A poetry book list, fit for a young king (or queen!)

Let's make poetry as regular to our days as eating and breathing. Here are some must-have poetry books for your little readers.

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 choose to cut arts programs. For instance, in 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 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 find they can 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 they can draw from. It’s introducing them to different meters and ryhmn. A different level of reading and comprehension. It stretches their idea of what writing can be and how feelings can be expressed.