An encyclopedia of poetry containing 150 poems to inspire a love of poetry in every child. An introduction to poetry for children, featuring poems about everything from science, sports, and space, to friendship, family, and feelings.

This thoughtfully crafted anthology is perfect for children new to verse and for young poetry fans seeking out new favorites. Explore poetry from a diverse selection of contemporary and historical poets, covering a broad range of topics - from personal subjects like emotions and family, to the wonders of the natural environment. Carefully selected works encourage children to see the poetry in everything and to embrace the beauty of their everyday lives.

Poems are complemented by detailed timelines and interesting facts about the topics covered, ensuring that the poems are not just entertaining, but relevant, topical, and informative. Prompts inspire children to create their own poetry, and devices like rhyme, repetition, and alliteration are introduced and explained in a fun and accessible manner.

Dr. Sylvia Vardell teaches graduate courses in children's and young adult literature at Texas Woman's University. She has published 10 books on literature and over 100 journal articles for teachers, librarians, and parents. Her current work focuses on poetry for children, including her nationally recognized blog, PoetryforChildren. She currently chairs the ALA Children's Literature Legacy Award committee. She serves on the Executive Committee of the International Board on Books for Young People and co-edited their international journal of children's literature, Bookbird.