April is National Poetry Month and I am excited to share a number of favorite children’s books that celebrate poetry inspired by nature.
There are so many benefits in reading poetry with children or in children reading (and writing) poetry on their own: building literacy skills, gaining a fresh perspective on life, celebrating creativity, and so much more!
The natural world has been the subject of a great many poems through the years and thanks to recent publications there is a wealth of opportunity for children to experience nature-based poetry, new and old. I hope you enjoy checking out the books below!
For the Full List of Nature Poetry for Kids CLICK HERE
Sing a Song of Seasons and Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! are both edited by Fiona Waters (Nosy Crow) and contain one poem for every day of the year. These are large volumes with over 300 pages of inspiring poems and are beautifully illustrated. Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! has a special focus on animal poems. Both volumes are nicely indexed and of course you do not have to read through these poems one per day; they serve as nice volumes for any home library.
Nicola Davies (Candlewick) has three volumes of nature-based poetry that are all wonderful for young children (ages 3-7). Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature, A First Book of the Sea, Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals are beautiful collections of poems and a wonderful was to introduce young children to the wonders of the natural world. Each of these volumes are about 100 pages with lots to enjoy and explore!
Both When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons and A Year of Nature Poems take a seasonal/cyclical approach to poetry. When Green Becomes Tomatoes is charming and aimed at a slightly younger audience (6-10) than A Year of Nature Poems (9-12). A Year of Nature Poems contains one poem for each month of the year. Both are wonderful celebrations of the natural world and childhood.
The following poetry picture books take a thematic approach: poetry about the air, nocturnal animals, biomes, city animals, color, birds in flight, underground, winter, camping, gardening, and more! These are all wonderful in their own ways and worth checking out.
Greystone Kids
Ages 3-8
Kids Can Press
Ages 6-9
HMH Books for Young Readers
Ages 6-9
Wordsong
Ages 4-6
words & pictures
Ages 4-8
Clarion Books
Ages 4-7
Wordsong
Ages 5-9
Wordsong
Ages 5-9
Clarion Books
Ages 4-7
Candlewick
Ages 7-9
Candlewick
Ages 8-12
Wide Eyed Editions
Ages 4-7
The following poetry collections are not necessarily centered around a specific nature theme and are not year-long compilations. These are indeed wonderful celebrations of the natural world through poetry.
Wordsong
Ages 7-11
Candlewick
Ages 10-13
Clarion Books
Ages 6-9
Candlewick
Ages 4-8
Wordsong
Ages 4-8
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Note I was given review copies of the following books via the publishers. Opinions are my own: Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright, A Year of Nature Poems, Catch the Sky, Thunder Underground, After Dark, Behold Our Magical Garden, This Poem is a Nest, Marshmallow Clouds, If This Bird Had Pockets.
THE SILVAN REVERIE 