Join Us as we Celebrate Poetry Month!

The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics

by Susan Hood (Author) Christiane Engel (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

Thoughtful and thought-provoking, this book will plant the seeds of environmental activism in young readers. –Kirkus (starred review)”

I encourage everyone to read this book.” –Dr. Jane Goodall

There’s no doubt about it–plastic is in almost everything. From our phones and computers to our toys and utensils, plastic is everywhere. But the amount of plastic we throw away is hurting the health of our planet. With The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics, readers will be fascinated as they learn about the growing plastic problem and meet just a few of the young activists who are standing up and speaking out for change. You’ll hear about the “Be Straw Free” campaign, started by nine-year-old Milo Cress. You’ll discover how scientists are using jellyfish snot and munching, crunching caterpillars to break down plastic pollution faster. You’ll meet Xóchitl Guadalupe Cruz López, the eight-year-old girl turning old plastic bottles into solar heaters. And there are many more incredible kids here, not much older than our readers, who will inspire us all to change the way we think about plastic! With an introduction from Milo Cress and bright, colorful illustrations from Christiane Engel, this collection of brilliant, lyrical nonfiction poems by award-winning author Susan Hood highlights the threat of plastic and the kids who are fighting for change to save our planet. Includes extensive backmatter with a timeline, author’s note, further resources, and more.

The Dirt Book: Poems about Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet

by David L. Harrison (Author) Kate Cosgrove (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

15 fun and fact-filled poems about soil–what makes it and who lives in it! This book unearths some of the glorious mysteries that lie beneath our feet! Dirt! It’s made of chipped rocks, rotting plants, decaying animals, fungi, and germs. It’s food for plants and home to animals of all kinds. 15 poems explore the underground lives of earthworms, spiders, ants, chipmunks, and more.Chipmunk, for such a little squirt you sure do move a lot of dirt, you sure do dig your tunnels deep, you sure do find some nuts to keep, you sure do know your underground.Chipmunk, you sure do get around. Spectacular art is oriented for an extra long view to better depict life down deep. Table of Contents–Dirt Recipe At the Roots of Things, Doodlebug: One Way Ride, Trap Door Spider: The Waiting Game, Earthworm: Dirty Work, Ant: City Builder, Grub: Grass Killer, Mouse: Nightfall Calls, Bumblebee: Planning for Spring, Yellow Jacket Wasp: Warning! Warning! Warning!, Mole: Worm Search, Toad: Bedtime, Chipmunk: Busy, Busy, Busy!, Gopher Tortoise: The Innkeeper, And Now We Know, Author Notes This is David L. Harrison and Kate Cosgrove’s second nature book together after And the Bullfrogs Sing. This book has been vetted by an expert. It includes back matter and a bibliography.

Daniels’s Good Day

by MICHA ARCHER

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Daniel finds the poetry in the everyday activities of his own neighborhood, in this gorgeous companion to Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Daniel Finds a Poem. The people in Daniel’s neighborhood always say, Have a good day! But what exactly is a good day? Daniel is determined to find out, and as he strolls through his neighborhood, he finds a wonderful world full of answers as varied as his neighbors. For Emma, a good day means a strong wind for kite flying. For the bus driver, a good day means pleases and thank-yous. A good day is bees for the gardener, birthdays for the baker, and wagging tails for the mail carrier. And, for Daniel’s grandma, a good day is a hug from Daniel! And when Daniel puts all these good days together, they make a lovely poem full of his neighbors’ favorite things. Micha Archer’s vivid collages bring to life one special day, and her inviting text celebrates a vibrant community and an appreciation for the many simple things that give us joy.

When Green Becomes Tomatoes:  Poems for All Seasons

by JULIE FOGLIANO

Reading Level: 4th – 5th Grade

December 29

and i woke to a morning

that was quiet and white

the first snow

(just like magic) came on tip toes

Overnight

Flowers blooming in sheets of snow make way for happy frogs dancing in the rain. Summer swims move over for autumn sweaters until the snow comes back again. In Julie Fogliano’s skilled hand and illustrated by Julie Morstad’s charming pictures, the seasons come to life in this gorgeous and comprehensive book of poetry.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!: An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year

by Nosy Crow (Author) Britta Teckentrup (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th – 5th Grade

A lavishly illustrated collection of 366 animal poems–one for every day of the year! The perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or end of the day. Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! is a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 animal poems–one for every day of the year. Filled with favorites and new discoveries written by a wide variety of poets, including William Blake, Christina Rosetti, Carl Sandburg, Grace Nichols, Matsuo Basho, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Lewis Carroll, Emily Dickinson, and many more. This is the perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or end of the day.

Out of Wonder:  Poems Celebrating Poets

by KWAME ALEXANDER

Reading Level: 4th – 5th Grade

The 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner

A Newbery Medalist and a Caldecott Honoree’s New York Times best-selling ode to poets who have sparked a sense of wonder.

Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors’ hearts sing and their minds wonder. Stunning mixed-media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, complete the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and perhaps even pick up a pen.