The Power of Poetry

PromiseReviews is a publication of Mentor A Promise (MAP), a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression.

Lindsay Yankie, Volunteer Blog Writer at Mentor A Promise

April is National Poetry Month in the United States. National Poetry Month was created 30 years ago to celebrate the role of poetry in our culture. 

If you have never read poetry yourself or to your kids, there are some amazing benefits:

Reading poetry with children:

According to The Center for Literacy Teaching at Lesley University, Poetry —

Helps build phonemic awareness

Increases reading and speaking fluency

Helps children predict patterns, like what rhyming word will come next 

Builds Socio-emotional skills [1]

Even before a child learns to read, reading aloud is shown to have many benefits to children, even babies. It can strengthen bonds to caregivers and even build vocabulary, a building block in learning to read.  Poems and books of poetry are a great way to start a reading routine because they are often short and rhythmic; they are an easy way to start or end the day. 

Here are some inspiring books of poetry and some fun challenges to share with your child:

Poetry Books for Young Children

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood (Ages 4-8)

• This book introduces fourteen revolutionary young women—a poem paired with a female artist. After reading, ask your budding poet to write a poem about an inspirational person in their life. 

Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Cozbi A Cabrera (Ages 4-8)

• Grimes uses a variety of different poetry styles that talk about what it means to connect with a person or community and feel gratitude. Work together with your child to write a poem for a small moment that they are thankful for. 

Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem by Jack Prelutski (Ages 8-12)

• Prelutsky is a Children’s Poet Laureate, and with over one thousand poems under his belt he knows about writing poetry. If your child has ever thought about writing poetry or has big thoughts or experiences that could be turned into poems or stories, this book is for you. Can your child write a poem about something that makes them laugh? 

My Thoughts are Clouds by Georgia Heard, illustrated by Isabel Roxas (Ages 8-12) 

• Mindfulness can help individuals become more calm, kind and caring. According to The Child Mind Institute, daily life for children has become more and more chaotic, and children grow distracted. Mindfulness can help kids explore their feelings. This book gives 30 mindfulness techniques in fun-to-read poems. Choose a poem and complete the mindfulness technique. 

Dictionary for a Better World by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (Grades 3-6) 

• This book of poetry is organized like a dictionary. For each letter, there is a word to inspire, such as empathy or “respect.” Try encouraging kids to describe what a “better world” means to them. 

Poetry Books for Older Kids and Teens

The quickly changing world can be difficult to navigate for our growing teens and children, and they may experience many feelings about what is going on in the world around them. It’s not always easy to talk about how they are feeling. But reading someone else’s words that articulate something you feel can be comforting. 

For Everyone by Jason Reynolds (Ages 12+) 

• Reynolds encourages readers to follow their dreams in this long-form poem, originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Jason Reynolds began writing poetry after being inspired by a favorite album. Write a poem in response to a song that your teen loves. 

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman (Ages 10+) 

• Gorman offers a realistic but hopeful look at some of the defining crises for the next generation. She explores Covid10, climate change, and social injustice. She validates hardships while empowering. Gorman says, “Hope is an action.” Then, what actions can your child/teen take to feel more hopeful?

You are Never Too Much: Poems for Every Emotion by Charlie Castelletti (Ages 14+) 

• This is a collection of poems for teens to help them navigate every emotion. This collection includes classic as well as contemporary poems. Have your teen write a poem about any big feelings that they may have?

Poems and stories can help us better understand ourselves and each other. Whether you are looking to laugh, learn about something new, or explore your feelings, there is a book of poetry for you. This April, try to branch out and read poetry for the first time, or try to find a new poet or poem to inspire you! 

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

-Emily Dickinson

Reading is magic! Books can allow us to have new experiences and perspectives without leaving our seats. How do you encourage children to become lifelong readers? Continuously introduce them to new books. Here at PromiseReads we will provide curated book lists for toddlers to teens. Our goal is to find books that honor the dignity, belonging and voice of all children. Each post will have a theme. The books will be hand-selected to go along with the theme with a corresponding activity to do with your child.

PromiseReviews serves as a place to help families, educators, and communities understand children’s literature as a tool for healing, representation, literacy, and emotional development. It is a publication of Mentor A Promise (MAP), a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression.