Here's A Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry

By Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, Illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Candlewick, 2007

Pages: 112

Suggested Ages: 0-7

ISBN-13: 9780763631413

This gathering of more than 60 poems from the U.S., Great Britain, the Caribbean, and Australia into one big luscious book is just the ticket for little ones. The poems are as simple and chantable as nursery rhymes, like Aileen Fisher's interactive verse which starts, "After my bath / I try, try, try / to wipe myself / till I'm dry, dry, dry." The oversized mixed media illustrations of red-cheeked little ones will put you in mind of early Maurice Sendak drawings. There are poems about growing, bananas and cream, getting dressed, rain, and mud, mud, glorious mud. You'll know some poems and you might recognize some favorite poets like A. A. Milne, Jack Prelutsky, Charlotte Pomerantz, Michael Rosen, Dennis Lee, and Anonymous. Not only is this a beautiful and joyous book to share aloud, over and over, it's a perfect present to give to the wee ones in your life, for it speaks to children about childhood without patronizing or idealizing them.

Themes: POETRY

If you love this book, then try:

Crews, Nina. The Neighborhood Mother Goose. Greenwillow, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0060515737

Denton, Kady MacDonald, comp. A Child's Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Kingfisher, 1998. ISBN-13: 978-0753457108

DePaola, Tomie. Tomie dePaola's Mother Goose. Putnam, 1985. ISBN-13: 978-0399212581

Hoberman, Mary Ann. The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems. Harcourt, 1998. ISBN-13: 978-0152055714

Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together. Little, Brown, 2001. ISBN-13: 978-0316146111

Hopkins, Lee Bennett, comp. Climb into My Lap: First Poems to Read Together. Simon & Schuster, 1998. ISBN-13: 978-0689807152

Kennedy, Dorothy M., and X. J. Kennedy, comps. Talking Like the Rain: A First Book of Poems. Little, Brown, 1992. ISBN-13: 978-0316488891

Moore, Lillian, comp. Sunflakes: Poems for Children. Clarion, 1992. ISBN-13: 978-0395588338

Rosen, Michael, comp. Poems for the Very Young. Kingfisher, 1993. ISBN-13: 978-0753458167

The art was created using a wide range of mediums and techniques, and Dunbar blends them seamlessly to create charming images that are amazingly expressive.
Donna Cardon, From School Library Journal

There's something for everyone here.
Publishers Weekly

Polly Dunbar created lively illustrations for each poetic gem, and creative use of color in the design of the text and lettering brightens each spread.
Children