(2) K-3 Illustrated by Hyewon Yum. This collection of variously contemplative and playful poems offers an intimate picture of daily life from a child's point of view. Thirty-four poems about "Home," "Street," and "Town" explore the ever-widening circle of a child's awareness of community. Various poets capture the rhythm of life inside and out, on the weekend and at bedtime, and through the seasons beginning with X. J. Kennedy's "Any old place / that's your home base / is where you want to be." The collection then heads out into the world with pets, parks, and parties and around town with school, stores, laundromats, and car washes. With its mix of classic works by such poets as Eleanor Farjeon, Myra Cohn Livingston, and Valerie Worth and more contemporary voices including Irene Latham, Janet Wong, and Naomi Shihab Nye, the collection offers a mix of poetic styles--all very accessible to the reader and listener and all unified by Yum's engaging illustrations in colored pencil and watercolor. Scenes ranging from urban apartment life to small-town backyards and front porches are full of a pleasing diversity of children and adults.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Richard Jones. The thirty-three poems in this anthology range from the whimsical (Monica Shannon's "How to Tell Goblins from Elves") to the practical (April Halprin Wayland's "How to Ride a New Bike"). Each is genuine poetry and not a didactic lesson, with rhythm, expression, and evocative phrases. Digitally edited paintings capture the tone and feeling of each piece while still being unified overall with color choices, soft edges, and keen observations of nature.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Chris Raschka. In their fourth collaboration, Janeczko and Raschka offer readers fifty poems, a variety of selections from the early Middle Ages to the postmodern and contemporary movements. That all the poems are about objects unifies the collection; their chronological organization provides structure (however, there is no index or information on place of origin). Soft, impressionistic watercolors showcase each poem and visually encourage continuous reading.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Sweet's child-friendly mixed-media illustrations--loosely rendered, collage-like assemblages in seasonal palettes--enhance the thirty-six excellent poems showcased on the book's ample spreads. As brief as three lines or a dozen words, most of the verses are by familiar poets (Carl Sandburg, Langston Hughes), including those known for their children's verse (Alice Schertle, Charlotte Zolotow). A fine addition to the seasonal poetry shelf.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Chris Raschka. These thirty-eight works celebrate the aurality of poetry. Some of the organization is by number of readers (poems to read alone, in two voices, etc.), others highlight form (limericks, list poems), while another section includes bilingual poems in Spanish and English. Raschka's boldly outlined, impressionistic illustrations emphasize speaker or subject through whimsical combinations of watercolors and torn paper. A collection to savor.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Robert Rayevsky. This collection includes a few classic poems; most of the works, though, are new and fresh. They range widely in tone from the frivolous to the heartfelt, and the book flows beautifully from subject to subject. Rayevsky's brush-inked and watercolor illustrations add visual appeal and gentle humor without overwhelming the words. Surprising and inspiring.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2007

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Chris Raschka. This collection introduces the rules of poetry. The twenty-nine poems--from light verse to a Shakespearean sonnet--are arranged by form (e.g., tercet, haiku, roundel). Each poem appears along with a small pictorial mnemonic in one corner of the page, a sentence describing the form, and a bright illustration. The back matter consists of expanded notes on and explanations of each form.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2005