Poems for the Very Young 

Selected by: Michael Rosen

Publisher: Kingfisher Books

Copyright date: 1993

Pages: 77

Genre: Poetry

Grade level: 1-4th

Awards: 1993 National Parenting Publications Award

Summary: This book is a varied collection of simple poems written by many different authors. The theme of most of the poems in this book is childhood adventures and everyday experiences that children have. These are fun poems with easy rhymes for young children to read, understand and relate to. The illustrations work well with the poems and help bring them more to life. 

Classroom use: I would use this book when introducing poetry to very young students. It contains sing-song rhyme and the poem lengths include very short and also long. I would have students draw a picture and from that picture write a short simple poem.  

Rating: 

	***	**	*	-	Comments
Plot	Plot is well developed with a sequence of events. The events are in good logical order. There is a clear conflict and resolution.	Plot contains a sequence of events. The events are in order but the conflict is not clear or does not contain a clear resolution.	There are events but they are not in good chronological order. The climax and resolution are lacking or not present.	Not addressed	*There is not really a plot as this book is a collection of poems.
Characters	Characters are well developed with clear roles and contribute to the story. Reader is able to personally connect with the character(s).	Characters have clear roles within the story. Reader is not able to connect with the character(s).	Character(s) are present but do not have clear roles. Reader is not able to connect with character(s).	No characters developed	***The characters in each poem are well portrayed by the poem itself and the illustrations.
Style and Language	Book contains precise vocabulary, figurative language, and or dialogue. When dialogue is used it is effective and not distracting.	Book contains precise vocabulary and/or figurative language. When dialogue is used it is distracting.	Book contains very little precise vocabulary and no figurative language or dialogue.	Book contains no precise vocabulary or figurative language. No dialogue is used.	**These poems contain figurative language and some precise vocabulary.
Theme	There is a clear theme and it is easily identifiable by the story.	There is a theme but it is a little more difficult to identify.	The theme is almost impossible to identify.	There is no theme.	***Each poem has an easily identifiable theme.