All the Small Poems and Fourteen More

by Valerie Worth, Natalie Babbitt (Illustrator)

All the Small Poems and Fourteen More gathers all four of Valerie Worth’s small poetry children’s books and includes the original illustrations by Natalie Babbitt, the award-winning writer/artist of Tuck Everlasting .

Inspired by her love of nature, Valerie Worth’s wondrous verse about animals, plants, and other everyday objects presents a perfect perspective of the world through a child’s eyes.

This volume includes Small Poems , More Small Poems , Still More Small Poems , and Small Poems Again .

Genres: Poetry, School, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Kids, Animals

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 1996

About the author

(October 29, 1933 - July 31, 1994)
Acclaimed poet Valerie Worth Bahlke was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in nearby Swarthmore, where her father taught biology at Swarthmore College. The family then moved to Tampa, Florida, and Bangalore, India, where they lived for one year. Valerie returned to Swarthmore to attend college, graduating with an English degree and High Honors. Shortly thereafter she married George Bahlke, a fellow Swarthmore graduate. After settling in Clinton, NY, Valerie met Natalie Babbitt at Kirkland College, and Natalie began to illustrate Valerie's work, starting with Small Poems in 1972. Three more volumes followed: More Small Poems (1976); Still More Small Poems (1978); and Small Poems Again (1986). All four volumes were issued in a single paperback, All the Small Poems (1987), and seven years later, All the Small Poems and Fourteen More was released and was then followed by a paperback edition in 1996. In 2002, FSG posthumously published Peacock and Other Poems by Valerie Worth, with pictures by Natalie Babbitt, a collection of 27 poems which Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, said "heralds the joy of words." School Library Journal, in a starred review, declared that "[Valerie Worth's] work gives children something to admire and aim for."

Valerie Worth was honored by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in 1991 with its Poetry Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, which acknowledges a body of work.

Reviews

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely one of the best poetry books we have on our shelves. This book is priceless and effortlessly has taught our kids to think in a natural, metaphorical way about the world around them. We hadn't been reading it long at all when our kids started spouting 'poetry' about things like snowflakes, leaves, or colors.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of very short poems about myriad things. There's a wide variety of topics and I was fascinated at the different ways of describing the things. Occasionally, the poem would provide a different perspective, such as how fleas see their world from the back of a dog.

We read the poems fairly quickly (the book was coming due at the library) and I suppose we could've lingered over them a bit more, but on the whole they were fun and fast to read.

For some reason, our oldest, the poet, really was antagonized by this book. She may have just been in a grumpy mood when we started it, but she couldn't take me reading it anymore. sigh... And our youngest was falling asleep. So I finished the last few poems by myself. I thought it was terrific.

my favorites:

sun

"The sun
Is a leaping fire
Too hot
To go near,

But it will still
Lie down
In warm yellow squares
On the floor

Like a flat
Quilt, where
The cat can curl
And purr." (p. 9)

frost

"How does
The plain
Transparency
Of water

Sprout these
Lacy fronds
And plumes
And tendrils?

And where,
Before window-
Panes, did
They root

Their lush
Crystal forests,
Their cold
Silver jungles?" (p. 138)

kaleidoscope

"Only a litter
Of bright bits,
Tipped and tumbled
Over each other
Until they huddle
Untidily all
In one corner,

Where their
Reflections wake
And break into
Crystals, petals,
Stars: only
The tricks of
Mirrors, but

Still miracles,
Like snowflakes
Shaken from jumbled
Clouds, or earth's
Rough muddle
Jostled to
Jewels and flowers." (pp. 142-143)

key

"Mute mysterious
Token, burnished
Metal carved into
Grooves and flanges;

Glinting with
Clues and codes,
Reflecting exactly the
Secret of its lock -

But never, until
All its clever
Little tongues click
Round and home,

Will it tell
What hides in the
Shadowy house, the
Silent, expectant room." (p. 177)

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm. Excellent for youngsters and newbies. Perfect mentor text for primary students, or probably even adult writing prompts. But, based on the selections I've seen of Worth's work elsewhere, I wanted to love this and treasure it for always. But it's just not rich enough for me, so instead, I'm going to give it away.

Some of the best:
===
hollyhocks

Hollyhocks stand in clumps
By the to doors of old cottages.

Even when one springs alone,
Lost, in an uncut field,

It builds beside it the cottage,
The garden, the old woman, the beehive.
===
shoes

Which to prefer?
Hard leather heels,
Their blocks carved
Thick, like rocks,
Clacked down
Waxed wood stairs,

Or the pale soles
Of sneakers,
Worn smooth, soft
As mushroom caps,
Supple upon warm
Summer pavements?
===
Also, "safety pin" which compares a closed pin to a fish and an open to a shrimp, and "pail" in which the claim is made that a new pail isn't 'real' but must be worn, dented, dulled, until "grown peaceful and plain...." And from "crows" we learn that those birds "jeer at winter's ruin with their jubilant Thaw, thaw, thaw!"
===
"library"

No need even
To take out
A book: only
Go inside
And savor
The heady
Dry breath of
Ink and paper,
Or stand and
Listen to the
Silent twitter
Of a billion
Tiny busy
Black words.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For early elementary school students.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are lovely free verse poems for kids. Each one is about a real thing: a potato, fireworks, a book, July. They’re short, simple, evocative, and full of insight.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Containing 113 brief poems filled with descriptions and ruminations on nature, this book is a must-have for all writing teachers and classroom shelves. Not only do the poems serve as exemplars for how to express sentiments in a small amount of words, but they also are simply delightful to read and ponder. Worth's observations on the fascinating world around her are spot-on, and I can picture her watching, watching, watching anything that catches her eye and taking mental notes. For instance, in "Anteater," she describes how the anteater enjoys a feast of ants "as if those / Beady little bodies / Made just so many / Mouthfuls of red / Or black caviar" (p. 137). It's hard to choose favorites, but I especially loved "Mantis" who is "pretending / To pray, / While intending / To prey? (p. 147)". The poems "Cat," "Kitten," "Cat Bath," and "Tom" appeal to my feline-loving nature since they capture the personalities and behaviors of cats perfectly.

[taz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the book because of its simple wordings and rhyming.The problem with the book was that it was too simple. for my project i was looking for a mentor text that was meant for a 7th grader. This book was made for a little kid. I was looking for more sophisticated writing. The poems in this book looked like she wrote about the first thing she put her eye on she really didn't think about it. this book isn't the right book for a 7th grader but for a little kid i recommend it.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valerie Worth writes intriguing poems about everyday objects that are ideal for classroom use, especially in regards to figurative language and word choice. Her poems seem simple, but upon closer examination, students start to uncover a deeper meaning. The poems help students begin to understand what descriptive writing really is.

[olivia *:･ﾟ✧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's very obvious that Valerie Worth is a talented writer. Maybe this collection of poems just wasn't for me.

I found it very tedious and almost strenuous trying to get through the book. I almost DNF. Every single poem being about an object is, in theory, totally fine. Many writers will make books of a collection of poems that follow one cohesive theme and never divert. The problem lies in HOW Valerie tackles each object.

It almost reads as if Valerie thinks the reader has never been on earth in the sense that rather than diving deep and exploring things such as her RELATIONSHIP to an object, or a MEMORY, or even trying to put herself in the "shoes" of the object, it's just a surface-level description of what the object literally does and what it looks like.

The frustrating thing is (like I said at the beginning) Valerie Worth is a good writer, but there are parts in the book that you can see she has the potential to go from just "good" to "great".

Here are some of my favorite snippets that I think shows this potential (if she would have just expanded on it):


"In the house, in water they
Will hardly wilt—I know
Someone like zinnias; I wish
I were like zinnias"


"Its head is too full
Of iron and oil
To know
What it throws
Away"


"Lies still.....
All strength to crawl
Gone....
But he keeps a shape
Of old anger"


"All former
Temptations
Too humdrum
To turn
Him from
His goal"


"And then following,
Flowing....
Into the fluid
Mold of the moment"


"Pretending to pray
While intending to prey?"


"Only
Fools
Pursue
Their
Prey

Mine
Comes to
Me"


There was only one poem in the entire collection that I enjoyed in full (not just a snippet or a couple words):


"In summer it
Blooms out fat
And sweet as milk;

In winter it
Thins to a bitter
Tangle of bones;

And who can say
Which is the
True rosebush?"


If Valerie Worth had shown more of her potential for great writing through these little snippets as examples, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this book much more than I did.

[Esther Filbrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mom read this book to me when I was in my early years of school, and honestly, I wasn’t super impressed back then. I have always enjoyed poetry; the rhythm and rhyme and beautiful perspectives on the world around me have always been favorites of mine. This book, while having excellent poetry, didn’t favor rhythm OR rhyme, so it didn’t appeal to me as a youngster.

Recently, though, I’ve gotten into the habit of reading poetry to my sisters as our bedtime wind-down routine, and after going through quite a few of the poetry books on our shelves, I decided to try this one again—and I was surprised! Freeverse poetry is a work of art in its own right, and over the years since I was a youngster, I’ve learned to appreciate it for what it is—and I ended up loving this collection after all.

These poems are small—just 2-3 verses generally—and all are about very ordinary things, but viewed from a perspective of love and gratitude. Comparison and contrast reign in some poems; others are gentle reflections of sunbeams upon a floor or the hush of wind through the tops of daisies. Some brought laughter (the poem about a dog with fleas, from the fleas’ perspective, was especially memorable!), some brought a contented sigh. All were picturesque—beautiful, a moment of peace at the end of a busy day.

I ended up thoroughly enjoying being able to read this book, and I think my sisters enjoyed it, too. While it may not have the same kind of appeal as A Child’s Garden of Verses or When We Were Very Young, this collection of poetry deserves its place on the shelf as well. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I pick up this book, now that I’ve discovered what a treasure it is!

[Brian McCaffery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a gorgeous collection of poems; so perfectly written, so simply told, but powerfully inviting.

I had never heard of this author, of this collection, until recently. I was looking for stories to read aloud to our son’s class during a March reading event at his school. I was looking for a book of fiction to select, but I happened to read about this and was intrigued so I borrowed it from the library. I just read through it in about an hour, unable to put it down. When I finished it, I went back to the beginning and read through a number of them again that had truly spoken to me. I also made a running list of poems I want to be sure to share with our son. Worth’s use of language, her amazing way of seeing the world is so beautiful, and I want to be sure to introduce this as the next book we read together.

And of course, the illustrations! Babbitt’s artwork is so crisp and beautiful and pairs perfectly with Worth’s poems, bringing them even further to life.

One of my favorite poets is Mary Oliver. Her ability to show the powerful beauty and wonder of the everyday has always spoken to me. And I feel like Valerie Worth is akin to Oliver’s spirit.

I am so grateful to have been introduced to both Worth and Babbitt’s work. I’ll be looking to buy this soon. Every poetry bookshelf should have this lovely collection.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In general, I find poetry too abstract and confusing to be enjoyable. I avoid it, but since I needed to read a collection of poems for two reading challenges I'm doing, I decided that a book of verse written for children would be about my speed. I was right! This collection is perfect for those who find poetry unapproachable. Although Valerie Worth's work isn't as entertaining as Dr. Seuss' or Shel Silverstein's, I still think children will enjoy them.

The beauty of this collection is that it features short, simple poems that are easy to understand and enjoy. They feature natural wonders—not only flora and fauna, but also animals, insects, weather, and even an amoeba—and everyday objects, like a front door, a pail, and a safety pin. They're sweet poems that often made me smile. Worth includes some fun wordplay as well as deeper meanings here and there. Mostly, though, the verses are brief and to-the-point, yet also whimsical and fun. It took me about 20 minutes to read this book and, shockingly, I quite enjoyed the read!

In case you're wondering, my favorite poems in this collection are the literary-themed "book," and "library" but I also particularly liked "skeletons" and "mantis."

[Steph Lovelady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I selected this book at the library solely because of the charming title. It did not disappoint. All the poems are short, creative meditations on everyday objects, plants, or animals. We read it slowly, over the course of more than a month, so the ones I remember best are from the end. Here are two of my favorites:

Starfish

Spined
With sparks
Limbed
With flames,

Climbing
The dark
To cling
And shine

Until the
Slow tide
Turns
Again:

Not even
Knowing
What stars
Are,

But
Even so,
The
Same.

Dandelion

Out of
Green space
A sun:
Bright for
A day, burning
Away to a husk, a
Cratered moon

Burst
In a week
To dust:
Seeding
The infinite
Lawn with
Its starry
Smithereens.

I like how the first two see the living thing in a new light (and how the poet briefly considers the starfish's point of view in the lines "Not even/Knowing/What Stars Are").

And here's the very fitting last poem:

Book

Such a
Bountiful
Box of
Tricks:
Packed
With the
Five senses,
The seven
Seas, the
Earth's
Four Winds
And corners,
All fitted
Exactly in.

[Samantha Zurbrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book of poems that I read for Crosby’s BookShark curriculum! Favorite poems:

Pebbles

Pebbles belong to no one
Until you pick them up —
Then they are yours.

But which, of all the world’s
Mountains of little broken stones,
Will you choose to keep?

The smooth black, the white,
The rough gray with sparks
Shining in its cracks?

Somewhere the best pebble must
Lie hidden, meant for you
If you can find it.

Slug

The slug
Slides sly
By night,

To nibble
The new
Green shoot,

To riddle
The weak
White root --

Hated
By all
But the moon,

Who smiles
On his scenes
Of crime,

And silvers
His trails
Of slime.

Book

Such a
Bountiful
Box of
Tricks;
Packed
With the
Five senses,
The seven
Seas, the
Earth’s
Four winds
And corners,
All filled
Exactly in.

[Kyle G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great book. I liked the layout of the pictures and the poems. I thought that most of the poems were nice. The pictures were great and I think that this book took a while to make. Valerie Worth did a great job with these poems. They flow greatly and they are definitely in the right format. Natalie Babbitt did a really good job with the pictures. I think that they are all drawn very well and I respect that the pictures were good, even for a poem book. This poem book was one of the best poem books I've ever read. I recommend this book to everyone who likes poems.

-Kyle Garland

[Ebjourney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to read this to my kids one year, but never got to it. It has been sitting on my shelf for some time, and I just picked it up. I really enjoyed reading through the poems on a Sunday afternoon. They are based on just basic items or things, like a chair, a broom, and other subjects. I liked thinking through some of the descriptions and metaphors and was able to comprehend what they meant. I liked it. I am planning to put up one poem up at a time on one white board for the kids to read, or possibly read some out loud.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read a book of poetry each month. I started with All Along You Were Blooming and You Are Only Just Beginning by Morgan Harper Nichols, but I loved them so much, I passed them along to the girls.

I was glad to come across this book because it was short enough to squeeze it in the last two days of the month.

This collection wasn’t nearly as inspiring something by Morgan Harper Nichols, but it was interesting. It takes a special talent to be able to condense something to just a few lines.

[Victoria (TheMennomilistReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I slowly read this book to my sons but it has tons of small fun poems about various objects and things in nature. There were some of the poems that I would read to them in varying voices. They especially liked when I would say them in a hardcore punk voice (with poems like "Skeleton" and such).
If you are trying to introduce your children to poetry and teach them on how to write them, this one is good!

[Nikki Tuchek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful children's poetry book is written by NCTE Poetry Award winner, Valerie Worth. She is an amazing poetry author who writes about plants, animals, and other familiar things for children. Her poems, in this book, are meant for young children, discovering poetry. She is a wonderful author who writes poems that young children can think about and relate to.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful poetry book because it has short, simple poems about everyday objects like shoes or a mosquito or pie. These are great mentor poems for students because they are not intimidating and if a poem can be written about a mosquito, it can be written about anything. This is definitely a book I will use in any poetry writing with students.

[Ashley Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

everything i actually apply that i know about writing poetry came from reading these poems. like, i know other stuff from other places, but i don't use it. and i like actually won an award for a poem i wrote once. but like, this is all you need to read to write nice poems. they're like all free verse though, so don't be surprised.

[Deania · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like short poems then this book is for you. There are really cute poems and the pictures are simplistic. It is a good read for parents and older readers. Each poem has a them and talks about a specific item.

[Katy Mccormac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valerie Worth reflects on her observations of the natural world (and everyday objects) in this volume of short and accessible poems for children with simple illustrations by Natalie Babbit. A great tool to explore word choice, line breaks, and the power of observation.

[David.Acosta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is perfect for anyone that’s looking for a poem book to read. It’s full of random things and the transitions are very odd like you would go from sea lions to sidewalks. Anyway “Natalie Badditt” is an amazing poet and this is awesome.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that just contains a bunch of little poems. They were cute little poems in the book and they had a little illustration with the poems. I would recommend it to a friend if the want a not long book to read.

[Damian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the randomness and the wordplay of these poems. There are supporting drawing for each of the poems for more context. The poems topics range from potatoes to tractors, etc. If you read this poetry book it might inspire you to start writing poetry.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an amazing book to read and I really enjoyed it. The author did an excellent job of choosing these poems they were by far some of the best poems I have ever read. I believe that an exciting person would enjoy reading this book and I defenintely recommend this book to a friend.

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very descriptive and succinct poems often describing everyday items.

This is often used with writer's workshop for poetry for 3rd through 5th grade. Classroom library for 3rd through 6th grade.

Could be used to study different forms of poetry and also use as a mentor text for writing poetry.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Not sure this is the edition I read as mine is simply titled "all the small poems" and has a different page count and cover. However, this is the closest edition I could find. Beautiful collection about the small things we overlook (magnets, fleas, cat baths!), and their ordinary beauty.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently learned about Valerie Worth when I read the poem, "Library", that she had written and loved it. I was excited to read more poems written by her. An added bonus was to find out that Natalie Babbitt, the author of "Tuck Everlasting", was the illustrator.