Part 4 - Summer Reading Recommendations - Poetry, Rhymes, and Stories in Verse

Hello Readers!
 
It is the fourth and final installment of summer reading recommendations, and this week I am featuring Poetry, Rhyming Books, and Stories Told in Verse. Many of us hear the word poetry and automatically conjure memories (possibly unpleasant) of reading Shakespeare or Yeats in high school. However, today, poetry and stories told through rhyme or verse hold plenty of value, entertainment, and pleasure for readers. Here are a few reasons I recommend poetry to kids:

1. Poems can be funny. The ultimate goal is to enjoy what we read, and often, poetry books written for kids are humorous (and therefore enjoyable). Sometimes they are full of jokes, situations that make you laugh out loud, or characters who make you smile.  Think Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelustsky, Brod Bagert, and Brian Cleary.
2. Poems are short and quick to read. How appealing does that sound to kids? Often, a poem can be read in under a minute. In a 5-minute screen break, kids can read a handful of poems from a collection. Waiting to be seen at the doctor's office or dentist? Pull out a poetry book and read a few to pass the time. Chapter books written in verse are quick reads, too. A sense of accomplishment comes along with reading several chapters of a story told in verse in one sitting. Think Judith Viorst, Marilyn Singer, and Douglas Florian.
3. Poems make us think. Often poems help us think about a person or a situation in a new way, perhaps a way that we've never thought of something before. In addition, poems can improve our vocabulary with the specific and descriptive words chosen to convey ideas. Think Sharon Creech, Caroline Starr Rose, and Kwame Alexander.

What is a "story told in verse?" Simply put, it is a story (usually a chapter book) that has been told through free-verse (non-rhyming) poems instead of the typical narrative style of writing we encounter in a novel.  Stories told in verse tend to be quick reads compared to their narrative chapter book counterparts, and that can be very motivating for kids (and parents). Check out the blog "What Do We Do All Day?" for even more inspiring chapter books written in verse.

As usual, the recommendations are organized into two sections:

• Poetry, Rhyming Books and Stories Told in Verse for Younger Readers - geared toward readers in grades K-3 depending on interest and comprehension level.
• Poetry and Stories Told in Verse for Intermediate to Middle Grade Readers - geared toward readers in grade 3-8 depending on interest and comprehension level.

Be sure to check out my previous posts, Part 1 - Fabulous Fiction, Part 2 - Incredible Informational Text, and Part 3 - Pleasing Picture Books, for more summer reading recommendations. What do you plan to read this summer? Have you read any of the books on the recommendations lists? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy reading!

Here comes summer, a time to be free.

Lazy days without homework,

and FILLED

with friends playing,

sunshine soaking,

lemonade sipping,

pool swimming,

lunchtime picnicking

kids running,

fireflies flashing,

watermelon slicing,

ice cream licking,

bicycle riding,

and, of course, 

book reading.

Here comes summer, a time to be me.