Selecting+Poetry

How might you go about selecting poetry for children?
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There are several criteria for selecting children’s poetry. First, the poem should be exciting and upbeat. The limericks in //There Once Was A Very Odd School and Other Lunch-box Limericks// by Stephen Krensky are an example:
 * Added by Megan Smith**

 If I’m ever picked first for a team, I know I’ll let out a big scream. I’ll pinch myself twice- A small sacrifice- To make sure that it isn’t a dream.

Poems that make children laugh or tap their feet to the rhythm are popular among young children, as well as those containing rhyming words and repetition. In //Please Bury Me in the Library// by J. Patrick Lewis (2005), all of the poems rhyme and include color pictures to help children with visualization. The following poem contains a rhythm that would appeal to young children. It would be great for children in pre-school to first grade learning their letters or how to read. “Eating Alphabet Soup”

My advice to the Tablespoon Slurper: Beware what you do with that scoop! The Capitals, sir, Can cause quite a stir In a bowlful of Alphabet Soup. While K, Z, and B do the backstroke Across this hot, steamy lagoon, The fun-loving Vowels May want tiny towels To dry themselves off on the spoon. But when Letters go swimming together In sentences, nothing can beat The pleasure of reading The food that you’re eating! So dive in and-bon appétit!

It is important that the subject matter is interesting to children. Children enjoy poems about nature, animals, and their own lives. //Good Sports// by Jack Prelutsky (2007) “allow children to put themselves in the poems” (Norton). These poems tell a basically simple story which is important when selecting poetry for young children. The water color pictures that accompany the poems have a child-like quality that helps children relate to the poem. Poems such as these encourage children to have hope, explore new things, and build their self-esteem. The following poem is about a child “dreaming” about dunking a basketball once he gets taller. I’m going to dunk this basketball, I’ll soar above the rim. I’ll fly so high that everyone Will cry out, “Look at him!” My dunk will be spectacular- The greatest of them all. When I grow three feet taller, I will dunk this basketball.

Poems that provide imagery and use word play allow children to cultivate their imagination. In //Dirty Laundry Pile, Poems in Different Voices// (2001), the words in some of the poems are displayed in nontraditional ways, making the poem stand out to readers. For example, in “Being a Kite” by Jacqueline Sweeney, children can interpret the meaning through the imagery used in the poem: “My yellow shirt would fill up like a sail and flap…” The last stanza of the poem is displayed in a larger font and the text curves up and down similar to a kite going up and down in the wind. Lively poems that feature rhyming words, repetition and imagery are great for young children. Simple stories about nature, animals, or children and their families are entertaining for children, as are humorous, upbeat poems. Poems that children can put themselves into are great, as well as poems that encourage children to use their imagination. The best test of a good poem is one that can be read over and over again.

 References // Dirty Laundry Pile Poems in Different Voices //. [New York]: HarperCollins, 2001. Print. Krensky, Stephen. //There once was a Very Odd School and Other Lunch-box Limericks//. New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2004. Print. Lewis, J. Patrick. //Please Bury Me in the Library//. Orlando, Fla: Gulliver Books/Harcourt, 2005. Print. Norton, Donna E. //Through the Eyes of a Child, an Introduction to Children's Literature//. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Merrill, 1995. Print. Prelutsky, Jack. //Good Sports Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More//. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2007. Print.

Added by Tarah When selecting poetry for children, one must consider a few key factors, such as the child’s age. The chosen poetry should be appropriate for their age, but still challenging enough to keep them interested. Keep in mind that children often prefer rhyming poetry or poetry that has repetition, as well as something with exciting rhythms and meters. It is helpful to browse poetry anthologies to get an idea of what is available and to see what appeals to you and what you think will appeal to your students. Read the poetry out loud to yourself to get a better feel for it. Choose poetry that students can respond to in different ways, such as musical poems, nonsense poems, or ones where hand gestures and body movements are used. This allows children to be able to put themselves into the poem, which encourages them to find new meanings and create new images for themselves. Also keep in mind that most children enjoy something humorous. Provide them with examples of different types of poetry (limericks, concrete poetry, haiku) to increase the chances that they will connect with it and want to explore poetry more. The poetry you choose should encourage them to play with words and expand their imaginations. When reading poetry, if the children are smiling and saying the words with you, you have made a good choice. Donna E. Norton, //Through the Eyes of a Child, An Introduction to Children’s Literature.// Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1999. Montgomery, Lily, //How to Choose Children’s Poetry.// [|www.howtodothings.com].