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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Recommendations for children’s poetry books please?

32 replies

StanzaQueensUnite · 01/05/2025 16:41

What children’s poetry is everyone reading nowadays please?

In my day, my children read Bear Hunt and The Gruffalo, plus the poetry books from my childhood, such as The Treasury of Children’s Verse.

But what is popular now please?

I am particularly interested in poetry for the five to seven year old age group and for nine to eleven year olds?

I don’t have a clue and need to purchase for a summer reading group by the end of next week! I’m a volunteer so would very much appreciate some help please.

The criteria are : books can be illustrated or non-illustrated but they must be well written and can be compilations of different poems or, in the younger age group, one rhyming narrative.

Please can anyone help?

OP posts:
PaganOfTheYuleTimes · 01/05/2025 16:44

My dc still love spike milligan poems! They're brilliant.

StanzaQueensUnite · 01/05/2025 18:19

PaganOfTheYuleTimes · 01/05/2025 16:44

My dc still love spike milligan poems! They're brilliant.

Thanks for replying PaganOfTheYuleTimes
They are fantastic I agree! 😆😆

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Cherrycola4 · 01/05/2025 18:58

Michael Rosen. Bananas In My Ears xx

BoleynMemories13 · 01/05/2025 18:59

I love poetry. There are so many great ones but these are some of my favourites (some quite new):-

Pick and Mix Poetry (Anthology, poems chosen by Julia Donaldson)- https://amzn.eu/d/iC4ztTZ

A Whale of a Time (Anthology) - https://amzn.eu/d/1J4ktdO

The Shape of Rainbows (Neal Zetter) - https://amzn.eu/d/4LH98Z2

The Moon is Gorgonzola (Debra Bertulis) - https://amzn.eu/d/dy3xGNu

The Puffin Book of Fantastic First Poems (Anthology) -
https://amzn.eu/d/8xds8N7

Amazon.co.uk

https://amzn.eu/d/8xds8N7?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-childrens-books-5326485-recommendations-for-childrens-poetry-books-please

Anothernamechangeasouting · 01/05/2025 19:11

Hughes: Seasons

I really enjoy reading these with DD. They're suitable for younger children (although not new). I like the variety and that they're a bit more 'real'.

Shirley Hughes: Seasons Collection

https://www.psbooks.co.uk/503244-shirley-hughes-seasons-collection-4-vols

NameChangedOfc · 01/05/2025 19:14

Rachel Rooney

StanzaQueensUnite · 01/05/2025 20:09

Thanks so much for these further replies! Very much appreciated!

BoleynMemories13
you are obviously a devotee! 😀
Thank you very much for going to the trouble of posting those links! I will have a look!

Cherrycola4
Glad to know Michael Rosen still going strong as he was a firm favourite with my now young adult dc!

OP posts:
StanzaQueensUnite · 01/05/2025 20:12

NameChangedOfc

and

Anothernamechangeasouting

Thanks very much indeed for these suggestions.

I haven’t heard of Rachel Rooney or Shirley Hughes and I will enjoy having a look … .

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Benvenuto · 01/05/2025 20:15

Matt Goodfellow - The Final Year is a verse novel published fairly recently. It has been extremely popular & is taught in schools.

Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris - The Lost Words is stunning (both artwork & poetry). I really like it & it would make a lovely present.

frogshat · 01/05/2025 20:17

My DDs love ‘Please Mrs Butler’

Benvenuto · 01/05/2025 20:17

Also Michael Rosen has a lot of great videos of him reading his poems on his website.

StanzaQueensUnite · 01/05/2025 20:44

Benvenuto · 01/05/2025 20:15

Matt Goodfellow - The Final Year is a verse novel published fairly recently. It has been extremely popular & is taught in schools.

Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris - The Lost Words is stunning (both artwork & poetry). I really like it & it would make a lovely present.

Thank you very much Benvenuto I’m very interested to track these down!

OP posts:
StanzaQueensUnite · 01/05/2025 20:49

frogshat · 01/05/2025 20:17

My DDs love ‘Please Mrs Butler’

Allan Ahlberg? 😃. I think I may have some of his illustrated books somewhere which we used to enjoy very much.

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minipie · 01/05/2025 20:52

frogshat · 01/05/2025 20:17

My DDs love ‘Please Mrs Butler’

This!!

seahorsegrass · 01/05/2025 21:00

We adore An Imaginary Menagerie by Roger McGough - some are hilarious. All animal themed and the play on words is epic. " To amuse emu's on warm summers nights; Kiwis' do wee wees from spectacular heights" is a fun short one but lots are longer and tell a story.

StanzaQueensUnite · 02/05/2025 17:24

seahorsegrass · 01/05/2025 21:00

We adore An Imaginary Menagerie by Roger McGough - some are hilarious. All animal themed and the play on words is epic. " To amuse emu's on warm summers nights; Kiwis' do wee wees from spectacular heights" is a fun short one but lots are longer and tell a story.

Thank you for this! I’d forgotten about it. I love Roger McGough!

It’s quite interesting to see so many well known names mentioned. Is anyone coming to take their place I wonder?

Has children’s poetry moved on-line perhaps?

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 02/05/2025 17:43

Anne Fine did a good set of 3 anthologies, divided by age range.

StanzaQueensUnite · 02/05/2025 19:49

ErrolTheDragon · 02/05/2025 17:43

Anne Fine did a good set of 3 anthologies, divided by age range.

Thank you ErrolTheDragon

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evtheria · 02/05/2025 20:01

At that age my DS loved:
‘Beastly Verse’, especially with the incredible illustrations*
’Now We Are Six’
‘Revolting Rhymes’ and ‘Dirty Beasts’ (recall there’s the word slut in Cinderella, though)
and lots of Dr Seuss!

*this one is good for the older ones, too

ErrolTheDragon · 02/05/2025 20:05

theyre called A Shame to Miss - age range 5-10, 8-12 and adolescent
https://www.annefine.co.uk/books/shame.php

I’ve a lovely memory of DD on holiday discovering ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ juxtaposed with Eric Idle’s ‘All Things Dull and Ugly’ and lustily singing them.Grin

StanzaQueensUnite · 03/05/2025 11:45

evtheria · 02/05/2025 20:01

At that age my DS loved:
‘Beastly Verse’, especially with the incredible illustrations*
’Now We Are Six’
‘Revolting Rhymes’ and ‘Dirty Beasts’ (recall there’s the word slut in Cinderella, though)
and lots of Dr Seuss!

*this one is good for the older ones, too

Edited

Thanks evtheria

Even I remember enjoying ‘Now we are Six’ as a child, and I’m ancient! 😃

Will take a look at Beastly Verse and others thanks.

OP posts:
StanzaQueensUnite · 03/05/2025 11:52

ErrolTheDragon · 02/05/2025 20:05

theyre called A Shame to Miss - age range 5-10, 8-12 and adolescent
https://www.annefine.co.uk/books/shame.php

I’ve a lovely memory of DD on holiday discovering ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ juxtaposed with Eric Idle’s ‘All Things Dull and Ugly’ and lustily singing them.Grin

theyre called A Shame to Miss - age range 5-10, 8-12 and adolescent
https://www.annefine.co.uk/books/shame.php

That’s a great resource, thank you!

I had ‘All things bright and beautiful’ drummed in to me as a child… unfortunately 😆 … and found it far too saccharine and twee, even as a ten year old!

So delighted to know that there is an alternative version! 😁

Anne Fine: A Shame to Miss - poems for everyone

https://www.annefine.co.uk/books/shame.php

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TheBookShelf · 05/05/2025 23:06

The Word Party (Richard Edwards, published 1980s) is a lovely collection full of fun and humour, well worth a look.

parietal · 05/05/2025 23:27

Julia Donaldson - Poems to Perform

it is an anthology and all suitable for primary age kids to read aloud and enjoy

https://amzn.eu/d/eGotTdJ

Wasywasydoodah · 05/05/2025 23:33

Michael Rosen. Jellyboots Smellyboots is awesome. As is Bananas in My Ears and We all Join In.