National Poetry Month

Someone I like is far away

I feel the silence everywhere

I didn't know how much I'd care

Someone I like is far away

I feel the silence in the air

I feel it, feel it

everywhere

~From the book, Someone I Like

April was established as National Poetry Month by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 as a way to help poetry gain more attention in popular culture. It is a month in which we can all share the creativity and beauty of poetry. It is also a perfect time to expand your children's exposure to poetry!

From A. A. Milne and Mother Goose, to Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear, poetry has entertained, delighted, and spoken to children for generations and plays an instrumental part in children's literacy development. Poetry is an excellent way to introduce your children to new words and new uses of the English language. 

I challenge you to make some special time this month to explore poetry with your children. Keep an eye on this page for ideas for how to do that!

With options for the very small to the very tall, Barefoot Books can help you spend April celebrating poetry with your children!

My absolute favorite poetry book from Barefoot Books is "Someone I Like" which a compilation of poems about people. Not only does "Someone I Like" explore different relationships but it also talks about deep emotions that are sometimes hard for children to express.

Someone I Like features a large selection of poems from many different cultures that were compiled by Judith Nicholls. The book was beautifully illustrated by Giovanni Manna. It is recommended for children age 5 and up.

Simply reading basic poetry to your kids can help them gain an appreciation for it. They don't need to understand all of the words in order to understand the feelings and emotion behind the poem. Please, stay tuned for more information about teaching your children about poetry!


Click here to learn more about National Poetry Month.