A Pocketful of Poems

By: Nikki Grimes

Genre: Poetry

Age  Range: 2nd - 4th. The poems are short and easy to follow with simple rhyme schemes making it simple for kids just being introduced to poetry to get into it.

Plot: Short poems describing everyday things that children can encounter everyday.

Characters: Tiana, Mama, Daddy

Setting: Harlem

Illustrations: By Javaka Steptoe. Two page illustrations accompanying each poem. Mixed media.

Gingerbread Days

By: Joyce Carol Thomas

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 3rd - 5th. There are varying rhyme schemes which can help kids new to poetry recognize that poetry is different. The styles vary but are not too difficult to follow.

Plot: This book of African-American poetry has a poem for each month of the year. Each poem reflects traditions or activities that are associated with the month.

Setting: 1960's/70's

illustrations: By Floyd Cooper.  A full page illustration accompanies each poem using colors often associated with that month or celebration. Painting.

Equity Issues: No gender-bias or stereotypes.

A Suitcase of Seaweed

By: Janet S. Wong

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 4th - 8th. The poems have no clear rhyme scheme and have varying styles that can confuse younger kids who are just being introduced to poetry.

Plot: The poems are divided into three groups: Korean, Chinese, and American. Each section describes a certain part of the author. Mother is Korean, father is chinese, and the author is American.

Characters: Author, Father, Mother, Grandfather.

Equity Issues: No stereotypes or gender bias

Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems

By: Kristine O'Connell George
Illusttrations: Debbie Tilley

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 5th - 6th because of the theme of the poems.

Plot: The poems start from the first day of middle school and works through the year following a young girl. There are poems for the first day of school, lunch period, band class, gym class, the infamous school dance and many more.

Characters: The narrator, Sumako, Ryan, and Zach.

Setting: A middle school.

Theme: Middle School.

Illustrations: Sketches.

Song of the Water Boatman & other pond poems

By: Joyce Sidman
Illustrations: Beckie Prange

Genre: Poetry

Age Range: 3rd-5th.

Plot: The book is composed of poems based on various pond dwelling animals. From tiny larvae to wood ducks, they're all explored in poems and then various facts about the animals  are given in shorts paragraphs on the side of the pages.

Characters: N/A

Setting: A pond

Theme:

Illustrations: Done by Beckie Prange, They look computer generated and reflect the natural beauty of the creatures inhabiting ponds.