A Child's Anthology of Poetry

by Elizabeth Hauge Sword (Editor), Victoria Flournoy McCarthy (Editor), Tom Pohrt (Illustrator)

Reissued in an aesthetic new format, a popular anthology of classic and modern poems features the works of a broad range of writers, from Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson to Maya Angelou and Shel Silverstein.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Childrens, School, Anthologies, Nonfiction

323 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Elizabeth Hauge Sword was raised in New York City. A graduate of Dartmouth College, she previously worked for ABC Sports and was a field producer for ABC Radio. She teaches elementary-school children and runs a computer consulting business. Sword lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with her husband and three children.

Reviews

[Jessica Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book with my daughter. The best part...after reading poems by Poe, Blake, Bishop, Plath, Frost, Brooks, Hughes, Dickinson, cummings, Wordsworth, Keats, Angelou, Paz and many more...my daughter was inspired to write some poetry of her very own :)

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, wonderful book both for children and adults. Made me cherish a love for poetry I had as a child and that has laid dormant for many years.

Hiding by Dorothy Aldis 5⭐
The Creation by Cecil Francis Alexander 5⭐
Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Maya Angelou 5⭐
Songs for a Young Girl's Puberty Ceremony by Anonymous 2⭐
Song for the Sun that Disappeared behind the Rainclouds by Anonymous 4⭐
A Visit from Mr. Fox by Anonymous 4⭐
Do you carrot all for me? by Anonymous 5⭐
Monday's Child Is Fair Of Face by Anonymous 4⭐
Mr. Nobody by Anonymous 5⭐
I Shall Not Pass This Way Again, Anonymous 3⭐
Somebody's Mother by Anonymous 5⭐
The Cat's of Kilkenny by Anonymous 3⭐
The Cowboy's Lament by Anonymous 3.5⭐
Good Sportsmanship, Richard Armour 4⭐
Pachycephalosaurus, Richard Armour 4⭐
Song Form, Amiri Baarak 3.5⭐
It Would Melt, Matsuo Basho 3⭐
The Old Pond, Matsuo Basho 2⭐
The Frog, Hilaire Belloc 3.5⭐
The Witch of Willowby Wood, Rowena Bennett 3.25⭐
The Gingerbread Man, Rowena Bennett 3.5⭐
The Ball Poem, John Berryman 3⭐
The Fish, Elizabeth Bishop 3⭐
Cirque d'Hiver, 3.25⭐
Sestina, 3.5⭐
Piping Down the Valleys, William Blake 3⭐
The Shepherd, William Blake 2⭐
The Tyger, William Blake 3⭐
The Little Black Boy, Wlliam Blake 3⭐
The Divine Image, William Blake 3.5⭐
spring equinox, Peter Blue Cloud 4⭐
Hunchback Girl: She Thinks of Heaven, Gwendolyn Brooks 3⭐
A Red, Red Rose, Robert Burns 5⭐
My heart is in the Highlands, my heart is not here, Robert Burns 4⭐
A tethered horse, Yosa Buson 2⭐
I go, Yosa Buson 2⭐
That snail, Yosa Buson 2⭐
The Destruction of Sennacherib, Lord George Gordon Byron 5⭐
So, We'll Go No More a Roving, Lord George Gordon Byron 5⭐
The Castle in the Fire, Mary Jane Carr 4⭐
The Crocodile, Lewis Carroll 4⭐
Father William, Lewis Carroll 5⭐
Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll 5⭐
The Walrus and the Carpenter, Lewis Carroll 5⭐
Little Trotty Wagtail, John Clare 4.5⭐
Swift Things Are Beautiful, Elizabeth Coatsworth 4.5⭐
The Garden Year, Sara Coleridge 4⭐
I saw a man pursuing the horizon, Stephen Crane 3⭐
Incident, Countee Cullen 5⭐
Heritage, Countee Cullen 4.5⭐
in Just-spring, E. E. Cummings 3⭐
maggie and milly, and molly and may, E. E. Cummings 4⭐
anyone lived in a pretty how town, E. E. Cummings 4⭐
Souvenir of the Ancient World, Carlos Drummond de Andrade 3⭐
Looking for Poetry, Carlos Drummond de Andrade 4⭐
The Elephant, Carlos Drummond de Andrade 3.5⭐
Someone, Walter de la Mare 4.5⭐
The Ride-by-Nights, Walter de la Mare 4⭐
The New Suit, Nidia Sanabria de Romero 3⭐
I met a King this afternoon!, Emily Dickinson 3⭐
There is no frigate like a book, Emily Dickinson 4.5⭐
I'm nobody! Who are you?, Emily Dickinson 4.5⭐
"Hope is the thing with feathers, Emily Dickinson 5⭐
A narrow Fellow in the Grass, Emily Dickinson 4.5⭐
The morns are weaker than they were, Emily Dickinson 4.5⭐
I never saw a moor, Emily Dickinson 3.5⭐
A bird came down the walk, Emily Dickinson 3⭐
Freedom, Wimal Dissanayake 3⭐
Hold Fast your Dreams, Louise Driscoll 4⭐
America, Henry Dumas 4⭐
Macavity: The Mystery Cat, T.S. Elliot 5⭐
Over the Garden Wall, Eleanor Farjeon 5⭐
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod, Eugene Field 5⭐
Little Boy Blue, Eugene Field 5⭐
General Store, Rachel Field 5⭐
Skyscrapers, Rachel Field 5⭐
A Summer Morning, Rachel Field 5⭐
Something Told the Wild Geese, Rachel Field 5⭐
Some People, Rachel Field 5⭐
Bouquets, Robert Francis 3.5⭐
Mending Wall, Robert Frost 5⭐
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost 5⭐
The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost 5⭐
Dust of Snow, Robert Frost 4⭐
Mice, Rose Fyleman 3.5⭐
A Short Story, David Escobar Galindo 4⭐
Mr. Lizard is Crying, Federico Garcia Lorca 2⭐
Silly Song, Federico Garcia Lorca 3⭐
Plowing: A Memory, Hamlin Garland 3.5⭐
I'd Love to Be a Fairy's Child, Robert Graves 4⭐
The Dance, Daniel Halpern 3.5⭐
The Reminder, Thomas Hardy 4⭐
The Man He Killed, Thomas Hardy 4.5⭐
The New Toy, Thomas Hardy 3.5⭐
The Oxen, Thomas Hardy 4.5⭐
Those Winter Sundays, Robert Hayden 4⭐
Blackberry-picking, Seamus Heaney 3.5⭐
Scaffolding, Seamus Heaney 3.5⭐
Napoleon, Miroslav Holub 3.5⭐
God's grandeur, Gerard Manley Hopkins 4⭐
Pied beauty, Gerard Manley Hopkins 4⭐
To an athlete dying young, A E Housman 4⭐
When I was one-and-twenty, A E Housman 4⭐
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now, A E Housman 5⭐
Sea gypsy, Richard Hovey 4⭐
Miss blues'es child, Langston Hughes 4⭐
Mother to son, Langston Hughes 5⭐
My brother Bert, Ted Hughes 5⭐
Roger the dog, Ted Hughes 4.5⭐
Abou Ben Adhem, James Henry Leigh Hunt 5⭐
Don't worry, spiders, Kobayashi Issa 4⭐
Don't kill that fly!, Kobayashi Issa 4⭐
Under the evening moon, Kobayashi Issa 4⭐
For you fleas too, Kobayashi Issa 5⭐
Even with insects, Kobayashi Issa 5⭐
Climb Mount Fuji, Kobayashi Issa 5⭐
Mosquito at my ear, Kobayashi Issa 5⭐
Bats, Randall Jarrell 5⭐
Autumn Evening, Robinson Jeffers 4⭐
Hurt hawks, Robinson Jeffers 5⭐
Minnows, John Keats 4⭐
Ode on a Grecian urn, John Keats 5⭐
Mother's nerves, X J Kennedy 3.5⭐
Trees, Joyce Kilmer 5⭐
House with nobody in it, Joyce Kilmer 5⭐
Crying, Galway Kinnell 4⭐
Saint Francis and the Sow, Galway Kinnell 3.5⭐
Daybreak, Galway Kinnell 4.5⭐
The Way through the Woods, Rudyard Kipling 4⭐
If, Rudyard Kipling 5⭐
Idea of ancestry, Etheridge Knight 5⭐
Snake, D H Lawrence 5⭐
The Owl and the pussycat, Edward Lear 5⭐
Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu, Po Li 3.5⭐
The Children's Hour, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 5⭐
The Day Is Done, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 5⭐
The Village Blacksmith, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 5⭐
Paul Revere's Ride, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 5⭐
Sea Fever, John Masefield 5⭐
In Flanders Fields, John McCrae 5⭐
Spring in New Hampshire, Claude McKay 3.5⭐
Pirate Don Durk of Dowdee, Mildred Plew Meigs 5⭐
How to Eat a Poem, Eve Merriam 4⭐
Fly, W S Merwin 3.5⭐
Last One, W S Merwin 3⭐
Afternoon on a hill, Edna St Vincent Millay 4⭐
First fig, Edna St Vincent Millay 4⭐
Recuerdo, Edna St Vincent Millay 4⭐
Encounter, Czeslaw Milosz 4⭐
Sun, Czeslaw Milosz 4⭐
Visit from St Nicholas, Clement Clarke Moore 5⭐
A Jelly-fish, Marianne Moore 3⭐
I may, I might, I must, Marianne Moore 3⭐
Child's Song, Sir Thomas Moore 4⭐
The Minstrel Boy, Sir Thomas Moore 4⭐
Animal Crackers, Christopher Morley 4.5⭐
The Plumpuppets, Christopher Morley 4⭐
The Wonder, Thylias Moss 2.5⭐
Experiment Degustatory, Ogden Nash 3⭐
Parsnip, Ogden Nash 3⭐
Adventures of Isabel, Ogden Nash 5⭐
The Pit ponies, Leslie Norris 4⭐
Daddy fell into the pond, Alfred Noyes 5⭐
The Highwayman, Alfred Noyes 5⭐
What I tell him, Simon Ortiz 4⭐
Try, Try Again, T H Palmer 4⭐
Snow is falling, Boris Pasternak 3.5⭐
Exclamation, Octavio Paz 3.5⭐
from The Bed Book, Sylvia Plath 5⭐
Giraffe, Stanley Plumly 3.5⭐
Annabel Lee, Edgar Allan Poe 5⭐
The Raven, Edgar Allan Poe 5⭐
The Bells, Edgar Allan Poe 5⭐
Eldorado, Edgar Allan Poe 4⭐
In a Station of the Metro, Ezra Pound 4⭐
The Little Box, Vasko Popa 3⭐
The Spaghetti Nut, Jack Prelutsky 3.5⭐
Homework! Oh, homework!, Jack Prelutsky 4.5⭐
Little Orphant Annie, James Whitcomb Riley 5 ⭐
Richard Cory, Edwin Arlington Robinson 3⭐
Miniver Cheevy, Edwin Arlington Robinson 3⭐
The Lady and the Bear, Theodore Roethke 4.5⭐
The Bat, Theodore Roethke 4⭐
The Sloth, Theodore Roethke 4⭐
My Papa's Waltz, Theodore Roethke 3.5⭐
The Meadow Mouse, Theodore Roethke 4⭐
The Monotony Song, Theodore Roethke 4⭐
Caterpillar, Christina Rossetti 3.5⭐
Who Has Seen the Wind?, Christina Rossetti 3.5⭐
Precious Stones, Christina Rossetti 4⭐
Remember, Christina Rossetti 4⭐
What Is Pink?, Christina Rossetti 4⭐
Transformations, Tadeusz Rozewicz 4⭐
Ballad of Orange and Grape, Muriel Rukeyser 4⭐
The Message of the Rain, Norman H Russell 4⭐
Fog, Carl Sandburg 4⭐
Buffalo Dusk, Carl Sandburg 3.5⭐
Lochinvar, Sir Walter Scott 5⭐
The Cremation of Sam McGee, Robert Service 5⭐
Lobster, Anne Sexton 2⭐
Ozymandias, Percy Bysshe Shelley 5⭐
Sick, Shel Silberstein 5⭐
Stone, Charles Simic 4⭐
Great Infirmities, Charles Simic 3⭐
A Theory, Charles Simic 4⭐
Fork, Charles Simic 4⭐
For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry, Christopher Smart 3⭐
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, Wallace Stevens 3⭐
Disillusionment of Ten O'Clock, Wallace Stevens 3⭐
Good and Bad Children, Robert Louis Stevenson 4⭐
The Land of Story Books, Robert Louis Stevenson 4⭐
My Shadow, Robert Louis Stevenson 5⭐
The Land of Counterpane, Robert Louis Stevenson 5⭐
The Swing, Robert Louis Stevenson 4.5⭐
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Jane Taylor 5⭐
The Falling Star, Sara Teasdale 4⭐
The Eagle, Alfred Lord Tennyson 4⭐
Charge of the Light Brigade, Alfred Lord Tennyson 5⭐
The Brook, Alfred Lord Tennyson 5⭐
Songs, Alfred Lord Tennyson, 5⭐
Sweet and Low, Alfred Lord Tennyson 4.5⭐
Casey at the Bat, Ernest Lawrence Thayer 5⭐
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Dylan Thomas 5⭐
Fern hill, Dylan Thomas 4⭐
A Shooting Star, Edith M Thomas 4.5⭐
The Owl, Edward Thomas 4⭐
First Thanksgiving of All, Nancy Byrd Turner 4⭐
America for Me, Henry Van Dyke 4.5⭐
How Doth the Little Busy Bee, Isaac Watts 4⭐
Chairs in Snow, E B White 4⭐
O Captain! My Captain!, Walt Whitman 5⭐
When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer, Walt Whitman 4⭐
Barbara Frietchie, John Greenleaf Whittier 4⭐
This Is Just To Say, William Carlos Williams 3⭐
Poem, William Carlos Williams 4⭐
The Red Wheelbarrow, William Carlos Williams 5⭐
Spring and All, William Carlos Williams 5⭐
When I Grow Up, William Wise 5⭐
Choosing Shoes, Ffrida Wolfe 4⭐
Written in March, William Wordsworth 4⭐
My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold, William Wordsworth 5⭐
Composed upon Westminster Bridge, William Wordsworth 4.5⭐
Daffodils, William Wordsworth 5⭐
The Kitten at Play, William Wordsworth 4⭐
A Blessing, James Wright 4⭐
Escape, Elinor Wylie 4⭐
Lake Isle of Innisfree, William Butler Yeats 4⭐
To a Squirrel at Kyle-Na-No, William Butler Yeats 4⭐
The Song of Wandering Aengus, William Butler Yeats 4⭐
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, William Butler Yeats 4⭐
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven, William Butler Yeats 4⭐
Epitaph for a Concord Boy, Stanley Young 4⭐

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this out loud to my kids over the course of a few years. Like every anthology, it was an up and down experience, but mostly very good.

There are a lot of classic poems that everyone should have some familiarity, and others were just plain fun. My kids would always ask that I read "Little Orphant Annie"--by far their favorite in the collection.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a modern poetry book (1995) this had surprisingly little twaddle. I appreciated the inclusion of many classics such as The Tyger, Jabberwocky, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, The Owl and the Pussycat, Little Orphant Annie and other well-loved poems.

The odd thing was that it was arranged in alphabetical order by author (rather than by subject) which meant that the light-hearted Casey at Bat came between The Charge of the Light Brigade and Do not Go Gentle into That Good Night. The difference in tone was a bit jarring.

It might be argued that some of the poems are too advanced for children, but I think it’s a good idea to introduce big words and important themes to little children as long as it is done appropriately. In Flanders Field is a poem every child should know even if it is many years before they understand its full meaning. The one poem that referenced rape, however, did not belong in this anthology.

I am glad I own a copy of this book so I can revisit new and old favorites. I also marked half a dozen poems to memorize.

[Dee · Rating 1 out of 5]

A *terrible* anthology of great poems, with misleading title and lazy editors. Use this book only as an exercise in research and cataloging and learning how NOT to create an anthology. Poems are in alphabetical order by author’s last name. No biographical information, no publication dates, no historical context, several translators uncredited. Historical poems such as William Blake’s “The Little Black Boy”, Countee Cullen’s “Incident”, and Carl Sandburg’s “Buffalo Dusk”, which necessitate deep conversations on racism and genocide, are presented alongside Jack Prelutsky’s silly wordplay about spaghetti and homework.

[Emrys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never been a fan of poetry, and have never read more than the occasional poem of personal choice. I have these past few months though been thrown into it as poetry caretaker in my bookstore, and decided to attack it like a ripe pineapple in honor of April being poetry month. I am more proud than I have any to right to be, to have finished an anthology of hundreds of poems. Now with that out of the way:
This is clearly an anthology for older children. Ten and up I would say, if I was averaging an age for the whole collection. There are very few poems with silliness to them, and absolutely no poems about boogers or Bigfoot (not that I don’t love “WARNING” by Shel Silverstien and Jack Prelutsky’s “I Think I’m Related to Bigfoot” because I do). The collection just expects a more serious crowd. The majority of the poetry has very significant themes in them, and some deal with death, suicide, murder, and mercy along with more lighthearted fare.
It’s a well-varied collection, some poems taking up two lines, some three pages, but most about half a page. Many of the selected poems are classics, and yet many more are still from older stock. Some poems were old favorites that came back to me (“The Land of Counterpane” by Stevenson and “Tears and Laughter” by Khalil Gibran), and several were new ones that touched me in a sad or delightful way (“Napoleon” by Miroslav Holub and “Man in The Wilderness” by Gillian Clarke). I even found a new favorite poet here in W.S.Merwin, after reading “Fly” and “The Last One”. Though many of the poems are child appropriate, this is definitely also enjoyable and (mainly) reading-level and subject-matter-wise appropriate for adults. That being said, my next book of poetry will be a strictly grown up one (maybe Julia Alvarez?)!

[Marisa Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book of Children's poems I have ever owned. I not only purchased a copy for myself to read (and to read to my grandchildren), but bought copies for three of my best friends. It has the delightful assumption that children are intelligent creatures and so can understand poets like: Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Carl Sandburg (Fog: The fog comes in on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on.)
"Fog" was the first poem read to me (3rd grade?) where I completely understood how fog could seem like a cat and yet not really be. I fell in love.

Maya Angelou's "Life Doesn't Frighten Me," read with proper inflection to a little 5 year old boy can turn out to be his favorite poem. Another, called "The Incident", by Countee Cullen, is a heartbreaking reminder of prejudice. I have not read my grandson Edgar Allen Poe's, "The Raven", but Walt Whitman, William Blake...oh yes, those have been read. We have much more to share, and I told him I would be reading this to his children too.

Buy this book. I would definitely get it as a First Edition while you are able.

[SABRINA HARRISON · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Child's Anthology of Poetry is a children's book of Poetry for young readers aged 8-12 years of age. This timeless collection of poetry serves as an introduction to literature for children of all ages this collection brings together the essential classic poems of modern and contemporary international poetry. This collection has forged together a collection of unforgettable memories that will peak a child’s interest in poetry and assist with developing an interest in storytelling and language. The collection features Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein, and various others. This collection focuses on the diversity and fun of poetry, providing young readers with an inclusive selection of well-rounded poems. The poets in this collection use a variety of poetic language to make the poems feel as though you are embarking on the experience or the moment as you read it. The various themes that are addressed in this collection cover such an array of topics that one becomes excited even before turning to the next page. This collection would be appealing to young readers and this collection can also be incorporated during a lesson to spark the interest of a new reader who may not have a habit or reading poetry or a seasoned reader who has time for a new book to add to their collection.

[Emily Branzell · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Child's Anthology of Poetry" presents variety of poems curated specifically for young readers, falling under the genre of Books of Poetry. While not adorned with specific awards, this anthology, compiled by Elizabeth Hauge Sword, offers a diverse collection of poems that spans various themes, styles, and voices. The anthology takes young readers on a literary journey through the world of poetry, featuring poems from poets such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Dickinson, and Langston Hughes. The collection covers a spectrum of emotions, experiences, and topics, providing a good read for elementary aged children. The selection not only showcases the beauty of language but also introduces children to different poetic forms. The inclusion of illustrations enhances the visual appeal, creating a well-rounded book. This variety not only keeps young readers engaged but also allows for meaningful discussions about the world around them. The anthology's careful selection of poems makes it a tool for enhancing language skills and encouraging creativity.

[MNBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are really enjoying the poems in this collection and kind of rediscovered this book while cleaning out the bookshelves at my moms. I’m certain my mom bought this for some sort of school assignment for us kids and it never got the attention it deserved! There is a nice variety with many favorite authors and a good mix of classic and “new” authors. Although some of the language is difficult for modern readers, my elementary school aged kids are reading it with help. We’ve enjoyed reading together in the evening, taking turns and giggling over some of their favorites like “homework! oh homework!” and “Father William”. It surprised me to see how my daughter who “hates poetry” really took to this book and is now excited to read it. There is a bit of something for everyone here and I was thrilled to re-read a few of my own favorites. We will be looking into other poem books.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read completely through this book twice now with my boys. My youngest son and I are just now finishing this poetry book up. I read this with them when they were middle school aged. We used Youtube to supplement with videos of the poets reading their poetry at times. We also looked up any strange vocabulary in order to understand the poems. We used each poem as a way to launch a journey of learning. I must say that I enjoyed some of these poems much more the second time I went through the book with my boys. This is NOT the book for little children. There are topics that are difficult and vocabulary that will not spark a love of poetry for little ones. This book is misnamed but still an honored part of our homeschooling journey.

[Tandava Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm, it’s good enough as a general collection of poetry, though I’d disagree with the inclusion of many of them in a “child’s” anthology. There’s a complete lack of presentation or organization, other than alphabetical by author (even going so far as to include “anonymous” in the A’s, which somehow just seems to make it even more ridiculous to me). The illustrations are pretty nondescript, and could just as easily have been clip art, and they only occurred about once ever 50 pages or so, or at least spaced out enough that I would forget it was supposed to be illustrated. But anyway, yeah, it does have a lot of poems.

[Enoch Perez]

A Child's Anthology of Poetry. Sword, Elizabeth Hauge (Editor); McCarthy, Victoria Flournoy (Editor); Pohrt, Tom (Illustrator) (2019)
This book holds a great collection of poems with a variety of authors: Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe and more. The anthology possesses classics like “The Road Not Taken” and “Dust of Snow” as well as other famous and significant works. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” the narrator finds himself in the woods at a fork in the road. He decides to take one way, but knows that he will not have the opportunity to try the other way in the future. Frost explores the significance of making decisions in life through the use of metaphors. This 4-stanza poem is only one example of this great collection of classic works which provide a solid foundation and introduction to the world of poetry for the younger audience. Target Audience - Grade Level: 3-7.

[Sue-Lynn Voigt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great anthology! I have not taken the time to read poetry in many years. This was a great collection, some I was familiar with and some not! Many authors I knew, but was also introduced to several I had never heard of. I think I shall seek out some more of their work. A great read for children, although it is not illustrated.

[Danielle Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this over months to my boys. It is a nice mix of famous poems and lesser known ones. It was up and down as all poetry anthologies tend to be. But I am so grateful I found a poem that will forever remain one of my heart favorites: "Somebody's Mother."

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

My little guy and I have been reading poetry as he goes to bed at night. Very good selection of silly, profound, and beautiful poems.

[Keely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this as a child, reread it many times and drew illustration s all over it. One of the few childhood books I took with me when I moved out of my parents house.

[Mercedes McLean-Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun selection! I loved reading this collection. It would be even better if it included more diverse voices, but I think it did okay for a 1995 publication.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had some great classic poems. I would consider several of them to be more for teens than children.

[Ashley Stangl · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something special about a book where you've got Jack Prelutsky and Tennyson in the same pages.

[Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the collection of poems in this book. Many classic poets that had introduced me to poetry at a young age. I recall renting this book from my elementary school library when I was in grade 3 mostly because I never really knew much about poetry and what made it different from any other form of writing. I never fully understood every nuance to the language but it introduced me to the ability of poetry to illicit the imagination and develop my own understanding of the words. I think this was my stepping stone into the world of poetry and was a great experience that has influenced me ever since. Great read!

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nicely varied collection

[Alyiah.Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I think about this book is that it has a lot of poetry that is my favorite. And that on of my favorite story's in it. And that there are sad and happy story's in it.

[Hannah Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Includes classics like Field's Wynken, Blynken, and Nod and Frost's Dust of Snow. Also includes a few poems I don't see too often in anthologies like Jarrell's Bats and Kilmer's The House with Nobody in It. This is a unique anthology because there's something for every age group. It ranges from poems for the very young (Wynken, Blynken, and Nod) to very mature poems (Langston Hughes' Mother to Son).

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's difficult to denounce a book that contains poems by Poe and Dickinson (as well as countless others such as Carrol and Longfellow). That being said, the poem selections for this anthology may be just out of reach in terms of vocabulary and subject matter for younger readers.

There are many high quality inclusions here, including Frost's 'The Road Not Taken' and 'The Highwayman' by Noyes. It is difficult to mention all the quality poetry in this anthology, so it is almost easier not to highlight favorites. The poems are organized alphabetically by author, which ensures that all poems by the same author appear in succession - very convienient.

Surprisingly, authors such as Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky - who are arguably more modern well loved children's poets are not highlighted very well (1 poem for Silverstein and 2 for Prelutsky, versus up to 5 for the above mentioned authors). While the publishing date of this tome is long past, the more classic poem inclusions certainly have not gone out of style. It is almost refreshing to see Longfellow sitting beside Silverstein - highlighting a need for children to be exposed to all poetry regardless of it's age. There is also a nice variety of poems both short and long, and certainly something to be enjoyed by every reader regardless of taste.

[Jeana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of my favorite poems in here are Maggie and Millie and Molly and May by E. E. Cummings, The Pit Ponies by Leslie Norris, The Bed Book by Sylvia Plath (and I know this is a children's book but it's so dang expensive because they haven't released a new version of it in a while that I can't afford to buy it), among others. It even has the Highway Man (I think) and other poems that maybe aren't exactly geared toward children, but I think they could appreciate anyway. I like this compilation of poems. I'm in my second time through.

Oh, Bianca and I found one last night we really liked--so simple and sweet:

Summer Morning by Rachel Field

I saw dawn creep across the sky,
And all the gulls go flying by.
I saw the sea put on its dress
Of blue midsummer loveliness,
And heard the trees begin to stir
Green arms of pine and juniper.
I heard the wind call out and say:
“Get up, my dear, it is today!”

I got to the Rudyard Kipling poetry last night, and I loved it!!! I wanted to dog-ear it but Bianca didn't think that would be appropriate to do to a book. I think I've created a monster; she might start making me wear white gloves while I read. =) Bianca and I are now memorizing Trees together.

[Brianna Steinman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spent the last two days sort of gently pawing thru these - and discovered both classics I could read over and over and a few new favorites. Even if you don't intend to share with a child, a quick browse felt good to my 25 year old heart. Some of the pages I marked: The Village Blacksmith by Longfellow, Hold Fast Your Dreams by Driscoll, Swift Things Are Beautiful by Coatsworth and many more.

[Beckabooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many children might not fully appreciate this volume. It is not what one has come to expect a child’s book of poems to be: miniaturized and colorful and playful in tone. There are only a very few simple pen and ink illustrations in this anthology, which fits comfortably in an adult’s hands and bookshelves.

Nor are the contents the standard fare for a book of this nature. Some of the often-anthologized-favorites-for-children are here, to be sure: ‘Be kind and tender to the Frog’ and ‘Hope is the thing with feathers,’ for instance; but more of the entries are unexpected: Countee Cullen’s ‘Incident,’ Seamus Heaney’s ‘Scaffolding,’ Christina Rossetti’s ‘Remember.’

I don’t think the average child is going to be drawn to this book. But as a parent and teacher, I love it. I can’t see my six year old asking to carry it in the car with her or curling up in the couch with it, but I do anticipate drawing from it as she grows and is ready to experience more of the depth of feeling and breadth of experience many of these poems encompass. Meanwhile, I just may be curled up in the couch with it myself.

[Becka the Book Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many children might not fully appreciate this volume. It is not what one has come to expect a child’s book of poems to be: miniaturized and colorful and playful in tone. There are only a very few simple pen and ink illustrations in this anthology, which fits comfortably in an adult’s hands and bookshelves.

Nor are the contents the standard fare for a book of this nature. Some of the often-anthologized-favorites-for-children are here, to be sure: ‘Be kind and tender to the Frog’ and ‘Hope is the thing with feathers,’ for instance; but more of the entries are unexpected: Countee Cullen’s ‘Incident,’ Seamus Heaney’s ‘Scaffolding,’ Christina Rossetti’s ‘Remember.’

I don’t think the average child is going to be drawn to this book. But as a parent and teacher, I love it. I can’t see my six year old asking to carry it in the car with her or curling up in the couch with it, but I do anticipate drawing from it as she grows and is ready to experience more of the depth of feeling and breadth of experience many of these poems encompass. Meanwhile, I just may be curled up in the couch with it myself.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting! I can't believe I didn't used to like poetry. I think it's because for awhile the only poetry I was exposed to was the pretentious stuff you find in the New Yorker. But this book made me an unabashed lover of poetry, and now I've found a number of poets whose work I plan to read more of. (Isn't that horrible? I just ended a sentence with a preposition. I don't feel like going through some sort of grammatical mental jujitsu right now to figure out the proper way to phrase that last sentence, so if it upsets you then you're just going to have to deal with it.)

One more thing - don't let the title mislead you. It's called a "child's" anthology, but much of this poetry is just good and fun to read for people of any age. A quote from Olivia Newton-John on the back cover says, "I became so immersed in the book that I wondered if it shouldn't be called 'Everyone's Anthology of Poetry.'" (Why is Olivia Newton-John commenting on books? She's not even a literary figure. Ah well.)