Poetry+for+Children

Characteristics of Children's Poetry (based on our observations of the poems shared in class):
 * humour-catches attention and interest
 * rhyme scheme is common
 * nonsense--doesn't always make sense or have any reason
 * straightforward, easy to understand, easy to follow
 * simple, colourful words
 * often illustrated
 * topics that kids can relate to
 * rhythm--good for reading out loud
 * narrative voice sounds more like child's than an adults
 * beg to be read out loud
 * fun to read out loud and/or hear
 * imaginative; based on some kind of realism but fall outside the norm
 * confidence builders--good for beginner readers
 * telling a story but not in a traditional format
 * sometimes they have a moral to them
 * vocabulary is different; made up words; complex words; etc.

Click on the link below for some notes from our class on poetry for children.


 * Poets for Children

Jack Prelutsky

Dennis Lee

Shel Silverstein

J. Patrick Lewis

Sample Poems**

Concrete Poetry: Click here for some sample concrete poems.

Narrative Poetry:

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service Text of poem

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Haiku: Wikipedia has a good overview