Our 2023 partners, sponsors, and advertisers present some of their new titles for young readers in celebration of National Poetry Month! Join us in reading poetry this April and beyond.
2023 National Poetry Month Books List for Young Readers
The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others by Robert Schechter, illustrated by S. Federico
Able Muse Press, April 2023
Starred reviews in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal, which wrote: “Playful poems that delight....For reading out loud, to laugh at, to muse on, and to grow up with.” An instant classic!
Age Range: 7–12
A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner
Aladdin, May 2023
A young boy struggles with body image in this poignant middle-grade journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and illustrations from award-winning author and illustrator Jarrett Lerner.
Age Range: 8–12
Themes: self-esteem, self-confidence, bullying, disordered eating
Spin by Rebecca Caprara
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, March 2023
The Song of Achilles and Circe get a sapphic, young adult twist in this gorgeously lush, feminist retelling of the myth of Arachne spun in moving verse.
Age Range: 12+
Themes: mythology, feminist, LGBTQ, Ancient Greece, romance, YA fiction
Miles Morales: Suspended by Jason Reynolds
Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, May 2023
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes the high-flying sequel to Miles Morales: Spider-Man, written with alternating chapters in verse.
Ages Range: 12+
Themes: social themes, Black characters, Latino characters, diversity, YA fiction, superheroes
Dream Train: Poems for Bedtime by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Anuska Allepuz
Candlewick Press, March 2023
A dreamy treasure trove of thirty bedtime poems to snuggle over together—and return to night after night. Featuring poems in many styles, from shape poems to free verse to ballad poems.
Age Range: 2–5
Themes: dreams, bedtime, railroads, rhyme
Soccer Queens: Poems by Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Candlewick Press, April 2023
The Coretta Scott King Award-winning creator of Hoop Kings celebrates the skill and talent of top female soccer professionals—and pays homage to the legendary U.S. World Cup team of 1999.
Age Range: 8–12
Themes: soccer, biography, sports, World Cup
Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Candlewick Press, March 2023
What is home? Revel in the ineffable sense of belonging in anthologist Paul B. Janeczko’s diverse selection of poems with sure appeal for children. Featuring thirty four inviting verses from a diverse collection of authors.
Age Range: 7–10
Themes: home, lifestyle, city and town life
You So Black by Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.
Denene Millner Books, January 2023
Based on Theresa Wilson’s (a.k.a. Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.’s) beautiful, viral spoken word poem of the same name, You So Black is a celebration of the richness, the nuance, and the joy of Blackness.
Ages 4–8
Themes: social themes, social and emotional learning, Black characters, diversity
Little People, BIG DREAMS: Amanda Gorman by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, June 2023
From early on, Amanda read everything she could find, from books to cereal boxes. Growing up with an auditory processing disorder and a speech impediment, Amanda worked hard and ultimately acquired great strength from her experiences.
Age Range: 4–7
Themes: social activism
A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books, March 2023
A fresh retelling of The Secret Garden, now growing on Long Island with a Pakistani heroine! This beautiful, poetic reimagining of the classic will captivate fans of the original and widens the appeal for today’s readers.
Age Range: 8+
Themes: friendship, fitting in, immigration, self-esteem
Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists by Krina Patel-Sage
Lantana Publishing, March 2023
A collection of 24 mindful haiku poems exploring flower species commonly gifted or found in our neighborhoods, from wildflower meadows to urban window boxes, with a fun fact section in the back of the book.
Age Range: 2–9
Themes: nature, climate, mindfulness, diversity
Pardalita by Joana Estrela, translated by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Levine Querido, April 2023
A gorgeous blend of prose poems and illustrations, Portuguese author and artist Joana Estrela’s slice-of-life story captures the feeling of being a teenager in a way that feels gentle, joyful, and real.
Age range: 12–18
Themes: coming of age, LGBTQ+, graphic novels, verse
Curls by Ruth Forman
Little Simon, December 2020
A poetic board book that delivers a joyful ode to African American girls and the beauty of their curls.
Age Range: all ages
Themes: hair love (especially Black hair), friendship, self-confidence
See Us Bloom by Kyunghee Kim, illustrated by Emily Paik
Modern Marigold Books, April 2023
An inspiring and comforting collection of poems and lyrical illustrations that will take kids on a journey to discover their own identities, find inner strength, and learn to love themselves—and one another.
Age range: 4–9
Themes: AAPI, Korean American, Jewish, social emotional learning, multi-ethnic families, multi-generational families, coping with anxiety
How to Write a Poem by Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Quill Tree Books, April 2023
In this companion to the New York Times bestseller How to Read a Book, Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander, poet Deanna Nikaido, and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet celebrate the magic of discovering poetry in the world around you.
Age Range: 4–8
Themes: poetry, books and libraries, imaginative play, learning to read, literacy, love of language
Remember by Joy Harjo, illustrated by Michaela Goade
Random House Children's Books, March 2023
Don’t miss U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s iconic poem “Remember,” newly illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade. This gorgeous adaptation invites young readers to pause and reflect on the wonder of the world around them, and to remember the importance of their place in it.
Age range: 4–8
Themes: poetry, science and nature, Native American interest
Eb & Flow by Kelly J. Baptist
Random House Children’s Books, March 2023
A ten-day suspension has tweens De’Kari and Ebony seeing the world with a fresh perspective. Don’t miss this poignant novel in verse from the award-winning author of Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero.
Age Range: 8–12
Themes: contemporary, stories in verse, friendship
Today I Am a River by Kate Coombs, illustrated by Anna Emilia Laitinen
Sounds True, April 2023
Lyrical poems and entrancing art inspire children to celebrate the natural world through movement, imagination, and play. As they pretend they are a river, sunlight, or a snake, they’ll see the world from new perspectives.
Age Range: 4–8
Themes: poetry, nature, mindfulness, embodied learning
A Song by James Christopher Carroll
The Creative Company, November 2019
A girl who responds to the song that calls to her serves as an example to those who have forgotten how to listen, and how to follow the path of mystery and adventure set before them.
Age range: 6+
Themes: music, imagination and play, fiction
Mother Winter by James Christopher Carroll
The Creative Company, August 2022
A poetic personification of the winter season, Mother Winter goes walking during “the longest cold night,” inviting the reader along to experience chilly winds, icy ponds, white
snowdrifts, and other quiet wonders.
Age range: 9+
Themes: seasons, stories in verse, fiction
Sister Spring by James Christopher Carroll
The Creative Company, March 2023
A poetic personification of the spring season, Sister Spring is revealed to be the force behind beautiful sunrises, blooming trees, sudden showers, and other springtime
wonders.
Age range: 9+
Themes: seasons, stories in verse, fiction
Courage Out Loud by Joseph Coelho
Wide Eyed Editions, April 2023
From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud comes another compendium of 25 original, confidence-building poems to read out loud to show children that their voice has fantastic power.
Ages Range: 6–10
Themes: social emotional learning
Push-Pull Morning: Dog-Powered Poems About Matter and Energy by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Serge Bloch
Wordsong, February 2023
Introduce children to physics through play, poetry, and a puppy in this joyous celebration of how physics matters in our everyday lives.
Age Range: 4–8
Themes: physics, science, humor, dogs, STEM