Poetry

A collection of poems for children from the author of Winnie-the-Pooh, these will appeal to all ages because of Milne’s sophisticated understated humor.

I remember my neighbor-babysitter reading Shel Silverstein's poetry to me as a child. “Sick” caught my fancy. I also recall perceiving my parents were less impressed by that slightly naughty poem than I was.

As the title suggests, this volume combines four previously published collections of small poems, plus 14 more. The poet focuses mostly on the simple delights to be found in a backyard or pasture.

I read this with my kindergarteners, and I’m looking forward to reading through this again with my preschooler next year. It’s a beautiful collection of poems with topics and viewpoints young children can relate to. It was originally published in 1885, but don’t be tempted to think it’s lost its relevance. Some of the language is a little old-fashioned, true, but there’s also a wonderful innocence that comes from that bygone era which can’t be recaptured by modern writers.

Bright illustrations, some of which careen and crawl around the text, will be a hit with kids. Many, but not all, of these short contemporary poems are observations and explorations of animals and their diverse traits.