Review of POETRY SPEAKS TO CHILDREN

Paschen, Elise., ed. Judy Love, Wendy Rasmussen, and Paula Wendland. (Ills.) 2005. POETRY SPEAKS TO CHILDREN. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks MediaFusion. ISBN 1-4022-0329-2

In this children’s edition of the Poetry Speaks series, Paschen has compiled 95 poems from 73 different poets. From classic poets like A.A. Milne to the contemporary Kristine O’Connell George, this general anthology has something for everyone. Each poem has its own strong points. Roald Dahl excels in the use of narrative poetry in The dentist and the crocodile. Rhyme and alliteration two-step through Maxine Kumin’s Sneeze: “it’s a quivery shiver the shape of a sliver, like eels in a river….” This collection includes silly poems such as Gas (about the unspeakable) as well as Poe’s frightening and somber The Raven. Each poem has a complementary illustration, the style of which is determined by the mood of the poem. Included with this anthology is a CD of the poems, many of which are read by the poets themselves. Some, such as Good Luck Gold by Janet Wong, include a bonus track of the author telling of his or her inspiration for the poem. POETRY SPEAKS TO CHILDREN is enhanced by its table of contents with the corresponding CD track number (where applicable) and index of authors and poem titles. These supplements facilitate both browsing and searching for specific poem or poets.

This poetry collection receives the highest recommendation for poetry enthusiasts of all ages.