Introduction “The Duck and the Kangaroo” is a nonsense poem by Edward Lear, first published in 1871 in his collection Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets. It tells the story of a duck who feels trapped in a “nasty pond” and asks a kangaroo for a ride so she can see the world beyond it. … Read more
Introduction The how doth the little busy bee poem is a short children’s verse written by Isaac Watts in 1715, and its real title is “Against Idleness and Mischief.” At its core, the poem uses the image of a hardworking bee to teach children that busy hands avoid trouble. In my own reading of Watts’s … Read more
Introduction The poet of the poem “Chivvy” is Michael Rosen, a British author and poet best known for his work in children’s literature. He wrote “Chivvy” as part of his 1974 poetry collection “Mind Your Own Business,” his very first published book of poems for young readers. The poem lists the constant stream of instructions … Read more
Introduction Which birds are talking in the poem? The robin and the jay are the two birds having a conversation in “Bird Talk” by Aileen Fisher. From their perch, they chat about how strange and limited human beings seem compared to birds. It’s a short, playful poem, but it carries a clever message about perspective. … Read more
Introduction Poetry by Valerie Worth is best known for a single, simple idea: small, ordinary things: a safety pin, a chair, a slice of pie deserve the same close attention poets usually give to mountains and oceans. Worth was an American poet, born October 29, 1933, in Philadelphia, who published her first children’s collection, Small … Read more
Introduction Dr. Seuss and poetry are inseparable: Theodor Seuss Geisel built his entire body of children’s books on tightly controlled poetic meter, most often anapestic tetrameter, paired with invented words, playful rhyme, and rhythmic momentum designed to be read aloud. He wasn’t simply a children’s author who happened to rhyme; he was a trained, deliberate … Read more