Candlewick Press Books for National Poetry Month

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The product(s) featured in this post was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This post has not been monetarily compensated. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? What better way to celebrate than with some poetic books for you and your child to read?  I recently had the chance to review a box full of poetic children’s books from Candlewick Press. My 2 little friends, Joshua (5 years old) and Jonathan (2 and 1/2 years old) helped me read through the stack of books and gave me their expert opinions on each.

A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young

• By Michael Rosen, illustrated by Chris Riddell
• ISBN: 978-0-7636-8116-6
• September 2015
• Ages 3-7
• 80 Pages
• Retail: $19.99
• Purchase on Amazon

This is a collection of 36 poems with nonsensical verses and the feel of classic nursery rhymes. The illustrations are bright and beautiful. Jonathan loved the silly pictures and Joshua loved the goofy rhymes!

I Am Bear

• By Ben Bailey Smith, illustrated by Sav Akyüz
• ISBN: 978-0-7636-7743-5
• March 2016
• Ages 2-5
• 40 Pages
• Retail: $15.99
• Purchase on Amazon

This rhyming story is just a little bit naughty, which children love…but I wasn’t so sure about. I actually didn’t read this one to the boys, because the bear is “bare” in the first page, and then puts on his suit of purple hair. I just don’t think kids need more books telling them that being naughty is fun or ok. The other thing I wasn’t so sure about is when bear eats a squirrel friend, it is kind of disturbing, although you see a squirrel later in the story that looks just like the one eaten for lunch. He also steals, so…I voted “no” for this book. The illustrations are bold and beautiful, the storyline, not so beautiful.

One, Two, Three, Mother Goose

• by Iona Opie, illustrated by Rosemary Wells
• ISBN: 978-0-7636-8766-3
• February 2016
• Ages 0-3
• 24 Pages
• Retail: $8.99
• Purchase on Amazon

This is a cute little board book with classic Mother Goose nursery rhymes. I love the illustrations by Rosemary Wells! This book went in my youngest grand daughter’s Easter basket. It is the perfect gift for a baby or toddler! I love to read classic nursery rhymes to my grand daughters, so many people have forgotten them. Baby Beatrice gave 2 drooly thumbs up for this book!

Slickety Quick: Poems About Sharks

• By Skila Brown, illustrated by Bob Kolar
• ISBN: 978-0-7636-6543-2
• March 2016
• Ages 6-9
• 32 Pages
• Retail: $16.99
• Purchase on Amazon

This book has beautiful illustrations of 14 different kinds of sharks. There is a rhyming story about each and a sidebar with detailed information. This book is for ages 6 to 9, but I modified the story line for my little guys. They loved the pictures and the rhyming verse, but did not like the “scary” aspect of sharks. I think some kids would really love this, but they have to be old enough to not get disturbed at how sharks catch and eat their prey. We just skipped those parts because Joshua made it clear that the sharks wanted to be friends with the other sea creatures.

Shrunken Treasures: Literary Classics, Short, Sweet, and Silly

• By Scott Nash
• ISBN: 978-0-7636-6972-0
• April 2016
• Ages 5-8
• 40 Pages
• Retail: $15.99
• Purchase on Amazon

This book is a very creative retelling of classic literature in small bites! It has cute verse and rhyme. Some are even set to the tune of familiar songs, like Moby Dick sung to the tune of “Mary had a little lamb”…”Ahab had a wooden leg, wooden leg, wooden leg…” Really clever and fun! I enjoyed reading and singing this to the boys, and when they asked, “why?” about certain stories, I had the background knowledge of the classics to explain things to them! Joshua especial loved this one and had me read or sing his favorites over and over!

Among a Thousand Fireflies

• By Helen Frost, photography by Rick Lieder
• ISBN: 978-0-7636-7642-1
• March 2016
• Ages 3-7
• 32 Pages
• Retail: $15.99
• Purchase on Amazon

This book may have been our favorite. It had full color photographs of fireflies on every page and the verses were musical and magical. It tells the story of one lady firefly finding her friend (mate) among a thousand other blinking flashes in the night. We all loved the verse and the gorgeous photography.

These books can be bought online through the publisher at candlewick.com or at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Indiebound.

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