in a dark world, illuminate them with poetry

12 must-have books of poetry to read with your children

Reading, writing, arithmetic.

All important. All emphasized. All of great concern to the parent reviewing the content of their student’s curriculum.

You know what isn’t usually top of mind for parents and teachers alike, but should be?

Art history, poetry, creative writing, nature study, music theory, and appreciation.

The arts have often been shown the door when it comes to what is given top billing for schools (and sometimes homeschools!) It makes sense when you factor in testing and hours available. Teachers are trying to squeeze in such an array of content into compact 45-minute rotations before the next bell rings. Many districts around the country have slashed their art programs and the impact has often been felt by students who saw the ending of the one subject in school where they felt alive and inspired (no offense, Chemistry teachers!) Due to the “No Child Left Behind” act, states like California found themselves with a huge budget crisis and chose to cut arts programs. For instance, in the Los Angeles Unified School District, 345 arts teachers were let go between 2008 and 2012, and half of the art offerings for children K-5th grade were cut down to zero.

Regardless of whether your children are in public, private, or home schools, we as parents have the wonderful opportunity (I would go so far as to say obligation!) to lay out a veritable feast for our children filled with beautiful words, tales, and poetry. The great news is that this is easily accessible for EVERYone. If you have a library card, a HOOPLA account, or a home library….chances are you could have poetry at your fingertips in a matter of moments.

Trust me when I say that poetry and recitation should be their own subject in every school. The confidence builds when children are able to select a poem that interests them and they stand in front of their family or peers and recite the entire thing. They light up! It’s not just confidence building - it’s growing their cache of words from which they can draw from. It’s introducing them to different meters and ryhmn. A challenging level of reading and comprehension! It stretches their idea of what writing can be and how feelings can be expressed.

Poetry is magical. It’s a bit of a mystery too - most people don’t think it’s attainable for them, but the more you read, the more your student (and you) will realize that it’s an art form you can learn!

To that end, here is an exciting list of books of poetry that will get you excited to approach the subject with your children. Don’t be intimidated - be thrilled that you will learn beautiful phrases and words that will remain with you forever. Trust me….my kids still recite poems we learned a decade ago with surprising frequency!

I hope you enjoy and if you feel led, comment and share your favorite poem that you learned as a child.