Poetry Friday: The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry

The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry. Edited by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson. Foreward by Eric Carle. 2008. [November 2008]. Simon & Schuster. 175 pages.

What should you expect from this one? Poetry, poetry, and more poetry. It really is a big book of poetry. It's got all sorts of poems. Some classic pieces, of course, and others with a more modern feel. You've got poets like Carl Sandburg, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost and Christina Rossetti. But you've also got folks like Lee Bennett Hopkins, X.J. Kennedy, Jack Prelutsky, and Judith Viorst. Just about every subject matter is covered in this big book of poetry: animals, nature, family life, school life, food, etc. So chances are you'll find something you love within its pages. (Even if you aren't all that into poetry for poetry's sake.)

I mentioned there was a variety of authors, but I should also mention that this one has a variety of illustrators as well. (Some of the illustrators include Lois Ehlert, Steven Kellogg, Chris Raschka, Dan Yaccarino, Nancy Tafuri, and Ashley Bryan.)

So do I have any favorites? Yes! Of course!

My favorite may just be Once Upon A Time by Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson

The Storyteller came to town
To share his gifts sublime,
Tell it again, Storyteller,
Tell it again,
Onceupona
Onceupona
Onceuponatime,
Tell it again, Storyteller
Tell it again,
Doors flew open to him,
Kings begged him not depart,
And children tucked his stories
In the pockets of their heart,
Tell it again, Storyteller
Tell it again,

For the full poem, you'll need to pick up a copy of the book.

The book also includes one of my favorites--a poem that has long been a favorite--"Mummy Slept Late And Daddy Fixed Breakfast" by John Ciardi.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews