Even if you have a lot of children’s books on your shelves, chances are that very few of them are poetry. Depending on how poetry was introduced to us in school, we might have some negative stereotypes about it. But the main reason I love poetry for children is because playing with words and sounds is fun! Today, I’m sharing 11 of my favorite diverse poetry books for kids. I’d love to know your favorites too!

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11 Diverse Poetry Books for Children

My Daddy Rules the World: Poems about Dads by Hope Anita Smith

These poems about fathers run the gamut from funny to touching. My 6 year old loves “When Daddy is Sleeping,” particularly the following line. “I have a drum set and a real horn that blows, but Daddy is loudest when he plays his nose!” Other poems celebrate quiet time between a father and daughter, and the relationship between a son and Dad whose father is overseas. (Recommended for ages 4 – 10)

Sail Away by Langston Hughes and Ashley Bryan

Langston Hughes is one poet every child should get to know. Ashley Bryan had added his captivating, playful papercuts to a collection of Hughes’ poems about oceans, mermaids, and islands. There are poems that will appeal to younger children, such as “F” about a fish that gets trapped on a hook. For older children, one of Hughes’ most famous poems, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” is also included. (Recommended for ages 4 – 12)

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Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back: a Native American Year of Moons by Joseph Bruchac, Jonathan London, and Thomas Locker

In some Native American cultures, each of the year’s 13 moons are believed to have their own story. The turtle carries the mystery of the moon on its back, where there are 13 scales. Each moon tale/poem is from a different Native tribe. One beautifully illustrated poem tells children of the baby bear moon which shines on a mother bear and her cubs in their den. During the strawberry moon, the Seneca people sing songs of praise for the gift of the spring fruit. This is a perfect poetry book to read outdoors! (Recommended for ages 4 – 10)

The Barefoot Book of Earth Poems by Judith Nicholls and Beth Krommes

The poems celebrating nature in this slim volume are written a variety of poets from around the world. It’s one of the first poetry books I introduced to our son. The lavish scratchboard illustrations helped us both imagine the world these poems create. (Beth Krommes is one of my favorite illustrators!) There are poems celebrating every season of the year, and the wonders that nature brings to us. (Recommended for ages 4 – 10)

I Am Loved: A Poetry Collection by Nikki Giovanni and Ashley Bryan

Is anything more important that letting children know the many ways they are loved? This volume of poetry celebrates the love of parents, friends, and even the universe. There are also a number of poems that go beyond the subject of love. My favorite is “Do the Rosa Parks,” which encourages kids to “shame the bad/comfort the good/do the rosa parks/just like she would.” (Recommended for ages 6 – 12)

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Salsa: Un Poema Para Cocinar/A Cooking Poem by Jorge Argueta and Duncan Tonatiuh

This bilingual Spanish/English poem turns the everyday act of making salsa into a full-bodied celebration. Argueta starts with a stone bowl made of volcanic rock. It’s a mocajete or as his mother said, “our ancestors’ blenders.” This poem is sure to inspire your children to get into the kitchen as it engages all their senses! (Recommended for ages 4 – 10)

A Stick is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play by Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham

What would a diverse poetry list for kids be without poems about play?

Be prepared for the kids to head out to play immediately after reading this collection of poems about outdoor fun. You might even discover some new games that you’ve never played before. I loved the poem “Bubbles,” which shows us a boasting older brother trying to blow the biggest bubble, while his quiet younger sister sits in the shadows blowing far more bubbles than him. Both the poems and illustrations in this book are sure to fill you with joy! (Recommended for ages 3 – 8)

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Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, Marjory Wenworth, and Ekua Holmes

Teachers, this is an excellent book to introduce a unit on writing poetry with your students. Three poets pay tribute to twenty famous poets, including e.e. cummings, Sandra Cisneros, and Maya Angelou. Some of the poems celebrate the style of these poets. Some incorporate their feelings, while others are a pure celebration of what the poet has contributed to our world. The illustrations are simply stunning! (Recommended for ages 7 – 12)

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From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems by Francisco Alarcon and Maya Christina Gonzalez 

These collection of 22 poems in Spanish and English draws on the author’s memories of his childhood summers spent in Mexico. I particularly enjoyed the poem that gives the book its title. Alarcon’s grandmother tells him that the name Mexico means “the bellybutton of the moon.” Since learning this, whenever he thinks of Mexico, he reaches for his bellybutton. Other poems explore the joys of summer that children of many different backgrounds can identify with. (Recommended for ages 5 – 12)

All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka

“Children come in all the colors of the earth,” this simple and moving poem begins. Children who are “the roaring browns of bears and soaring eagles, the whispering golds of late summer grasses, and crackling russets of fallen leaves,” are shown delighting in nature that reflects all their colors. (Recommended for ages 3 – 7)

Bravo! Poems about Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle and Rafael López

In the introduction, Margarita Engle explains that this collection of poems is about amazing Hispanics, not the most famous ones. You’ll likely recognize at least a few of the people her poem pays tribute too, but others are unsung heroes and heroines. As an activist, I was inspired by Félix Varela. He defied his family’s expectation that he become a soldier, and instead became a priest, teacher, lawmaker, and advocate. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12)

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What are your favorite multicultural and diverse poetry books for children? Share in the comments!

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