Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart selected by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberely
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012. 978-0316129473
Synopsis: From the creators of the bestselling You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You series comes this new collection of poems especially suitable for learning by heart and saying aloud. With personal introductions by former Children’s Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman — as well as her own time-tested tips and tools for memorization and recitation — and vivid illustrations by Michael Emberley featuring his trademark wit and lively characters, Forget-Me-Nots includes more than 120 works from both classic and contemporary poets, from childhood favorites to lesser-known treasures. – from Amazon.com
Why I picked it up: Mary Ann Hoberman is a former Children’s Poet Laureate and she has such a well-received body of work that I felt obliged to check it out.
Why I finished it: This anthology is full of poetry that ranges from short rhymes to longer ballads and everything in between. It’s filled with original works, works that are found in multiple other collections, and works that are found in some favorite children’s books. My favorites were the poems about food and the poems about the weather. Emberley’s illustrations are whimsical and child-like, capturing the magic that poems perform for the reader. The art is bright, colorful, and lively, adding another level of interpretation to the poetry that it accompanies. The book encourages a love of poetry and a love of learning poetry, much in the same way that Caroline Kennedy’s collection Poems to Learn by Heart shows the reader the power of words. So memorize a poem that speaks to you, learn how it flows, study its structure, and make it a part of yourself that you can save and share.
Other related materials: Whisper and Shout: Poems to Memorize selected by Patrice Vecchione; Poems to Learn by Heart selected by Caroline Kennedy, paintings by Jon J. Muth; A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children selected by Caroline Kennedy, paintings by Jon J. Muth; The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Betty Fraser; BookSpeak!: Poems About Books by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Josee Bisallion; All The Small Poems and Fourteen More by Valerie Worth, illustrated by Natalie Babbitt; A Stick is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by LeUyen Pham; Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost selected by Gary D. Schmidt, illustrated by Henri Sorensen; Poetry for Young People: Carl Sandburg edited by Frances Schoonmaker Bolin, illustrated by Steven Arcella; Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman edited by Jonathan Levin, illustrated by Jim Burke; Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems by Kristine O’Connell George, illustrated by Kate Kiesler; Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face and Other Poems: Some of the Best of Jack Prelutsky by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Brandon Dorman
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