Poetry Friday: Cool Cuts

 

Celebrate Poetry Friday with Mechal Renee Roe's Cool Cuts! There are so many ways to wear your hair. How about crisp cornrows, or a full 'fro, or a dope design? Illustrations accompany a rhyme and repeated phrase.

"Be the best,
no matter how
hard the test!

i am born to be AWESOME!

LOW WAVES!"

Here's a fun and beautiful representation of mini-twists, a fro-hawk, and lively locs. So glad this work has hit the board book shelf. It pairs with Happy Hair. 

Cool Cuts

by Mechal Renee Roe

Doubleday, 2020

Poetry Friday: Moon Babies

Happy Poetry Friday to you and your first readers! Enjoy this verse from the beautiful Moon Babies:

In the starry dark of night,
a secret moon world dims its light.
Close your eyes and you just might
dream of baby moons tonight.

Moon Babies
by Karen Jameson
illustrated by Amy Hevron
Putnam, 2019

Poetry Friday: Like the Moon Loves the Sky

With lines based on verses from the Quran, Like the Moon Loves the Sky is an endearing affirmation of a child loved. Here's beauty for Poetry Friday:

"Inshallah you are all

that is gentle and good. 

Inshallah you feel safe,

like all children should." 

Watch for this in March for your first readers. "Inshalla you are loved, like the moon loves the sky."

Like the Moon Loves the Sky

by Hena Khan

Illustrated by Saffa Khan

Chronicle Books, 2020

Poetry Friday: Goodnight Bubbala

Enjoy this parody of Goodnight Moon with your happy mishpacha and welcome Hanukkah. With text by Sheryl Haft and illustration by Jill Weber, your first reader will be ready to help you make latkes before you to read Goodnight Bubbala again! A Yiddish glossary may inform and expand vocabularies.

"Goodnight room
Goodnight schmatta
Goodnight mishpacha noshing on latkes"

Happy Hanukkah and Poetry Friday!

Goodnight Bubbala, a Joyful Parody
by Sheryl Haft
illustrated by Jill Weber
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2019

Poetry Friday: Roar Like a Dandelion

This Poetry Friday celebrate with a never-before released work by Ruth Krauss. Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier, the whimsy and sillies will amuse your readertotz as the alphabet is reinforced in Roar Like a Dandelion.

Sit in the sun
and shine

Try to hug yourself
in a puddle

Undress to match
trees in winter

Vote for yourself

There's an empowering joy of life in this work. Thanks to Harper for choosing to share more from Krauss. Her voice is clear, and Ruzzier honors it well. Bravo!

Roar Like a Dandelion
by Ruth Krauss
illustrations by Sergio Ruzzier
Harper, 2019

Poetry Friday: Peek-A-Boo Zoo

Lift-the-flaps to see who is playing peek-a-boo this Poetry Friday!

"I am a cool bird.
I waddle and slide.
In the ice-cold sea,
I swim and glide.

Guess who?"

Look for Peek-A-Boo Farm as well. Happy reading!

Peek-A-Boo Zoo
by Joyce Wan
Cartwheel Books

Poetry Friday: Wake Up, Color Pup

Wake Up, Color Pup is a gleeful, energetic look at dawn for a little white puppy. Bouncing with rhyme, the pup bounds outside into yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, and green. He meets little animals, insects, and a fish along the way as he follows a bird. The colors collect on his coat, until:

Drip,
drop,
spatter.
Bark!

The rain falls, and all pup's color is washed away. He shivers in the dark gray until finding all the colors in a puddle. With a roll and a shake, the world is awake again with color.

Here is a beautiful introduction and celebration of colorful life. Happy Poetry Friday!

Wake Up, Color Pup
by Taia Morley
Random House Children's Books, 2019

Top Shelf, Poetry Friday: Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets

Happy Poetry Friday! Our Top Shelf pick today is Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets. Bringing both shapes and Muslim worship to the picture book page, this work is an enriching masterpiece. From the rectangular mosque door to the octagon fountain, acts of worship and their setting in various countries are illuminated.

"Arch is the mihrab
that guides our way.
We stand and face it
each time we pray.

Relish this celebration with your readertotz! Happy Poetry Friday!

Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets
A Muslim Book of Shapes
by Hena Khan
illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
Chronicle Books, 2018

Poetry Friday: Run Wild

Put down your devices and Run Wild with David Covell this Poetry Friday. The exuberant, free illustrations and his injunctions will scoot you right out the door. Even if there's rain and a fall. Get up and keep going.

"Hey, You.
Sky's blue!
(forget your shoes)
Open
that door
and...

Sprout, you're out!
Chase the wind...
Can you grab it?

Go ahead...
Race a rabbit!
Crunch. Crack. Twig. Snap!

Happy Poetry Friday to you and your totz! Come on and explore!

Run Wild
by David Covell
Viking, 2018

Poetry Friday: Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night?

Happy Poetry Friday to you and your totz! Enjoy this singsong board board of air transport quieting down for the night.

Where do skywriting planes sleep
after writing way up high?
Do moms read them bedtime stories
that are written in the sky?

Where do hot-air balloons sleep
after flames have made them rise?
Do they float off into dreamland
as the sunset fills the skies?

Beautiful, yes?

Where Do Jet Planes Sleep at Night?
by Brianna Caplan Sayres
illustrated by Christian Slade
Random House, 2018

Poetry Friday: Find It! Twist, Yoga Poems

Celebrating a ten year birthday, Twist, Yoga Poems is brilliant and beautiful. Janet S. Wong's poetry nests in Julie Paschkis' art as the two illustrate yoga practice. I find I fall into the lyrical words and symmetrical images while being stirred to strike the poses.

Cobra

Darkness
pushes Cobra up from damp soil.

She lifts herself higher,
to dry out her heart.

Find this treasure from 2007. And then strike a Warrior's pose. Twist with your totz.

Twist, Yoga Poems
by Janet S. Wong
art by Julie Paschkis
Margaret K. McElderry, 2007

Poetry Friday: Are You My Cuddle Bunny?

New from Cartwheel Books, with thick flannel arms and ears is Are You My Cuddle Bunny? Sandra Magsamen's short poem illustrates a mother bunny asking her little one a series of questions. This is a great book for Poetry Friday.

Do you like to snuggle in the rain?
Do you like to nuzzle on a train?

Do you like to hug in the breeze?
Do you like a squeeze under the trees?

Illustrations are drawn like stitched fabric. The colors are bold and flat. Cuddle your bunny and this book.

Are you my Cuddle Bunny?
by Sandra Magsamen
Cartwheel Books, 2017

Poetry Friday: Tree

Did you see Tree by Britta Teckentrup in 2015? The Peek-Through Picture Book is a great pick for Poetry Friday. First readers will follow the seasons illustrated through changes to and around one tree.

"Birds flit through the leafy bowers.
The forest is abloom with flowers.

Birds are singing, foxes play.
Summertime is on its way."

Watch the changes with owl through the pages' clever die-cuts. Happy Poetry Friday, readertotz!

Tree, a Peek-Through Picture Book
by Britta Teckentrup
Doubleday, 2015

Poetry Friday: The Maine Coon's Haiku

Happy Poetry Friday, readertotz! Today's feature is The Maine Coon's Haiku, and Other Poems for Cat Lovers by Michael J. Rosen, illustrated by Lee White. Flat, textured graphics, with a print-like quality achieved digitally, illustrate each cat haiku. Alternating between Outside and Inside, pick your favorite and read more about the breed in the back matter.

Scottish Fold

wind-whipped magnolia

cat's pink-petal toes--the last

to drop from its boughs

Be ready for beautiful language and exquisite imagery.

The Maine Coon's Haiku, and Other Poems for Cat Lovers
by Michael J. Rosen
illustrated by Lee White
Candlewick Press, 2015

Poetry Friday: Love is

Happy Poetry Friday! How about a little love in time for Valentine's Day? Find Diane Adams' work Love is, illustrated by Claire Keane (developmental artist for Tangled and Frozen). The work is retro-fresh and rendered in Photoshop. Diane shares the concept of love with first readers by describing the love between a girl and a duck.

"Love is holding something fragile,
tiny wings and downy head.

Love is noisy midnight feedings,
shoe box right beside the bed."

Chaos, comfort, loss, and reunion are all featured. This is a beauty. Love from us to you!

Love is
by Diane Adams
illustrated by Claire Keane
Chronicle Books, 2017

Poetry Friday: My Snow Globe

Here's a board/novelty book perfect for a snowy Poetry Friday! The cut-aways, use of transparency, and textures are clever invitations into a snow globe world.

"Shake, shake. Swish, swish.
Close your eyes and make a wish.

Follow the footprints in the snow
to find out where the animals go."

My Snow Globe
by Megan E. Bryant
illustrated by Melissa Iwai
Cartwheel Books, 2016

Poetry Friday: Seeking a Santa

You can enjoy a catchy rhyme and introduce your readertotz to Santa in this board book for first readers. Angela Diterlizzi's fast-paced text outlines how to recognize the jolly character in Seeking a Santa. Are you one yourself, maybe? Allie Smith's illustrations pop with strong color and a black outline when contrast is needed.

This is a perfect pick for a holiday Poetry Friday! Take a look:

"Crave milk and cookies
Have a belly that jiggles
Love humming and whistling
and carols and giggles"

Let's all share and spread cheer as we love our children and read to them this season. Happy holidays!

Seeking a Santa
by Angela Diterlizzi
illustrated by Allie Smith
Little Simon, 2016

Poetry Friday: Because of an Acorn

A beautiful poem for the love of the forest which builds upon itself and circles back. Enjoy Because of an Acorn today with your readertotz. Happy Poetry Friday!

Because of an acorn,
a tree.
Because of a tree,
a bird.
Because of a bird,
a seed.

The illustrations are fresh and full. Such beauty!

Because of an Acorn
by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer
illustrated by ran Preston-Gannon
Chronicle Books, 2016

Poetry Friday: I Love Hugs and Kisses

So many occasions for hugs and kisses. Especially with panda, felt, flap arms and ears on this board book cover. Happy Poetry Friday to you and yours!

Hug me when we take a walk.
Kiss me when we quack and talk!

Hug me when we go to the zoo.
Kiss me when I have a boo-boo.

I Love Hugs and Kisses
by Sandra Magsamen
Scholastic, 2016

Poetry Friday: I Will Love You Forever

There's always room for a mother's declaration of love for her totz. Enjoy this dear board book. Happy Poetry Friday!

When I saw you for
the very first time
I was filled with joy
that you were mine.

I knew I would
love you forever.

I Will Love You Forever
by Caroline Jayne Church
Cartwheel Books, Scholastic