AT A GLANCE: NEW BOOKS OF POETRY AND VERSE NOVELS FOR 2025

Ackerman, Sara. Woods & Words: The Story of Poet Mary Oliver. Illus. by Naoko Stoop. Beach Lane

See “Sketches” post

Agard, John & JonArno Lawson. Wise Up! Wise Down! Illus. by Satoshi Kitamura. Candlewick

Two poets take turns writing paired poems on a variety of topics. Lots of wordplay and humor with some sophisticated vocabulary and concepts. Whimsical ink and watercolor illustrations. Concluding pages offer ideas for readers to write their own poems. Most appropriate for readers with a sense of the greater world beyond themselves.

Águila, María Dolores. A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez. Roaring Brook.

See “Sketches” post

Angleberger, Tom. Dino Poet. Abrams Fanfare

In this graphic novel, a poem-writing dinosaur comes upon a very nervous frog. In the interest of avoiding being the dino’s dinner, the frog travels with him, offering critiques and advice about writing poetry. Though the journey is fraught with danger, cartoon illustrations generate plenty of laughter. Boisterous onomatopoeia makes this poetry mentor text fun for reading aloud.

Atkins, Jeannine. Green Promises: Girls Who Loved the Earth. Atheneum

Another addition to the author’s collection of verse novels about women in science and math whose passion led them to groundbreaking work. Agnes Chase (botany), Marguerite Thomas Williams (geology), and Sophie Mack (entomology) are presented in powerful verse rich in descriptive detail. Informative back matter provides historical context for each woman with a timeline and a “circle” of significant individuals in other disciplines who intersected with their lives. An inspiring look at three scientists, somewhat lost to history, whose contributions paved the way for other women of science.

Baron, Chris. Spark! Feiwel and Friends

Middle schoolers Finn and his best friend Rabbit, along with her dog Thorn, are forest watchers. They set up cameras to capture wildlife, and studious Finn records everything in his journal. Possibly started by a spark from a developer’s machinery, a massive wildfire consumes the area. The poems in this verse novel portray a variety of emotions, including realistic fear at the need to evacuate quickly, rage, and confusion about what’s next. The kids are the instigators of action to save the forest, and the adults eventually fall in line. This is a story of resilience, recovery, and the promise of regrowth in the wake of California wildfires.

Burgess, Matthew. Words with Wings and Magic Things. Illus. by Doug Salati. Tundra

The 49 rhyming poems make ordinary moments extraordinary. Each of the seven alliteratively titled sections invites readers to enter through a die-cut portal into a magnificent illustration. Whimsical pencil and gouache art (is there a nod to Maurice Sendak here?) perfectly complements the poems and will delight readers. A captivating collection that is both humorous and thought-provoking that will be read again and again.

Cummings, e. e. when the world is puddle wonderful. Illus. by Blanca Gómez. Norton

This first-ever picture book collection of poems by e. e. cummings showcases 11 selections, many of which have been heavily anthologized and would likely be familiar to adults. The poems take readers through the seasons and feature the unique use of capital/lower case letters and punctuation that is characteristic of his style. Colorful illustrations feature a cheerful cast of child characters interacting with each other and their environment. Playful and imaginative, these classic poems are appropriate for a wide age range of readers.

Elliott, David. In the Desert. Illus. by Gordy Wright. Candlewick

Free verse and clever rhymes introduce 14 denizens of the Sahara Desert. Readers might recognize animal names, but the species specific to this area will be less familiar. Richly colored gouache and acrylic illustrations place the animals in their unique settings. Informational back matter is included.

Esenwine, Matt Forrest. A Universe of Rainbows. Illus. by Jamey Christoph. Eerdmans

In 22 rhymed and unrhymed poems of varying poetic types, 20 poets examine the science of color in rainbows that appear in nature around the world. Topics include geographic formations (mountains, rivers, waterfalls, etc.), plants, birds, insects, and more. Sidebars offer explanations of the phenomena. Unique - sure to arouse readers’ curiosity.

Florian, Douglas. Cows and Sheep and Chicks That Cheep. Beach Lane

Another entry in Douglas Florian’s long line of humorous poetry collections. In 23 rhyming poems, he employs his characteristic word play on a visit to a family farm. Not only animals are represented, but the barn, corn, farm chores, a farm stand, a scarecrow, and sunflowers are included. This farm even has llamas. Brightly colored illustrations rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, rubber stamps, and collage are filled with humorous touches that will delight readers. Great for reading aloud. Perfect for a curriculum unit on the farm.

Gorman, Amanda. Girls on the Rise. Illus. by Loveis Wise. Viking

Picture book-length poem about the strength and beauty of girls, individually and together. Uplifting text inspires confidence and pride. Vivid digital illustrations represent all girls.

Graham, Joan Bransfield. Awesome Earth: Concrete Poems Celebrate Caves, Canyons, and Other Fascinating Landforms. Illus. by Tania Garcia. Clarion

Science-infused concrete poems introduce 20 landforms with rich accessible vocabulary. The texts of the poems fit nicely into the shapes of the handmade ink textures fill the pages with vivid color appropriate to the formation’s locale. Back matter includes additional information about each topic, a glossary, and additional resources. Excellent combination of science and poetry!

Hall, Kirsten. A Forest Song. Illus. by Evan Turk. Random House Studio

In lyrical text, a child ventures on a path through the trees, watching the many creatures and listening to the voices of nature in the wonder of a forest world. Full-bleed gouache illustrations in vivid colors show the forest alive and itself an observer. The text of the book is a cento, a form of poetry that strings together lines from other poems. The lines in A Forest Song and the associated poets (a veritable Who’s Who) are listed in the appended matter. A stunning book that introduces a poetry form.

Himmelman, John. The Boy Who Lived in a Shell: snippets for wandering minds. Holiday House

Ivo, a boy who lives in an empty moon snail shell, is swept into the sea by waves. To pass the time, he writes story poems on the walls of his shell. Some of them are single stories, introducing a snowman in the desert, shadows that have shadows, a crabby crab, a dolphin who is the nicest creature in the sea, and so many more. Other poems, such as the poignant tale of pup siblings Toby and Pip, are continuations of adventures throughout the book. Pen-and-ink spot art is an entertaining complement to the text. Thoughtful, a little chaotic at times, and warm, this collection is a charmer.

Hoberman, Mary Ann. How Elegant the Elephant: Poems about Animals and Insects. Illus. by Marla Frazee. Megan Tingley/Little Brown

In the Introduction, Hoberman indicates that she has chosen her favorite poems about animals and insects - 68 in all - from previously published work. Playful lilting rhymes imbedded with facts make the poems ideal for reading aloud. Extraordinary ink and watercolor illustrations contain humorous details and are often cleverly placed on facing pages as a single illustration for two poems. Delightful!

Kooser, Ted. Seven Skies All at Once. Illus. by Matt Myers. Candlewick

Science and poetry intersect in this picture book text filled with luscious descriptive metaphors from U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser. Seven different skies follow a progression of clouds from a hint of rain to a thunderstorm and ultimately a rainbow. Exquisite oil paintings on wood tell an accompanying story of two children exchanging messages on a clothesline strung between their apartment buildings. Gorgeous and informative.

LaTulippe, Renée. Limelight: Curtain Up on Poetry Comics! Illus. by Chuck Gonzales. Charlesbridge

From the beginning of auditions and rehearsals to the last curtain call, a collection of 23 poems divided into appropriately titled Acts, follow a troupe of performers through a community theater musical. Content specific poems are rhyming and free verse with numerous examples of poetic devices - alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, etc. Persona poems in the voices of the script, a dancer’s shoes, the crew, costumes, the understudy, the applause, and even one of the auditorium seats, to name a few, are fun for reading aloud. Cartoon art effectively portrays the emotions of the performers. Full texts of the poems without art appear in the Appendix, which also includes definitions of poetry forms used in the book and a glossary of theater terms. Students may want to perform a class play after reading this book!

Latham, Irene & Waters, Charles (Sel.). If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of Possibility. Illus. by Olivia Sua. Candlewick

See “Sketches” post

Levy, Debbie. Photo Ark 1-2-3: An Animal Counting Book in Poetry and Pictures. Photos by Joel Sartore. National Geographic

For the Photo Ark Project, Joel Sartore has photographed nearly 16,000 species - 227 appear in this counting book along with 20 rhyming poems. Vivid descriptive language focuses on physical attributes (e.g., antennae, whiskers, tails, horns, spots, stripes, etc.), movement (e.g., swimmers, flutterers, hoppers, crawlers, etc.), and more. Thumbnail photos are appended along with information location and threat status. A feast of beasts that will have readers poring over the pages.

Limón, Ada. And, Too, the Fox. Illus. by Gaby D’Alessandro. Carolrhoda

Short picture book-length poem by U. S. Poet Laureate Limón follows a red fox through its daily activities. Information about fox behaviors is woven into lyrical language that is perfect for reading aloud. Vividly colored full-page digital illustrations encourage readers to observe closely.

Mole, Simon. Wriggle and Buzz: My First Book of BUGS. Illus. by Adam Ming. Candlewick

Twenty-eight poems describe the appearance, behaviors, and homes of mostly familiar insects. Repetition and onomatopoeia add rhythm, making the poems ideal for reading aloud. Full-page mixed media illustrations instill curiosity and may send readers to locate actual photographs. Back matter differentiates insects from non-insects, discusses how bugs help support life on Earth, and suggests ways in which we can help them survive. Fans of bugs (and those who less appreciative) will enjoy the amazing facts in this poetry book perfect for science class.

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Radiant. Dutton

In this verse novel, fifth grader Cooper is the only Black student in her class. She wants to shine, but how can she when she’s worried about her perceived mean teacher (the “Queen of Darkness”) and Wade, a bully whose family employs Cooper’s mother as a maid. There are times when she wishes she were someone else. Set in the 1960s, civil rights, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the arrival of the Beatles (a fascination that bonds Cooper and her older sister) figure prominently in the story. Cooper’s first-person voice will ring true for readers who are assessing their path to self-actualization.

Sidman, Joyce. Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends. Illus. by Melissa Sweet. Clarion

In 16 rhymed and unrhymed persona (mask) poems, 8 pairs of objects big and small make connections through letters to each other. The poem pairs encourage readers to think in unique ways. For example, a school and a brick, a child and their toes, a cloud and droplets all communicate. The poems are replete with poetic devices (e.g., alliteration from the oak to an acorn: “a tickle at my twig tips”) and vivid language (e.g., bubble to sky: “Someone breathed me awake!”) Readers will find much to look at in Sweet’s delightful collage illustrations. Sidman offers appended suggestions for writing letter poems. A magnificent collaboration between a poet and illustrator pair!

Stemple, Heidi E.Y. The Poetry of Car Mechanics. Astra/WordSong

In this emotional middle grade verse novel, broken-by-life Dylan lives with Pops, the owner of an auto body shop, after his mentally ill mother leaves. Dylan and his grandfather have differing views about people and society. He becomes adept at fixing cars but finds solace in the woods where he can write poetry among the trees and birds. When he notices an injured hawk, he embarks on a journey to find the bird, meets raptor rescuers, and discovers some truths about himself in the process. The first-person poems are fluid and beautifully crafted. The quiet outsiders among our students will find a friend in Dylan.

Sumner, Jamie. Please Pay Attention. Simon & Schuster

In this emotion-packed verse novel, eighth grader Bea attempts to deal with a school shooting in which her teacher and some students are killed. A wheelchair user because of cerebral palsy since birth, Bea feels fear, confusion, anxiety, and guilt. Equine therapy, a loving adoptive mother, and two supportive neighbors help her through the trauma. Well-paced and sensitive with good voice, this novel addresses the aftermath of an event all too common in our society.

Watson, Renee. All the Blues in the Sky. Bloomsbury

See “Sketches” post

Winters, Kari-Lynn & Sherritt-Fleming. Hungry for Engineering: Poems to Gnaw On. Illus. by Dave Whamond. Fitzhenry & Whiteside

Eleven rhyming poems plus glossary explore the ingenuity of a group of children in solving some common and not-so-common engineering problems (e.g. how to get a dinosaur out of bed, how to drop an egg without breaking it, how to filter water. Each poem encourages repeated tries if the first attempt is not a success. Cartoon-like illustrations add humor. This book is a possibility for science class when studying simple machines and problem solving.

Wolf, Allan. The Gift of the Broken Teacup. Illus. by Jade Orlando. Candlewick

Wolf divides 30 poems into themes related to three categories: Mindfulness, Meditation, and Me. The concepts are relatable and discussion-worthy - kindness and integrity, perseverance and self-discovery, and the importance of noticing the world around us and the people in it. The poems use a variety of rhyme and near-rhyme schemes. Digitally rendered mixed media illustrations feature animals and a diverse cast of children engaging in a range of joyful activities. A good addition to the social-emotional curriculum.

York, Rabiah. The One and Only Rumi. Illus. by Maneli Manoucherhri. Nancy Paulsen/Penguin Random House

In this picture book biography of the poet Rumi, young Muhammad is happy with his serene, music-filled life. But his world is overturned when the family must flee from the army of Genghis Khan, thus becoming refugees. Guided by the wisdom of his father, he grows to empathize with the needs of people around him and shares his hope for the world through his teachings, stories, and poems. The vivid colors of the ink and acrylic illustrations in double-paged spreads glow like jewels. An appended note tells of the author’s personal appreciation for Rumi’s writings and offers additional information about his life.