. Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York: Harper and Row.
Silverstein, Shel. 1981. A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row.
Silverstein, Shel. 1996. Falling Up. New York: HarperCollins.
Silverstein, Shel. 2011. Every Thing On It. HarperCollins.

The Jack Prelutsky set
Prelutsky, Jack. 1984. The New Kid on the Block. New York: Greenwillow.
Prelutsky, Jack. 1990. Something Big Has Been Here. New York: Scholastic.
Prelutsky, Jack. 1996. A Pizza the Size of the Sun. New York: Greenwillow.
Prelutsky, Jack. 2000. It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles. New York: Greenwillow.
Prelutsky, Jack. 2008. My Dog May Be a Genius. New York: Greenwillow.

School poetry
Dakos, Kalli. 1990. If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems about School.  New York: Four Winds Press.
Dakos, Kalli. 1993. Don't Read This Book Whatever You Do!: More Poems about School. New York: Trumpet Club.
Dakos, Kalli. 1995. Mrs. Cole on an Onion Roll and Other School Poems. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Dakos, Kalli. 1996. The Goof Who Invented Homework and Other School Poems. New York: Dial.
Dakos, Kalli. 1999. The Bug in Teacher’s Coffee. New York: HarperCollins.
Dakos, Kalli. 2003. Put Your Eyes Up Here: And Other School Poems. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Dakos, Kalli. 2011. A Funeral in the Bathroom and Other School Bathroom Poems. Albert Whitman.

Humor and nonsense
Brown, Calef. 1998. Polkabats and Octopus Slacks: 14 Stories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 
Brown, Calef. 2000. Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers: 14 More Stories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Brown, Calef. 2006. Flamingos on the Roof. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Brown, Calef. 2008. Soup For Breakfast. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Identity and friendship
Grimes, Nikki. 1994. Meet Danitra Brown. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard.
Grimes, Nikki. 2002. Danitra Brown Leaves Town. New York: HarperCollins.
Grimes, Nikki. 2005. Danitra Brown, Class Clown. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard.

Poems and quilts
Hines, Anna Grossnickle. 2005. Winter Lights: A Season in Poems & Quilts. New York: Greenwillow.
Hines, Anna Grossnickle. 2011. Peaceful Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts. New York: Greenwillow.
Hines, Anna Grossnicle. 2001. Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts. New York: Greenwillow.

The seasons (bilingual Spanish/English)
Alarcón, Francisco X. 1997. Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems/Jitomates Risuenos y Otros Poemas de Primavera. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.
Alarcón, Francisco X. 1998. From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems/Del Ombligo de la Luna y Otros Poemas de Verano. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.
Alarcón, Francisco X. 1999. Angels Ride Bikes and Other Fall Poems. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.
Alarcón, Francisco X. 2001. Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems/ Iguanas en la Nieve y Otros Poemas de Invierno. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.

More seasonal poems
Schnur, Steven. 1997. Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic. New York: Clarion.
Schnur, Steven. 1999. Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic. New York: Clarion.
Schnur, Steven. 2001. Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic. New York: Clarion.
Schnur, Steven. 2002. Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic. New York: Clarion.

Holiday poems
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Ed. 1985. Easter Poems. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Ed. 1985. Thanksgiving Poems. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Ed. 1986. Poems for the Jewish Holidays. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Ed. 1987. Valentine Poems. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Ed. 1988. Poems for Mothers. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. Ed. 1989. Halloween Poems. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. 1985. Celebrations. New York: Holiday House.
Livingston, Myra Cohn. 1989. Birthday Poems. New York: Holiday House.

Food poetry (bilingual Spanish/English)
Argueta, Jorge. 2009. Sopa de frijoles/ Bean Soup. Ill. by Rafael Yockteng. Toronto, ON: Groundwood.
Argueta, Jorge. 2010. Arroz con leche; Rice Pudding. Ill. by Fernando Vilela. Toronto, ON: Groundwood.
Argueta, Jorge. 2012. Guacamole; Un poema para cocinar/ A Cooking Poem. Ill. by Margarita Sada. Groundwood.

Animals
Florian, Douglas. 1996. On the Wing: Bird Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas. 1997. In the Swim: Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas. 1998. Insectlopedia: Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas. 2000. Mammalabilia: Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas. 2001. Bow Wow Meow Meow. San Diego: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2003. Lizard, Frogs, and Polliwogs. San Diego: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2004. Omnibeasts. San Diego: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2005. Zoo’s Who. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2009. Dinothesaurus. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Birds
Yolen, Jane. 2002. Wild Wings: Poems for Young People. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.
Yolen, Jane. 2004. Fine Feathered Friends: Poems for Young People. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.
Yolen, Jane. 2010. An Egret’s Day. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.
Yolen, Jane. 2011. Birds of a Feather. Ill. by Jason Stemple. Boyds Mills Press.

Ecosystem poems
Sidman, Joyce. 2005. Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems. Ill. By Beckie Prange. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Sidman, Joyce. 2006. Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow. Ill. by Beth Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Sidman, Joyce. 2010. Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Ill. by Rick Allen. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

U.S. history and poetry
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Ed. 1994. Hand in Hand: An American History through Poetry.  New York: Simon & Schuster. 
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Ed. 1999. Lives: Poems about Famous Americans. New York: HarperCollins.
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Ed. 2000. My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2008. Ed. America at War. New York: McElderry.

Famous historical figures
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Vherses: A Celebration of Outstanding Women. Mankato, MN: Creative Editions.
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Heroes and She-Roes: Poems of Amazing and Everyday Heroes. New York: Dial.
Lewis, J. Patrick.  2000. Freedom Like Sunlight: Praisesongs for Black Americans. Mankato, MN: Creative Editions.
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2012. When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders. San Francisco: Chronicle.

Poems of place
Siebert, Diane. 1988. Mojave. New York: Crowell.
Siebert, Diane. 1989. Heartland. New York: Crowell.
Siebert, Diane. 1991. Sierra. New York: HarperCollins.
Siebert, Diane. 2000. Cave. New York: HarperCollins.

Native American perspectives
Bruchac, Joseph. 1992.  Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back: A Native American Year of Moons. New York: Philomel Books.
Bruchac, Joseph. 1995. The Earth under Sky Bear's Feet: Native American Poems of the Land. New York: Philomel Books.
Bruchac, Joseph. 1996. Between Earth and Sky:  Legends of Native American Sacred Places. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.

Poems and music
Myers, Walter Dean. 1997. Harlem: A Poem. New York: Scholastic.
Myers, Walter Dean. 2003. Blues Journey. New York: Holiday House.
Myers, Walter Dean. 2006. Jazz. Ill. by Christopher Myers. New York: Holiday House.

Poem riddles
Lewis, J. Patrick. 1996. Riddle-icious. New York: Scholastic.
Lewis, J. Patrick. 1998. Riddle-Lightful: Oodles of Little Riddle-Poems. Knopf.
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2004. Scientrickery: Riddles in Science. San Diego: Harcourt.
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2009. Spot the Plot! A Riddle Book of Book Riddles. San Francisco: Chronicle.

Poem forms
Janeczko, Paul B. Ed. 2001. A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
Janeczko, Paul B.. Ed. 2005. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
Janeczko, Paul. 2009. A Foot in the Mouth; Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout. Ill. by Chris Raschka. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Poetry e-books
Vardell, Sylvia and Wong, Janet. Eds. 2011. P*TAG. PoetryTagTime.
Vardell, Sylvia and Wong, Janet. Eds. 2011. PoetryTagTime. PoetryTagTime
Vardell, Sylvia and Wong, Janet. Eds. 2011. Gift Tag. PoetryTagTime.

Poems with audio CDs of poets reading
Giovanni, Nikki. Coll. 2008. Hip Hop Speaks to Children. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.
Paschen, Elise and Raccah, Dominique. Ed. 2005. Poetry Speaks to Children. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.
Paschen, Elise and Raccah, Dominique. Ed. 2010. Poetry Speaks; Who I Am. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

Are there any poetry text sets that I have missed that you have found meaningful for sharing with students at the elementary level (ages 5-12)?

I'll be sharing similar lists for middle school and high school in the next two weeks. Stay tuned.

Join the rest of the Poetry Friday gathering hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem here.


Copyright Sylvia M. Vardell 2012. All rights reserved. 

J. Pat Lewis’s principles and renga

In keeping with my back-to-school theme, I’m tickled to showcase a brand spankin’ new villanelle by friend and marvel, J. Patrick Lewis (used with his permission). Enjoy the clever wordplay that so often characterizes Pat’s poetry.


The Principle of the Principal
by J. Patrick Lewis


What does she do at Elementary School?

That lady who’s in charge of everything.

The principle of Principals is cool.



Dilemmas, whether great or minuscule,

She handles like a yo-yo on a string.

Now what she does at Elementary School



Is make sure yellow buses get their fuel

And listen to complaints that teachers bring

With principle. The Principal is cool.



She hopes to curb the stress and ridicule

Of standard tests that kids endure each spring

(Required of her Elementary School).



But she must make exceptions to the rule

To juggle at this Elementary Ring-

Ling Brothers Circus. Principals are cool.



To swim, you stick your toe into the pool.

To Principal, make every kid a king.

That’s what she does at Elementary School:

A Principal with principles is cool.


Pat also has a new book out this year (one of several, I’m betting), Birds on a Wire, a fascinating collection of renga (the ancient form of linked) poems in collaboration with Paul Janeczko. It’s a game-like poetic form that kids may enjoy exploring, because one writer pens a verse to which another poet responds, back and forth, linking first and last lines, but not all necessarily connected in content—if that description makes sense. It’s clever, fun, and surprising and in this case, weaves a story/description of a small town through multiple details both concrete and abstract (with lovely watercolor scenes provided by the talented Gary Lippincott). Here’s one excerpt that makes a nice “school” connection for me today:

behind their teacher
a line of first-graders
each clutching a new book

crossing at the WALK sign
make way for readers

From: Lewis, J. Patrick, and Janeczko, Paul B. 2008. Birds on a Wire. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.

The Booklist STARRED review calls it a “meditative meander about a timeless town… both insightful and visceral, (a book) that demands and rewards multiple readings, viewings, and contemplations." Check it out!

Join the Poetry Friday Round Up at Read. Imagine. Talk. See you there!

Picture credit: Amazon; www.oberlin.edu
Pictured: Mary Jane Patterson, first woman principal of Dunbar High School, Washington, DC, 1860’s

National Library Week: A new Pat Lewis library poem

This week is also National Library Week (April 13-19)! First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association. And of course, I have to share a library poem (perhaps my favorite topic of all). This time, I’m lucky enough to have a new, original poem to share from the always generous and prolific, J. Pat Lewis. Enjoy!



The Librarian
by J. Patrick Lewis

After school one day I was talking to Mr.
Butterwinkle, the school librarian.
"Can you
Define ABECEDARIAN?" I asked.
"Easy," he said. "But
First I think you should
Go to Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, and...
Hmm, here's one," he said. "Now,
Isabelle, when you're looking for sparkling word
Jewels, try to
Keep them spit-shined, ready to go. A dictionary's
Like a trap, an irresistible
Mind trap.
Nobody can discover
One beaut without two more
Popping up-fifty-cent
Quality words-in
Rapid
Succession,
Totally
Unexpected
Verbal
Whizbangs.
Xerox them. Hang them in your locker. Now
You're in the
Zone. Oh, I forgot. ABECEDARIAN. Look it up."

Used with permission from J. Patrick Lewis.

I love this ABC connection, don’t you? Paul Janeczko writes about this poetic form in Poetry from A to Z: A Guide for Young Writers (New York: Bradbury, 1994). I have posted about the link between the ABCs and poetry before on April 21, 2007, last year. Just as a refresher, here are some poetry collections that are organized alphabetically ala the dictionary.

Ada, Alma Flor. 1997. Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English. Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard.
Bryan, Ashley. 1997. Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry. Atheneum.
Harley, Avis. 2000. Fly with Poetry; An ABC of Poetry. Wordsong/Boyds Mills.
Harley, Avis. 2001. Leap into Poetry: More ABCs of Poetry. Wordsong/Boyds Mills.
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2003. Alphathoughts. Boyds Mills Press.
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1994. April Bubbles Chocolate. Simon & Schuster.
Janeczko. Paul, comp. 1994. Poetry from A to Z: A Guide for Young Writers. Bradbury.
Merriam, Eve. 1995. Halloween ABC. Aladdin.
Schnur, Steven. 1997. Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic. Clarion. (See also: Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic; Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic; and Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic all by Steven Schnur)
Sierra, Judy. 2004. There's a Zoo in Room 22. Voyager.
Wilbur, Richard. 2001. The Disappearing Alphabet. Voyager.

Do you know of any other alpha-poems or alpha-poem collections? Visit your library during library week and let me know if you find any!

Picture credit: talking-dog.com

Poetry for Teens

Here's a big shout out to my former students, Cynthia Bartek and Heather Schubert, who are now UberLibrarians in Austin (Texas) and have launched the first Austin Teen Book Festival TODAY! What a terrific event they have planned. I had hoped to go, but it didn't work out. But I promised them a poetry booklist for teens, which I am sharing with you here. It focuses on a few titles (mostly published post-2000) in a few fun categories with a focus on maximum teen appeal. Enjoy!

Crazy Awesome Poetry for Teens
1. Engle, Margarita. 2008. The Surrender Tree. Henry Holt.
2. Frost, Helen. 2003. Keesha's House. Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
3. Hemphill, Stephanie. 2007. Your Own, Sylvia. Knopf.
4. Holbrook, Sara & Wolf, Allan. 2008. More Than Friends; Poems from Him and Her. Boyds Mills Press.
5. Mecum, Ryan. 2008. Zombie Haiku. How Books.
6. Mecum, Ryan. 2009. Vampire Haiku. How Books.
7. Nelson, Marilyn. 2005. A Wreath for Emmett Till. Houghton Mifflin.
8. Shakur, Tupac. 1999. A Rose That Grew from Concrete. Pocket Books.
9. Smith, Hope Anita. 2008. Keeping the Night Watch. Henry Holt.
10. Sones, Sonya. 2001. What My Mother Doesn't Know. Simon & Schuster.

Love Poetry for Teens
1. Adoff, Arnold. 1997. Love Letters. Scholastic.
2. Block, Francesca Lia. 2008. How to (Un)Cage a Girl. Joanna Cotler Books.
3. Fletcher, Ralph. 1998. Room Enough for Love: The Complete Poems of I Am Wings and Buried Alive. Aladdin.
4. Franco, Betsy, ed. 2008. Falling Hard: Teenagers on Love. Candlewick.
5. Janeczko, Paul, ed. 2004. Blushing: Expressions of Love. Scholastic.
6. Mora, Pat. 2010. Dizzy in Your Eyes. Knopf.
7. Myers, Walter Dean. 2009. Amiri and Odette: A Dance for Two. Scholastic.
8. Sayer, Viv, ed. 2008. Poems of Love and Longing. Pont Books.
9. Soto, Gary. 2009. Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing. Harcourt.
10. Young Ed. 2003. Voices of the Heart. Scholastic.

Poetry Written BY Teens
1. Aguado, Bill, ed. 2003. Paint Me Like I Am. Harper.
2. Franco, Betsy, ed. 2001. Things I Have to Tell You: Poems by Teenage Girls. Candlewick.
3. Franco, Betsy, ed. 2001. You Hear Me?: Poems by Teenage Boys. Candlewick.
4. Johnson, Dave, ed. 2000. Movin’: Teen Poets Take Voice. Orchard.
5. Lyne, Sandford, comp. 2004. Soft Hay Will Catch You. Simon & Schuster.
6. Michael, Pamela, ed. 2008. River of Words. Milkweed.
7. Ochoa, Annette Piña, Betsy Franco, and Traci L. Gourdine, eds. 2003. Night is Gone, Day is Still Coming; Poems by American Indian Teens. Candlewick.
8. Sidman, Joyce. 2003. The World According to Dog. Houghton Mifflin.
9. Tom, Karen, and Kiki. 2001. Angst! Teen Verses from the Edge. Workman.
10. WritersCorps. 2008. Tell the World. HarperCollins.

Poem Anthologies: On Art & War; Being Young, Latino or Female
1. Carlson, Lori, ed. 2005. Red Hot Salsa. Henry Holt.
2. Clinton, Catherine. ed. 2003. A Poem of Her Own; Voices of American Women Yesterday and Today. Abrams.
3. Greenberg, Jan, ed. 2001. Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art. Abrams.
4. Greenberg, Jan, ed. 2008. Side by Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World. Abrams.
5. Heard, Georgia, ed. 2002. This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort. Candlewick.
6. Hopkins, Lee Bennett, ed. 2008. America at War. McElderry.
7. Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Vherses: A Celebration of Outstanding Women. Creative.
8. Lewis, J. Patrick. 2007. The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse. National Geographic.
9. Nye, Naomi. ed. 2010. Time You Let Me In; 25 Poets Under 25. Greenwillow.
10. Siebert, Diane. 2006. Tour America. Chronicle.

Verse Novels: A Sampling
1. Burg, Ann. 2009. All the Broken Pieces. Scholastic.
2. Chaltas, Thalia. 2009. Because I Am Furniture. Viking.
3. Glenn, Mel. 2000. Split Image. HarperCollins.
4. Grimes, Nikki. 2002. Bronx Masquerade. Dial.
5. Herrick, Steven. 2004. The Simple Gift. Simon & Schuster.
6. High, Linda Oatman. 2008. Planet Pregnancy. Front Street.
7. Hopkins, Ellen. 2008. Identical. McElderry.
8. Wayland, April Halprin. 2002. Girl Coming in for a Landing. Knopf.
9. Wolff, Virginia Euwer. 2009. This Full House. HarperTeen.
10. Wong, Joyce Lee. 2006. Seeing Emily. Abrams.

For Midde School Poetry Lovers
1. Bagert, Brod. 2006. Hormone Jungle. Maupin House.
2. George, Kristine O’Connell. 2002. Swimming Upstream. Clarion.
3. Grandits, John. 2004. Technically, It’s Not My Fault: Concrete Poems. Clarion.
4. Grandits, John. 2007. Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems. Clarion.
5. Janeczko, Paul B, comp. 2002. Seeing the Blue Between: Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets. Candlewick.
6. Park, Linda Sue. 2007. Tap Dancing on the Roof; Sijo Poems. Clarion.
7. Sidman, Joyce. 2007. This is Just to Say. Houghton Mifflin.
8. Smith, Charles R. Jr. 2003. Hoop Queens. Candlewick.
9. Smith, Charles R. Jr. 2004. Hoop Kings. Candlewick.
10. Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2008. 42 Miles. Clarion.

Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2009. All rights reserved.

Cybils Poetry Valentines!

The Cybils Awards winners will be announced on Sunday, Feb. 14, Valentine's Day. The Cybils awards (or Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards) "aim to recognize the children's and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal."

I was fortunate to participate in selecting the finalists last fall, along with my fellow poetry judges, Carol Wilcox (Carol’s Corner), Nancy Bo Flood (The Pirate Tree), Tricia Stohr-Hunt (The Miss Rumphius Effect), Irene Latham (Live Your Poem), and Margaret Simon (Reflections on the Teche).What fun to pore over all the nominated poetry from 2015 and whittle down to a handful of books. Our final choices?

The 2015 Poetry Finalists (you'll find complete annotations for these books here)

Flutter and Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido: Animal Poems / Poemas de Animales by Julie Paschkis (Henry Holt)

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton (Dial Books)

House Arrest by K.A. Holt (Chronicle Books)

National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More than 200 Poems With Photographs That Float, Zoom, and Bloom! by J. Patrick Lewis (National Geographic Children’s Books)

Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott (Margaret K. McElderry Books)

The Popcorn Astronauts: And Other Biteable Rhymes by Deborah Ruddell (Margaret K. McElderry Books)

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers)

Earlier this year, another group of judges read and discussed these books and chose ONE as the winner for 2015. I'll post that info on Sunday, as soon as it's public. You can also check at the Cybils site here for that info. This year, we were also able to consider novels in verse, so I'm very happy that this form was included this year. (And there's even talk of creating a separate category for novels in verse which I think would be wonderful!)

All 2015 Nominations for the Cybils Award for Poetry

Anyone can nominate a book for consideration and this year there were 47 poetry titles nominated (the most ever!). Here’s that complete list, fyi:

Novels in verse

1. 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger

2. A Heart Like Ringo Starr by Linda Oatman High

3. Audacity by Melanie Crowder

4. Blue Birds by Caroline Starr Rose

5. Dating Down by Stefanie Lyons

6. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle

7. Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton

8. House Arrest by K.A. Holt

9. My Seneca Village by Marilyn Nelson

10. Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott

11. Red Butterfly by A.L. Sonnichsen

12. Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen

13. The Lost Marble Notebook of Forgotten Girl & Random Boy by Marie Jaskulka

Collections

1. A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young by Michael Rosen

2. A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters: Concrete Poems by Betsy Franco

3. After the Bell Rings: Poems About After-School Time by Carol Diggory Shields

4. An Ambush of Tigers: Collective Nouns by Betsy R. Rosenthal

5. Bigfoot is Missing! by J. Patrick Lewis and Kenn Nesbitt

6. Changes: A Child's First Poetry Collection by Charlotte Zolotow

7. Double Happiness by Nancy Tupper Ling

8. Feeding the Flying Fanellis: And Other Poems from a Circus Chef by Kate Hosford

9. Flutter and Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido: Animal Poems by Julie Paschkis

10. Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of the Seasons by Margaret Wise Brown

11. Hypnotize a Tiger: Poems by Calef Brown

12. Orangutanka: A Story in Poems by Margarita Engle

13. Poems in the Attic by Nikki Grimes

14. Presidential Misadventures: Poems That Poke by Bob Raczka

15. Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse by Leslie Bulion

16. Sail Away by Langston Hughes

17. Salsa: Un poema para cocinar / A Cooking Poem by Jorge Argueta

18. Sing a Season Song by Jane Yolen

19. Sleepy Snoozy Cozy Coozy by Judy Young

20. Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel

21. The Maine Coon's Haiku: And Other Poems for Cat Lovers by Michael J. Rosen

22. The Popcorn Astronauts by Deborah Ruddell

23. The Sky Painter by Margarita Engle

24. Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman

25. Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale by Lee Wardlaw

Anthologies

1. A Pirate's Mother Goose by Nancy I. Sanders

2. Amazing Places edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins

3. Beastly Verse illustrated by JooHee Yoon

4. Dear Tomato: An International Crop of Food and Agriculture Poems edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte

5. Jumping Off Library Shelves edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins

6. Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes by Henry, Josh, and Harrison Herz

7. National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More than 200 Poems With Photographs That Float, Zoom, and Bloom! edited by J. Patrick Lewis

8. Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes edited by Elizabeth Hammill

9. The Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects edited by Paul B. Janeczko

Congratulations to all the poets, illustrators, editors, and publishers who produced these wonderful works of poetry!

ALL Cybils Award Winners for Poetry (2006-2015)

Here are ALL the poetry winners (including an update with the 2015 winner):

2015 Flutter and Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido: Animal Poems / Poemas de Animales by Julie Paschkis (Henry Holt)

2014 Voices from the March on Washington by J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon (Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press)

2013 Forest Has a Song: Poems by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater (Clarion Books)

2012 BookSpeak!: Poems About Books by Laura Purdie Salas (Clarion Books)

2011 Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto by Paul B. Janeczko (Candlewick Press)

2010 Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer (Penguin Young Readers)

2009 Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

2008 Honeybee by Naomi Shihab Nye (HarperCollins) 

2007 This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin)

2006 Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin)

Ten years of Cybils! Woohoo!

And just for you for Valentine's Day, you'll find my previous post about "love" poetry for kids here.

Now head on over to Kimberley's place for the Poetry Friday gathering at Written Reflections.