
The Yarn
December 16, 2022 by Betsy Bird
Ah, poetry. One of the categories that goes across age ranges. Come see some of the finest bits of verse to grace the page in 2022, and find a couple surprises along the way.
May 6, 2022 by Betsy Bird
With care, grace, and not a little cleverness, Zoboi doesn’t just introduce Butler to kids in the book Star Child. She makes it very clear from the get go that young Octavia was one of us. A supremely relatable person with a drive and output that far outstripped her times.
February 25, 2021 by Betsy Bird
Oddly sweet, melancholic, and peaceful, this is poetry as remembrance as well as healing. It is also very much one of a kind.
December 16, 2020 by Betsy Bird
Here is my list of some of the best, brightest, loveliest poetry of 2020. Do not let these books escape your notice! They are best read every month of the year (and not just April!). An ode to the 811s . . .
December 16, 2019 by Betsy Bird
A fan of poems? On this list we've classic poets re-illustrated, first timers, funny poems, deeply meaningful ones, poems that tie into the moon landing, nursery rhymes, and many many more. There's something for everyone on today's list. Don't believe me? See for yourself
November 10, 2017 by Betsy Bird
I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups By Chris Harris Illustrated by Lane Smith Little, Brown and Company $19.99 ISBN: 978-0-316-26657-4 Ages 7 and up On shelves now What exactly constitutes a celebrity children’s book these days? See, it all used to be so simple when it […]
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December 21, 2016 by Betsy Bird
Fun Fact: The American Library Association does not currently give an award specifically to great works of children’s book poetry. Is not that strange? When I first discovered this to be true, I was perplexed. I’ve always been a bit of a rube when it comes to the poetic form. Placing stresses on syllables and […]
October 6, 2016 by Betsy Bird
Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko Narrative and Translation by David Jacobson, Sally Ito, and Michiko Tsuboi Illustrated by Toshikado Hajiri Chin Music Press $19.50 ISBN: 9781634059626 Ages 5 and up On shelves now Recently I was at a conference celebrating the creators of different kinds of children’s books. During one […]
August 7, 2015 by Betsy Bird
Hypnotize a Tiger: Poems About Just About Everything By Calef Brown Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt (an imprint of Macmillan) $17.99 ISBN: 978-0-8050-9928-7 For ages 9-12 Why do I do this to myself? Let me tell you something about how I review. Board books? Pshaw. I can take one and write a nine-paragraph review parsing […]
October 30, 2013 by Betsy Bird
When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders By J. Patrick Lewis Illustrated by Jim Burke, R. Gregory Christie, Tonya Engel, John Parra, and Meilo So Chronicle Books $16.99 ISBN: 978-1-4521-0119-4 Ages 10 and up On shelves now Poetry is of the people by its very definition. Though sometimes considered the property of the elite […]
Teen Librarian Toolbox
by Amanda MacGregor
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