Poetry Books

I have to get mine rebound. My sister and I have the one we used to read as kids and her kids and now mine beg for it everynight. Needless-to-say, it's in tatters!

My kids', and now my grandkids' favorite favorite favorite book.
I wish I could buy fresh new editions for all the children in my life...

I loved being read and reading this as a child, the funny poems and pictures are a delight. I still have the copy I had as a child and now enjoy reading it with my two daugthers, my older daughter loves the humor too. It is wonderful it is available in print again for families to love.

One of my favorite books as a kid; really made me want to visit New England. One of these days I have to buy myself a copy, but I really wish it was in print for new kids to enjoy.

I am so pleased to see that Amazon is offering this book. I grew up reading it and the rhymes are still so vivid. The illustrations by Wendy Watson are splendid and offer a wonderful glimpse into family life and life in small communities--quaint and old fashioned. It's a Garrison Keillor or Dylan Thomas type of world. The sweet and humorous pictures often contain little snippets of conversation (between the foxes) that illuminate the rhymes and make it that much more interesting a read, and there's always something happening in the background that makes it fun to pore over. I would highly recommend this for children 3-7. It's a warm book and perfect for a Fall day when the leaves are turning or Winter evening with a cup of cocoa.

My son thinks he is the boy in this book. This might be in part because I like to insert his name in the title and question that is asked in the book: How do I love you ______? I like to end with I love you ____. We own the board book version and it is a bedtime favorite. Our family discovered P.K. Hallinan (who does his own illustrations) when we purchased a copy of A Rainbow of Friends. Hallinan has written and illustrated several children's books; another of his books, similar to How Do I Love You? (though not quite as good) is ABC I Love You - this book has a brother and sister in it, so I can read it to my son and daughter together, and they can both be in the story. :-)

Reinforces the unconditional love between a parent and a child in a cute little rhyme. There have been times when my own kids have gone through one of the same things this kiddo goes through, and I quote part of the poem to them---for example "I love the way you act so brave when you fall and hurt your knee" or "and even though it may not show, i love you when you're bad." My kids love it, and I mean every word when I read it to them.

This book is so sweet. It makes me stop and appreciate all the little things about our boys that can drive us crazy.
"Even when you lose your shoes, I love you just the same," she says, and the picture shows a little boy in his church clothes with his pants rolled up like he played in the creek. I love cuddling with my little boys and loving on them while we read it.

Our 4 kids absolutely love this book, so do I! :)- This is a frequent request! What a cozy book!

I bought this book sight-unseen as part of Amazon's 4-for-3 promotion. When it arrived, my first thought was that it was way too sweet... "Oh Gag!" came to mind. However, I pulled it out a few nights later and read it to my baby girl at bedtime and liked it. I pulled it out again the next night, and the next. It quickly became one of our favorites. It is an especially nice way to end a day that didn't go so well - too much whining, too much stress, too much everything - this is a nice little book to share at bedtime to calm down, slow down, and relax.

Kate Milburn writes like no other modern day poet. When I slip into her first book, I feel as though I have landed in another time. A subtle phrase reminds me that she is modern, living in the same world we do, but her sensitive soul sees so much more than the rest of us. She responds, and conveys passionate depth through art, this is truly her greatest talent.

I loved the poetry found within the passages of this book. She guides us into her own spiritual journey, a generous artist indeed. Each verse is richly romantic, but I especially loved "Journey Beyond the Trees" and "Innocent Rosebuds." How sweet this poet is, how she carries grace to heights beyond a very successful life. I can't wait for her second book, I'm sure she will shine even brighter!

In her first book, Ms Milburn presents a delightful, sweet respite from a huried world. I really enjoyed this book. I was reminded of many of the romantics - Millay, Yeates and Byron as I journeyed through 70 unique poems. How generous of the author to invite us along.

Kate Milburn is blessed with many gifts,as evident in her poetry and her successful life. She possesses a true neo-renaissance spirtit! I can't imagine what she will do for an encore.

I recently received this book as a birthday present. I loved all the poems, especially those about nature. I found them to be very soothing, inspiring introspection. During the winter months "down under" we could use a little introspection. It is a great addition to my poetry library.

My ancestors were Irish, sent to Australia as punishment in the 1800s,we never looked back. So, knowing that Ms Milburn's next book will center on her Celtic roots has me (anxiously)waiting in the aisles.We Irish love our poets! Thank you for including this wonderful book at amazon.com. I'm planning to order copies for my cousins in Ireland and Scotland.

I really enjoyed reading this book. All the poems were unique, it was a wonderful read. I believe it will endure because the verse is so profound, without being too wordy.

My favorite part of the book was the introduction. Ms Milburn does not issue some introspective analysis for her work. She lends credit for her love of literture to her mother. As a child, through observation, she would watch as her mother with children in tow would find solace in reading by the sea. Any mother would be proud.

I had the pleasure of attending the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC in May. I had the opportunity to meet many writers from around the world. But my most lasting memory is of Kate Milburn. She spoke with such passion for her love of literture, art and beauty, that I was brought to tears of joy. She read from her first book and the audience was so taken with her, she ran out of books at the book signing table.

So I'm here at amazon.com to order some copies for friends and family. We Welsh love poetry and appreciate soul-searching verse. I shall place my copy of "I Only Ask For Yesterday's Encore" next to my copy of Dylan Thomas.

I know that Kate Milburn is a special poet, because I have committed many of her lines to my memory. I remember my English professor in college telling our class, that this is the sign of a poet for the times.

I relished reading this book, not only for the unique verse that captured my heart, but because it told a story. The story of a young woman, who seemed to write from a time long ago. A time when romance was imbued in everything and touched everyone on a grand and small scale. The surprising thing is that she is from a generation that seemed destined to remove all of that from the world. Fortunately, that did not happen, and Ms. Milburn spins hope for us all in her beautiful poetry.

This book should be handed out to every man,women and Child This book has inspired me in so many ways I can't simply explain.The Arthur of this book has shown me pure genius in his words and wisdom. I pray that one day that I can achieve a fraction of his wisdom and intellect.God has called on this man to continue his works and I can't wait to read the next one.May God continue to bless your soul Mr.Ivory.

Totally outstanding would be the best way to describe "The Ivory Tower," do hope to read more of Mr. Ivory's work in the coming future.

Gerald G. Morrison

As a fellow poet, I can definitely tell you that Mr. Ivory composes his work not just from his heart, but from way down deep in his soul. This is a brilliant work of art from a truly gifted spirit. I look forward to his next piece with great anticipation.

I have witnessed this man move mountains of fellow poets and this books is a condensed version of HOW & WHY he is able to do so!

From the day to day struggles of life 2 the awesome power stemming from above...JLIvory is a Tower to be reconned with.

The ability to Educate...listen...learn...Empower...Challenge...Applaud...Instill. This book is able to fill an individual with so much.

I owed it to myself as well as JL to let YOU KNOW That This BOOK must be included in all library's that hold beautiful inspiration! Not to mention that fact that this man can Relate to me!

Big Brother, Father figure, Nephew, Son...He is all!

I thank you for blessing me with your mind!

I have witnessed this man move mountains of fellow poets and this books is a condensed version of HOW & WHY he is able to do so!

From the day to day struggles of life 2 the awesome power stemming from above...JLIvory is a Tower to be reconned with.

The ability to Educate...listen...learn...Empower...Challenge...Applaud...Instill. This book is able to fill an individual with so much.

I owed it to myself as well as JL to let YOU KNOW That This BOOK must be included in all library's that hold beautiful inspiration! Not to mention that fact that this man can Relate to me!

Big Brother, Father figure, Nephew, Son...He is all!

I thank you for blessing me with your mind!

This is one of those classic funny books that you'll want to give to special friends. The entire series of Mother Goose Rhymes is hilariously rendered as medieval French quatrains a la Nostradamus, replete with detailed annotations. If you majored in any language or literature you'll be LOL at the absurd, pompous intellectualism of the academic style. Simply brilliant.

We have an old copy of this wonderfully irritating book. It takes time to work out which nursery rhyme you are trying to decipher but do not expect the verses to translate from French into English as the words have no connection with any nursery rhyme you might know. We managed to do a similar thing with Spanish which was hilarious, but we still haven't worked out whether this was written as an enormous joke or is deadly serious! It has given our family a lot of fun.

I don't know why this book is so little known - it's very clever and it's hilarious fun. I wish I knew about it sooner. But if you're thinking of buying it, beware: there's no key. You'll have to figure these puzzles out on your own.

If you can read French and if you grew up heaaring Mother Goose rhymes (in English) this book is a MUST HAVE. It presents an almost credible scholarly work about some fragments (in French) from an old civilization. If you will read those fragments aloud, you"ll be able to hear (in English) well known nursery rhymes. Truly fascinating, and soetimes challenging! (Especially if you had never known THIS rhyme in English!)
--And the "scholaraly" footnotes are great!

Zebu qui se regrette: there's no question about that, and I _am_ grateful that it's back in print. BUT, buyers beware: the print in this edition looks like it came out of a cheap photocopier. Van Rooten deserved better.

I collect children's books, and this one takes the cake! It's simple, fun to read, Adrianne Johnson does some Fantastic illustrations. Roger Eschbacher takes rhyming to a whole new level!

My son has been reading this book (OK, I've been reading it to him) ever since he was a "little kid" of 3 - now he's 5. His favorite kid is Bob with his knob. He (me son, not Bob) recently took it to school with him, and all the kids loved it. I can't wait to read "Road Trip." You go, Roger! XO

This picture book is full of senseless fun. Escabacher taps into the joys of being a wild and verbally restless kid filled with energy and meaningless chatter. With little delay, he turns those words into a winner for all ages. He uses the names of twenty-six kids of every age who together reveal the excitement of writing a poem based on their name. There's Kyle who meets a crocodile; Moss who doesn't know what to do with a ton of applesauce; Uz scooping up fuzz and Ty the human fly. Most of all there is Xerk who gets paid to lurk, he loves to sneak and do detective work. To complement the silly poetic text is Johnson's silly outrageous illustrations. Cartoon characters fill the pages making sure you see their simple silly faces. Some eyes closed some opened some with and without noses. The colors used might not entice younger ages, but silliness outweighs the color schemes. For ages 3 -7.

OK, I am confused. Do the "professional" reviewers not have kids? My daughter loved this book. We read it often (no offense to the author, I can't read any book every night and stay sane). She loves the rhymes and then we of course start a silly game where we have to make up a rhyme with her or her friends names. This is truely my only complaint. Have you ever tried to rhyme Jessica or Jacqueline!? Anyway, this book is a great vehicle for immagination. My daughters kindergarden class all made up rhymes for their names because of it. I really think the reviewers are out of touch with what kids like. Of course, how many times have you seen a movie that you and everyone you know loved, but the critics hated. Anyway, trust the kids, the book is great!

This clever and charming book gets two thumbs up from my husband and me. Having written and illustrated childrens' books ourselves, we're always checking out new releases. We found "Nonsense, He Yelled" to be original, whimsical and a lot of fun --and that's no nonsense!

This book received many great reviews in education journals. My students love this book and it is very popular. I highly recommend it - who can pass up this puppy?

We saw this book featured on our local news station's "Success by 6" children's reading program and loved it! I ordered it as a gift for my two year-old niece but had a very hard time parting with it when it came. The illustrations are fabulous, the accompanying "stories" are charming, anyone who loves dogs will thoroughly enjoy this book. It exceeded my expectations.

My daughter and I are beginning our forever-long study of poetry and I found this unexpected and beautiful book about dogs (her favorite animal). The language and style of Once I Ate a Pie flows with such an obvious love and mastery of word usage and consideration of subject. The poems are blank verse but the word choice is juicy and deliberate. Really stunning paintings compliment each piece. I found myself brought to tears at least twice and really humbled by the talent of the authors.

** If you happen to check it out, Mr. Beefy is my favorite ;).

This is my grandson's favorite book. Is wonderful and a lot of fun. He has always had Pugs.

This book makes me feel like a kid at heart. It's great fun to read it giving each animal it's own voice since you can really sense the different personalities from each drawing and story. I also think it's a good lesson for children because, let's face it, some of these dogs are totally neurotic! I think it's a good way to show kids that everyone, including animals, have their own little personalities and behaviors and some of them are a little odd!

I just stumbled across this book in the Birmingham Museum of Art and what a delightful surprise! What a showcase of Alabama women's writing talents. From silly to serious, this book covers it all, from crib to cradle. It left me asking when's the next one coming out and where can I get it!

What an excellent display of the talents of Alabama writers! Alabama is often the brunt of "good ole boy" jokes, skipping over the intelligence and versatility of the abundance of talent found in Alabama. Anyone can relate to this book---from grandmothers and grandfathers and "hard times" which are displayed profusely. Hats off to the contributors to this book and for the editor for taking the time to introduce these poems to America!

Ordinary and Sacred as Blood makes me feel at home among writers--Alabama women writers who have shared their inmost thoughts from every cranny of the state. The variety of their experiences and the ways they have chosen to express them are appealing--poetry, memoir, essay, story. I'm still reading, and I've enjoyed every one--from our wonderful just-retired poet laureate Helen Blackshear to Helen Norris to Susan Murphy and Nabella Shunnarah, from Anne George to Natasha Tretheway to others whose voices are new to me. I look forward to the next chapter from this group.

Alabama authors have stepped forth to share short stories, poems and quips that will lift the heart of the reader. Ordinary & Sacred as Blood, authored by Alabama women, will trigger your every emotion. It truly promises and delivers something for everyone. You'll treasure this book forever. Delightful, thoughtful way to remember those on your gift list.

wonderful, folksy reading with home folks. Alabama Christmas by Charlotte Miller very sweet.Mamie was a Slave by Helen Blackshear gives insight into other days.

I own this book, and even purchased a copy for the use by my Alma mater University for their children's collection of books.
This book is the FINAL published book of poems by 13 year old Mattie Stepanek, who died on 22 June 2004 from a rare form of muscular dystrophy: Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy. He was a genius by intellect, but as sweet as a boy could have been. I recommend this book because of Mattie's keen insight into major human issues such as LOVE, PAIN, SUFFERING, FRIENDSHIP, SICKNESS, LONLINESS, FULFILMENT, DEPRESSION, AND IMPENDING DEATH. By late Autumn of 2003, I believe Mattie surmised that not only was death possible but was probably imminent.

By Dec 2001, Mattie and former US President Jimmy Carter became close friends, and this undoubtedly had an impact on Mattie's later poems. You actually SENSE Mattie becoming a Peacemaker like his childhood idol, Jimmy Carter. This book is more than simply GOOD poetry, but the plethora of photos from his mother's collections give the reader a visual biography of a boy who ROSE ABOVE his fatal sickness and who proved to be an angel in disguise for millions upon millions of people, when the day was Done! A MUST BUY Book.

Mattie's writings have touched my spirit like no other. His wisdom beyond his years and how his books make us look at life, especially our own, in a different light, has to be from God, therefore, making Mattie an "Angel Among Us" in my book.

This book is a must-read for all adults, and older children. The amount of suffering this child endured, and yet could find a reason to grasp life to the fullest, is a lesson for all of us. Mattie had a special gift that only comes from God, with messages that are profound. And yet, the messages are delivered in utter simplicity. It will absolutely change your life.

I got this book last year from my grandmother and really enjoyed it. The poetry was nice, even if most of it didn't rhyme, and the color photos were excellent. This book was an awesome collection of Mattie's poetry from when he was really young, to his last words before he died in 2004. The only thing I wish was in the book was more information on Mattie's brothers and sister, so everyone could know about them as well as Mattie.

If anyone wants to learn about courage I would suggest this book. What a remarkable person Mattie Stepanic was, his poems will pull at your heart strings as they did mine. It will be a book to treasure all my life, and reread.
Betty Blake
Book lover in Vermont

This is a wonderful 1st Bible for infants and toddlers! I've purchased it twice because the 1st copy was so "well loved" and showed it. The short rhymes that make up each story and colorful pictures are perfect for a young child with limited attention span. My son is 2 1/2 and has enjoyed hearing the stories since 18 months. My daughter started with this bible as well, and was able to remember many key Bible stories by the time she was old enough for Sunday school, simple because of the rhymes she had heard.

My 2-year-old loves having her very own Bible and reads stories from the book every night. The rhymes are simple, yet thoughtful and humorous at times, and the sing-song cadence allows toddlers to quickly memorize the stories. My daughter's favorite story is about "Noah's boat," as she says, and after a few weeks was able to recite the story herself. We even bought her a toy ark to reinforce the story. She has now memorized several of her favorite stories.

It's been such a joy to see her, at an early age, enjoy reading about God, Jesus, and the lives of His followers.

I checked this book out of the library. My daughter generally gets easily distracted when I read to her. After reading several books with me feeling like I was reading to myself instead of to her, I pulled this book out. She looked at every page, every picture, as I read the rhymes. We finished the Old Testament. I asked her if she wanted to put it aside for the next day. She asked me to keep reading--we read the whole book in one sitting! Amazing. The rhymes are simple and accurate but leave out the "bad" things. It is a very happy book. This would be a great introduction to the Bible for baby and toddler up through age 4.

We got this Bible years ago for our oldest daughter (now 4, we started when she was 1). As we read the stories, we dated the corner of the page. Now we are reading it to our younger daughter (now 2). She askes for Bible each night as part of our bedtime routine and loves to "read" it throughout the day. My four year old now reads this Bible independently and I love to listen to my oldest read the stories to my youngest. I have given several of these to friends with young children.

My entire congregation loves this beautiful book. It's now a tradition that our ladies' group gifts one of these to every baby baptized at our church: we used to give bibles which an infant would have no immediate use for. It's beautiful illustrations grab even the smallest child's attention and it's stories are captivating -- mothers even tell me they've read each so often that they have it memorized and their child is big enough to turn the pages while Mom recites the words while driving or making dinner!