(2) PS Illustrated by Jen Corace. The late Lee Bennett Hopkins gathered these fourteen poems, written by such prominent children's poets as Joyce ­Sidman, Nikki Grimes, and Eileen Spinelli, for this picture book of dreamy, comforting images of nighttime and sleep. The volume begins and ends with a poem by Rebecca Kai Dotlich: first "Bed," which invites children to "Climb in"; and then "Bed Again," inviting them to "Climb out" and "Grab your breakfast, / your curiosity, / your wonder-- / and go." Illustrator Corace takes the opening spread to show a brown-skinned child surrounded by the motifs that will resurface in subsequent poems, including the teddy bear found in Hopkins's own: "I'm here for you / to snuggle into / as you / squeeze me tight." The poems flow smoothly from one to the next; the illustrations also have a linear progression in that they skillfully incorporate related elements: stars in one image, stars and an angel in the following illustration, and then a starry window with the child in bed and a picture of an angel above. Children will enjoy finding the repeating motifs and appreciate the soothing, ­snuggly poetry.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Serge Bloch. Poems by Jane Yolen, J. Patrick Lewis, and others introduce a peppy group of punctuation marks, including the "forgotten" colon and a very excitable exclamation point. The humorous verses serve to help explicate meaning and usage. Clever and sophisticated pen-and-ink drawings showcase each punctuation mark in a bold, personified fashion, further bringing them to life. Teachers especially will appreciate this collection.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. This collection offers fifteen poems about the magic of libraries from authors such as Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nikki Grimes, Jane Yolen, and Alice Schertle. Manning's playful gouache and pencil illustrations illuminate the collection's simple focus; each poem expresses the same jubilant emotional reaction to the many things a library has to offer, from storytime to exploring the internet.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Chris Soentpiet & Christy Hale. Each of fourteen poems centers on one particular location in the U.S. The focus is as much on people as on scenery, with many of the poems written in the first person. Soentpiet and Hale combine their talents to showcase the special elements of a place as well as the response of people to it. An impressively diverse, polished, and inspiring collection. Information about the sites is appended.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Helen Cann. "What gifts have I / to give / this Child? // No gold, / no frankincense, / no myrrh, / only my quiet / soothing purr." Fourteen poems, each told from the perspective of an animal present at Jesus' birth, are here collected. The poems convey both the majesty and intimacy of that night; decorative mixed-media illustrations highlight each animal on its own double-page spread.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gretchen Moore. These fourteen prayers offer a child different ways to talk to God about things he or she is thankful for and to ask for His care and blessings. Two of the pieces were written by Hopkins; most are from anonymous sources. Cheery but unremarkable illustrations show children of different ethnicities, most with mouths open in delight.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Yayo. From the title page, where we see someone looking into the window of a book-shaped house, we know we're in for a celebration of books. Each posterlike spread is a richly illustrated visual metaphor for that poem (a book that is a raft, one that's a treasure chest, etc.). Those celebrating Poetry Month will find much to enjoy in this up-with-reading collection.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ponder Goembel. Hopkins's collection of lighthearted poetry includes verse by W. H. Auden, Langston Hughes, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and Prince Redcloud. In some of the poems, flying is a metaphor, but most are more concrete, imagining what it might be like to have wings. The fanciful pen-and-ink and acrylic illustrations work well for the subject matter.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by David Diaz. This jubilant compilation celebrates the seasons with classic and contemporary verse. Brief quotes (e.g., Longfellow's "Spring in the world! / And all things are made new!") herald each new section, setting the tone for the poems that follow. Hues are vivid and varied, and the bold, lively spreads feature glowing figures in Diaz's signature silhouette style. Ind.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Soentpiet. A collection of brief poems describe the many faces of multicultural America: an African American boy dreaming, a bilingual Latina girl, a lonely Caucasian boy, an Asian boy living in Chinatown, a Native American elder spinning stories. Poets include Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Janet S. Wong, Langston Hughes, Pat Mora, and Jane Yolen. This celebration of diversity is illustrated with beautifully detailed realistic paintings.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Mariusz Stawarski. The fourteen selections in this mesmerizing picture-book poetry compilation cover the whole sky, from sunrise to nighttime stars. Each poem conveys a sense of wonder and awe. Surreal touches in Stawarski's illustrations (e.g., a crescent moon masquerading as a swing, used as a boat, etc.), set against intense shades of daylight gold and nighttime blue, give the book a hypnotic, otherworldly feel.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2009

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach. Sixteen poets contemplate sixteen inventions. From haiku-like verse about basketballs to a straw-shaped poem about--you guessed it--straws, Hopkins has selected poems that engagingly relate the stories, or even speak from the points of view, of items whose invention readers may not have contemplated. Sarcone-Roach's acrylic and mixed-media illustrations give the inventions center stage. "Behind the Inventions" provides more information. Timeline.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. This collection features fifty-four classic and contemporary poems about different American-fought wars, focusing on the emotional impact of armed conflict. Each section opens with a quote by a notable figure and includes a brief description of the conflict. Dramatic watercolor illustrations capture the pain--and the hope--expressed in the poetry without dwelling excessively on the horror of violence. Ind.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen. In this smart, lively collection of fourteen poems, readers will find intriguing descriptions of mummies and dinosaurs, fine art and textiles. Factual tidbits within the poems may provide just enough information to whet readers' appetites and inspire them to seek out more details on a subject. The poems are complemented by bold mixed-media double-page spreads of museum artifacts and awestruck children.

Reviewer: Marika Hoe

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Karen Barbour. Fifteen poems about words, one per page or double-page spread, are gathered in this picture book anthology featuring the work of poets from Emily Dickinson to Nikki Grimes to Carl Sandburg. The book's overall tone is serious and reverential, with just a few lighthearted poems relieving the mood. Despite the generous layout, the poems tend to be overwhelmed by the insistent gouache art.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Melanie Hall. Two brief poetry collections bring seasonal spirit to the beginning-reader genre. With the poets including Lillian M. Fisher, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and Hopkins himself, each volume collects twelve poems, all short and mostly rhyming but with a lyric quality often scanted in poems for the newest readers. Warm-toned full-page illustrations accent the verses without overwhelming them. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Christmas Presents and Hanukkah Lights.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(2) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Melanie Hall. Two brief poetry collections bring seasonal spirit to the beginning-reader genre. With the poets including Lillian M. Fisher, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and Hopkins himself, each volume collects twelve poems, all short and mostly rhyming but with a lyric quality often scanted in poems for the newest readers. Warm-toned full-page illustrations accent the verses without overwhelming them. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Christmas Presents and Hanukkah Lights.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi. "Somebody / loves you / deep and true. / If I weren't / so bashful / I'd tell you / who." Hopkins gathers Valentine's Day poems by children's poets Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Heidi Bee Roemer, and others. Since these are easy-reader poems, they tend toward the roses-are-red variety, but they are all sweet and sometimes even funny. Adinolfi's art features lovestruck kids of different ethnicities.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. Kids cotton to all kinds of critters in this spirited collection of twenty pet poems. The requisite cats and dogs caper through the verse, as do more exotic animal companions such as iguanas, homing pigeons, and tarantulas. The brief poems are accessible enough for new but fluent readers; the cheery pictures portray some pet owners looking suspiciously like their pets. Ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. Fifteen poems have been created especially for this celebration of diverse home places. The poems range from the prairie to the sea, from the desert to the mountains, from a houseboat to an apartment. The verse forms are basic--couplets and quatrains predominate. The meanings of the easy-to-read-aloud poems are extended in Alcorn's bright, abstract, geometrically designed paintings.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2003