Sunflakes: Poems for Children

by Lilian Moore, Jan Ormerod (Illustrator)

A collection of poems about universal childhood experiences.
Contributors include John Ciardi, David McCord, Eloise Greenfield, Eve Merriam, Frank Asch, Jane Yolen, etc.

Genres: Poetry, Childrens

96 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

Lilian Moore grew up in New York, received a degree in teaching from Hunter College, and did graduate work at Columbia University. She attended college during the Depression, so job opportunities were few. She worked for the Bureau of Educational Research, helping children who could not read in their Reading Clinic. Ms. Moore was also a reading specialist for the New York Board of Education. She trained teachers and did extensive research into reading difficulties.

She was the editor of Scholastic's first paperback book club, the Arrow Book Club, beginning in 1957. As she said, "Imagine making it possible for these youngsters to choose and buy good books for the price of comics!" She was an editor at Wonder Books, Thomas Y. Crowell, and contributor to Humpty Dumpty magazine.

In addition, Ms. Moore was a founding member of the Council on Interracial Books for Children. Ms. Moore died on July 20, 2004, at the age of 95.

She is best known for her poetry and easy-to-read books.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loads of poems. Some I love and some not so much. If you are looking for a poem about seasons, weather, food, or animals, you will likely find a good one to read to kids.

Here's one I like about food: Lunchbox They always end up fighting-- The soft square sandwich, The round Heavy Apple, by Valerie Worth. So simple and yet, you need to think, and then when you get it . . .

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this sweet, childlike collection of poems--some new, some old. This anthology is perfect for pre-K through 3rd grade or so and has gentle illustrations. One of my favorite anthologies, to be sure!

Categories include:
I am very fond of bugs
I like to look in puddles
Me and potato chips
Well, would you?
As I was going along
The night is long, but fur is deep
Breathing on the window pane in winter
Bright summer lives over the wall
I wonder who is coming
Franks with beans, kings with queens
Oh will you be my wallaby?
If sunlight fell like snowflakes

[Chase.curriculum]

"Lilian Moore (1909-2004) wrote many well-loved books for children, including I'LL MEET YOU AT THE CUCUMBERS; ADAM MOUSE'S BOOK OF POEMS; DON'T BE AFRAID, AMANDA; POEMS HAVE ROOTS; LITTLE RACCOON; and I'M SMALL. She was a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children from the National Council of Teachers of English."

[Paul Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of children's poems. Multiple contributors who were/would become NCTE Excellence in Poetry for Children award winners. Mother Goose even makes an appearance within the collection. In the tradition of Lee Bennett Hopkins, many of these award winners became trusted curators/collectors of children's verse. This is a lovely, lovely collection.

[Linda]

A wonderful collection of short and sweet poems for the younger reader! There was a good assortment to interest and entertain the young mind, but also the adult reading to the child. Poems are particularly delightful because they can be read over and over again. This book is a good example of poems to enjoy repeatedly. The cover is also very inviting!