Poetry Books for Grades 3 - 5

from Gathering the Sun. Illustrated by Simon Silva.

Ada, Alma Flor. 1994.  Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English. Illustrated by Simon Silva. NY: HarperTrophy.      

Adedjouma, Davida, (Ed.). 1996. The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children. Illustrated by Gregory Christie. New York: Lee & Low.    

Adoff, Arnold. 2000. Touch the Poem. Illustrated by Lisa Desimini. NY The Blue Sky Press.  

Alarcón, Francisco X. 2005. Laughing Tomatoes: And Other Spring Poems/Jitomates risuenos: y otros poemas de primavera. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children's Book Press.  

  -----------------------. 2005. From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems / Del Ombligo de la Luna: Y Otros Poemas de Verano. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children's Book Press.      

-----------------------. 2005. Angels Ride Bikes: And Other Fall Poems / Los Angeles Andan en bicicleta: Y Otros Poemas de Otoño. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children's Book Press.      

-----------------------. 2005. Iguanas in the Snow: And Other Winter Poems / Iguanas en la Nieve Y Otros Poemas de Invierno. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children's Book Press.       

-----------------------. 2005. Poems to Dream Together/Poemas para soñar juntos. Illustrated by Paula Barragan. NY: Lee & Low.    

Argueta, Jorge. 2010. Arroz con leche/Rice Pudding: In poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem. Illustrated by Fernando Vilela. Toronto: Groundwood.    

------------------. 2006. Talking with Mother Earth/ Hablando con Madre Tierra: Poems/poemas. Illustrated by Lucia Angela Perez. Toronto: Groundwood.   

------------------. 2003. Trees are Hanging from the Sky. Illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. Toronto: Groundwood.      

-----------------. 2001. A Movie in My Pillow/Una película en mi almohada. Illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

Belting, Natalie. 2006. Spirit Dancing: Poems Based on Traditional American Indian Songs and Stories. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. NY: Milk & Cookie Press.   

Bernier-Grand, Carmen T. 2004. César: !Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! Illustrated by David Diaz. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish.      

Bierhorst, John (Translator). 1994. On the Road of Stars: Native American Night Poems and Sleep Charms. Illustrated by Judy Pedersen. NY: Macmillan.    

Bouchard, David. 2003. The Elders are Watching. Paintings by Roy Henry Vickers (First Nations). Vancouver, BC: Raincoast Books.  

Brand, Dionne. 2006. Earth Magic. Illustrated by Eugenue Fernandes.  NY: Kids Can Press.  

Brenner, Barbara. 1994. The Earth is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems About Our Planet. Illustrated by S.D. Schindler. New York: Scholastic.   

Brooks, Gwendolyn. 2007. Bronzeville Boys and Girls. Illustrated by Faith Ringgold. NY: Amistad.    

Bruchac, Joseph (Abenaki). 1998. The Earth Under Sky Bear’s Feet. Illustrated by Thomas Locker. NY: Putnam Juvenile.    

Carroll, Lewis. 2007. Jabberwocky. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. NY: Hyperion.   

Cline-Ransome, Lisa. 2001. Quilt Alphabet. Illustrated by James Ransome. NY: Holiday House.    

Clinton, Catherine (Ed.).1998.  I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry. Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. Boston MA: Houghton Mifflin.    

Cole, William. 1981. Poem Stew. Illustrated by Karen Ann Weinhaus. NY: HarperTrophy.      

Dotlich, Rebecca Kai. 1998. Lemonade Sun and Other Summer Poems. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.  

Esbensen, Barbara Juster. 2003. Swing Around the Sun. Illustrated by Cheng-Khee Chee, Janice Lee Porter, Mary GrandPre, and Stephen Grammell. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books/Lerner.    

Fletcher, Ralph. 2007. Moving Day. Illustrated by Jennifer Emery. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.   

Florian, Doug. 2007. Comet, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.

from Dear Hot Dog by Mordicai Gerstein.

Gerstein, Mordicai. 2011. Dear Hot Dog. NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.  

Giovanni, Nikki. 2008. Hip Hop Speaks to Children with CD: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat. Illustrated by Alicia Vergel de Dios, Damian Ward, Kristen Balouch, Jeremy Tugeau, Michele Noiset. Naperville,IL: Sourcebook.  

Graves, Donald. 1996. Baseball, Snakes and Summer Squash: Poems About Growing Up. Illustrated by Paul Birling. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.    

Gray, Rita (Compiler). 2010. One Big Rain: Poems for a Rainy Day. Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke. Cambridge, MA: Charlesbridge.    

Greenfield, Eloise. 2006. When The Horses Ride By: Children in the Time of War. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. NY: Lee & Low.   

--------------------. 1993. Nathaniel Talking. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. NY: Writers & Readers.   

--------------------. 1991. Under the Sunday Tree. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. NY: HarperCollins.  

from When Horses Ride By: Children in the Time of War. Illustrations by Jan Gilchrist.

Grimes, Nikki. 2006. Thanks a Million. Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera. NY: Greenwillow.      

---------------. 2001. Danitra Brown Leaves Town. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. NY: Amistad.     

---------------. 1998. A Dime a Dozen. Illustrated by Angelo. NY: Dell.    

Gunning, Monica. 2004. America, My New Home: Poems. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.    

---------------------.1999. Not a Copper Penny in Me House: Poems from the Caribbean. Illustrated by  Frané Lessac. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.         

Hallworth, Grace. 2011. Down by the River: Afro-Caribbean Rhymes, Games and Songs for Children. Illustrated by Caroline Binch. London: Frances Lincoln Books.     

Heard, Georgia (Ed.). 2009. Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems. NY: Roaring Brook Press.    

-----------------. 1997. Creatures of Earth, Sea, and Sky: Poems. Illustrated by Jennifer Owings Dewey. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.    

Herrera, Juan Felipe. 1998. Laughing Out Loud, Fly: Poems in English and Spanish. Illustrated by Karen Barbour. NY: Joana Colter Books.         

High, Linda Oatman. 2001. A Humble Life: Plain Poems. Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth. NY: Candlewick.    

Ho, Minfong.1996. Maples in the Mist: Children’s Poems from the Tang Dynasty. Illustrated by Jean & Mou-sien Tseng. NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard.    

hooks, bell. 2004. Skin Again. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. NY: Jump at the Sun.       

Hopkins, Lee Bennett (Ed.). 2007. Behind the Museum Door: Poems to Celebrate the Wonders of Museums. Illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen. NY: Harry N. Abrams Books.   

Issa. 2007. today and today: haiku by Issa. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. NY: Scholastic.      

Iyengar, Malathi Michelle. 2009. Tan to Tamarind. Illustrated by Jamel Akib. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.   

From Tan to Tamarind. Illustration by Jamel Akib.

Jones, Lessie Little. 2000. Children of Long Ago. Illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. NY: Lee & Low.    

Lee, Claudia M. (Ed.). 2002. Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America. Illustrated by Tafael Yockteng Toronto, Groundwood Books.     

Maher, Ramona. 2004. Alice Yazzie's Year. Illustrated by Shonto Begay (Diné). San Francisco, CA: Tricycle Press. 

Mak, Kim. 2001. My Chinatown: One Year in Poems. NY: Harper’s.       

Medina, Jane. 1999. My Name is Jorge On Both Sides of the the River. Illustrated by Fabrico Vanden Broeck. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.     

Medina, Tony. 2002. Love to Lanston. Illustrated by R Gregory Christie. NY: Lee & Low.       

Miller, Kate. 2007. Poems in Black and White. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.   

Mora, Pat. 2006. Confetti: Poemas para ninos/Poems for Children. Illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. NY: Lee & Low.    

-----------. 2004. Love to Mama: A Tribute to Mothers. Illustrated by Paula S. Barragan. NY: Lee & Low.  

----------------. 2001. Listen to the Desert/Oye al desierto. Illustrated by Francisco X. Mora. New York: Clarion.   

from Blues Journey. Illustrated by Christopher Myers

 Myers, Walter Dean. 2009. Looking Like Me. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. NY: Egmont.  

----------------------. 2008. Jazz. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. NY: Holiday House.  

----------------------. 2003. Blues Journey. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. NY: Holiday House.  

----------------------. 1997. Harlem. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. NY: Scholastic. 

Nishimoto, Keisuke. 1998. Haiku Picturebook for Children. Illustrated by Kozo Shimizu. Heian International.   

Nelson, Marilyn. 2009. Sweethearts of Rhythm. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. NY: Dial.   

Norman, Lissette. 2006. My Feet are Laughing. Illustrated by Frank Morrison. NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.    

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 2000. Come with Me: Poems for a Journey. Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. New York: Greenwillow.    

Olaleye, Isaac. 1995. The Distant Talking Drum: Poems from Nigeria. Illustrated by Frané Lessac. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong. 

From Red Sings from the Rooftop. Illustrated by Pamela Zagaremski

 Rochelle, Belinda. 2000. Words with Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art.  NY: Amistad.   

Rosen, Michael J. 2009. The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems. Illustrated by Stan Fellows. Cambridge, MA Candlewick. 

Schaefer, Lola M. 2006. An Island Grows. Illustrated by Cathie Felstead. NY: Greenwillow Books. 

Shange, Ntozake. 2009. We Troubled the Water. Illustrated by Rod Brown. NY: Amistad.    

Sidman, Joyce. 2011. Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature. Illustrated by Beth Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.       

-----------------. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.   

-----------------. 2007. This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 

-----------------.2006. Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow. Illustrated by Beth Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.  

-----------------. 2005. Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems. Illustrated by Beckie Prange. San Diego, CA: Houghton Mifflin.   

 Siebert, Diane. 2006. Tour America: Through Poems and Art. Illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson. Gosau, Switzerland: Seastar.      

Singer, Marilyn. 2002. Footprints on the Roof: Poems about the Earth. Illustrated by Meilo So. Borzoi Books. 

 Smith, Charles R. Jr. 2002. Perfect Harmony: A Musical Journey with The Boys Choir of Harlem. NY: Jump at the Sun.   

-----------------------. 2000. Rimshots: Basketball Pix, Shots and Rhythms. NY: Puffin.    

Soto, Gary. 2003. Neighborhood Odes. Illustrated by David Diaz. NY: Sandpiper.    

Tadjo, Veronique, (ed.). 2004. Talking Drums: A Selection of Poems from Africa south of the Sahara. NY: Bloomsbury.      

Thomas, Joyce Carol. 2008. The Blacker the Berry. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. NY: Amistad.     

-------------------------. 1998. I Have Heard of a Land. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. NY: Joanna Cotler Books.    

------------------------. 1993. Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. NY: HarperCollins.      

Updike, John. 1999. A Child's Calendar. Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. NY: Holiday House.

From Animal Poems. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins.

Walker, Alice, 2007. Why War is Never a Good Idea. Illustrated by Stefano Vitale. NY: HarperCollins.  Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2006. Dear Mr. Rosenwald. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. NY: Scholastic.   

 ---------------------------------. 2001. Sidewalk Chalk: Poems of the City. Illustrated by Dimitrea Tokumbo. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.       

Winnick, Karen B. 2011. A Year Goes Round: Poems for Twelve Months. Honesdale, PA: Wordson/Boyds Mills Press.    

Wong, Janet, S. 2007. Yoga Poems. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. NY: Margaret E. McElkderry Books.   -----------------. 2000. Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. NY: Margaret E. McElkderry Books.     

Woodson, Jacqueline. 2003. Locomotion. NY: Speak.   

Worth, Valerie. 2007. Animal Poems. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.     

Yolen, J. (ed.). 1997. Once Upon Ice and Other Frozen Poems. Photographs by Jason Stemple. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.   

Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. 2009. Steady Hands: Poems About Work. Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy. NY: Clarion Books.