In celebration of April as National Poetry Month, the library will host a Poetry Power Workshop for third through sixth graders at the Downtown Library on April 29 from 10 a.m. to noon. Activities will include bubble gum poetry, equity poetry, movement poetry, and nature poetry. The workshop will end with a read-aloud portion of participant’s original poetry or favorite poems. Registration is required. 

To help kids get ready for the workshop, the library worked with The Gazette to publish some poetry tips for kids in the Kids Gazette. Retired Cedar Rapids Franklin Middle School teacher Deb Siebenga will lead the workshop and shared some activities to help young poets get started. Read them here.

Looking for more inspiration? Borrow these recently published poetry books for kids from the library. Scroll through the titles and click on book covers below to put a book on hold in our catalog.

“The Undefeated,” by Kwame Alexander (2019) 

“Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance,” by Nikki Grimes (2021) 

“The 1619 Project: Born on the Water,” by Nikole Hannah-Jones (2021) 

“The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet,” by David L. Harrison (2021) 

“The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics,” by Susan Hood (2021) 

“Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree,” by Jessica Kulekjian (2021) 

“The One Thing You'd Save,” by Linda Sue Park (2021) 

“At the Height of the Moon: A Book of Bedtime Poetry and Art,” edited by Annette Roeder, Alison Baverstock, and Matt Cunningham 

 (2021) 

“Take Off Your Brave: The World Through the Eyes of a Preschool Poet,” by Nadim Shamma (2022) 

“Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year,” edited by Fiona Waters (2021)