10 Enchanting Poetry Books for Young Kids

There is so much incredible poetry available for children!

Sweet and simple rhyming board books for babies and toddlers.

Lovely picture books covering different poetry styles and forms.

Anthologies containing beloved classics and fresh material from newer authors.

And while the possibilities are endless, sometimes the abundance of options can leave us feeling frozen.

If you’re feeling stuck, I encourage you to head to your local public library and ask the magical wizards, (a.k.a. Librarians!) for their recommendations.

But I’ve also got some personal favorites that rank high on my list…

Here are 10 enchanting poetry books for young kids!

1. Bee-Bim Bop

by Linda Sue Park

Bursting with rhythm and energy, this sweet story shows a Korean American mother and daughter preparing Bee-bim bop, which is a traditional Korean dish.

Excitement abounds as we observe them shopping for ingredients, preparing the dish, setting the table, and enjoying a meal together as a family.

Darling illustrations and the author’s own recipe for bee-bim-bop bring this story to life!

2. How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?

by Varsha Bajaj

Precious illustrations coupled with simple, thoughtful verse make this a favorite.

This is the perfect bedtime story to read with young children.

It’s sweet, precious, reassuring, and the perfect book to snuggle up with on the couch or in bed.

3. Fancy Nancy Poet Extraordinaire

by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser

Full disclosure: I LOVE Fancy Nancy!

We own most of the Fancy Nancy books and this one is just as delightful as the others.

Nancy’s teacher, Ms. Glass, assigns her class a poetry assignment and while Nancy is determined to come up with a terrific piece, she struggles to develop a solid poem.

Uh-oh.

I love that this touches on what all writers experience at one time or another: the dreaded writer’s block!

This book offers a gentle and delightful introduction to a variety of poetry styles.

4. Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein

Ah, yes, no list of poetry books for children would be complete without referencing at least one of Shel Silverstein’s compilations!

He was truly one-of-a-kind and his whimsical, silly, hilarious, profound, and creative poetry continues to stand the test of time.

His accompanying illustrations are phenomenal and the poems in this book are fun to read aloud, memorize and recite, or to simply read silently in a cozy nook somewhere.

One word sums up his body of work: GENIUS!

5. The New Kid on the Block

by Jack Prelutsky

Plenty of adventure awaits the reader while flipping through the pages of this book of poems.

I find Jack Prelutsky’s style to be similar to Shel Silverstein’s, in both writing and illustrations.

These poems engage young readers and demonstrate just how fun, interesting, and entertaining poetry can be!

6. Stand Back Said the Elephant, I’m Going to Sneeze!

by Patricia Thomas and Wallace Tripp

This is one of my favorite childhood books!

Elephant feels like he’s going to sneeze. And this is a huge problem because the last time he sneezed monkeys were blown off trees, feathers flew off birds, and stripes fell off of zebras.

Suffice it to say that animals everywhere are panicked as they beg elephant to hold in his sneeze.

As we anxiously await the fate of the animals, we can’t help but get caught up in the story and illustrations.

Full of rhyme and pure silliness, this is a fantastic read-aloud book that is sure to captivate.

7. There are Rocks in My Socks Said the Ox to the Fox

by Patricia Thomas and Mordicai Gerstein

You’ll notice the same author that wrote Stand Back Said the Elephant, also wrote this book.

Ox has found himself in a most unfortunate situation through a series of completely ridiculous events. He has ended up with shoes full of rocks and is doing his best to figure out how to remove these annoying rocks.

This story is so creative and completely absurd! Which makes for some GREAT poetry!

8. Big Words for Little People

by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

I highly recommend checking out all of Jamie Lee Curtis’s books for children.

They are delightful and always have an important message for kids.

In this book, she encourages using big words with little kids because guess what?

They can handle big words!

Your kids will likely feel empowered after reading this one and ready to take on the world full of big words!

9. The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie the Pooh

by A.A. Milne

This is absolutely-positively, one of my ALL-TIME-FAVORITES!

I have such fond memories of my uncle reading these books aloud to me when I was five years old.

Christopher Robin’s beloved friends Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Tigger, Rabbit, Kanga, Roo, and of course, good old Eeyore, have clearly stood the test of time as cherished companions.

Clever, whimsical, touching, and beautiful. An absolute treasure.