A Child's Anthology of Poetry

A timeless collection celebrating the joys of poetry for children of all ages—an indispensable introduction to literature and life that brings together essential classic children's poems with the best of modern and contemporary international poetry.

The simple pleasures of reading and listening to poetry can make unforgettable memories in childhood and help children develop an interest in language and storytelling. From Robert Frost to Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein to Emily Dickinson, this collection emphasizes the fun and diversity of poetry, providing young readers with a well-rounded, inclusive selection of poets.

Under the guidance of a special advisory board of esteemed poets, and featuring artwork by Tom Pohrt, the well-known illustrator of Crow and Weasel, A Child's Anthology of Poetry includes favorite poems such as William Blake's "The Tyger" and Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky," in addition to more recent classics such as Elizabeth Bishop's "Sestina" and Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz." Full of surprises and lyric charm, this delightful volume will be treasured by generations of readers.

This twentieth-anniversary reissue of a timeless collection celebrates the joys of poetry for children of all ages. Bringing together essential classic children's poems with the best of modern and contemporary international poetry, A Child's Anthology of Poetry is an indispensable introduction to literature and life for the young reader

The simple pleasures of reading and listening to poetry are unforgettable memories of childhood, and, for young minds, poetry is the gateway to an interest in language and storytelling. From Robert Frost to Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein to Emily Dickinson, this collection emphasizes the fun and diversity of poetry, providing readers with a well-rounded, inclusive selection of poets. With the guidance of a special advisory board of esteemed poets— Deborah Digges, Gerald Early, Louise Glück, Jorie Graham, Edward Hirsch, Garrett Hongo, Maxine Kumin, Cynthia MacDonald, William Matthews, Thylias Moss, Ishmael Reed, Sarah Rosenstock, and Mark Strand—the editors have fashioned a delightful volume that encourages parents not to underestimate their children's ability to appreciate the music of the written word. It is a volume that will be treasured by generations of readers.

Featuring artwork by Tom Pohrt, the wellknown illustrator of Crow and Weasel, and including favorite poems such as William Blake's "The Tyger" and Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky," in addition to more recent classics such as Elizabeth Bishop's "Sestina" and Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz," A Child's Anthology of Poetry is full of surprises and lyric charm.

Poems are like people--so many of them are difficult, boring and unpleasant that it is sometimes tempting to abandon them entirely. Thankfully, A Child’s Anthology of Poetry collects splendid poems instead, and if you read it, you are likely to become a splendid person who will never be abandoned. At least, that is what I am hoping. - Lemony Snicket

“I became so immersed in the book that I wondered if it shouldn’t be called ‘everyone’s Anthology of Poetry.’” - Olivia Newton-John

“Reading aloud to children must be one of the richest of human transactions. . . . The experience is a huge thing, deeply intimate and wonderfully impersonal. what a power is in this thoughtfully edited collection of poems, traditional and new, designed for this rich voicing.” - Robert Hass, former Poet Laureate of the United States