April is filled with lots of special days – including D.E.A.R. Day in honor of Beverly Cleary’s birthday. It’s also National Poetry Month. And poetry is great grist for reading, especially for regular Drop Everything And Read activities.

But the very mention of poetry – at least in my experience – can cause apoplexy in adults (notice I said adults; younger children respond especially warmly to poetry). I think that’s because adults are insecure about identifying quality poetry and ways to share it with children.

And that’s where Conversations with a Poet by Betsy Franco (Richard C. Owens Publishers) comes in! The subtitle says a lot: Inviting Poetry into K-12 Classrooms, by the respected poet who wrote this conversational, informative and thoughtful book. In an inviting way, it introduces ideas for using poetry with kids and provides solid lists of poetry collections. This is a must-read not only for teachers and librarians, but for parents who want to introduce their children to poetry beyond nursery rhymes.

So, let us hear from you if you’ve dropped everything to read a visual poem, an ode, a sonnet, maybe a sestina or even a multi-voice poem!

About the Author

Maria Salvadore is Reading Rockets’ consultant for children’s literature and literacy. Maria curates our themed booklists and writes the blog, Page by Page, which explores the best ways to use kids’ books both inside and outside of the classroom. She leads parent workshops for Ready To Learn (RTL) at WETA Public Broadcasting in Washington, D.C. She has also taught children’s literature at the University of Maryland, reviewed books for School Library Journal, and has served on various book award committees, including the Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, Golden Kite, and the Caldecott Committee.

Publication Date
April 11, 2007
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