(Ten of) My Favorite Poems (and an Excerpt from Each)

It's National Poetry Month here in the US, and do we ever need a month of poetry! I am sharing a few of my favorite poems today.

I keep a commonplace book. It's nothing fancy. Here I record my favorite poems and quotes and inspiration and it's where I draw little pictures and more. All the photos here are from my commonplace book. 

10.  "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" by Wallace Stevens

"Among twenty snowy mountains,   

The only moving thing

Was the eye of the blackbird.... " 

9. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost

“Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village, though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow...." 

 

8. "Let Evening Come" by Jane Kenyon

"...Let the cricket take up chafing

as a woman takes up her needles 

and her yarn. Let evening come...."

 

7. "Yes Yes Yes" by Kaylin Haught

“I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic

and she said yes

I asked her if it was okay to be short

and she said it sure is..."

 

6. "The Visible and the In---" by Marge Piercy

"Some people move through your life

like the perfume of peonies, heavy

and sensual and lingering...."

 

5. "[ancient pond]" by Basho

"ancient pond

frog jumps in

sound of the water"

4. "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams

"so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow..."

3. "Sunlight on the Garden" by Louis MacNeice

"The sunlight on the garden

Hardens and grows cold,

We cannot cage the minute

Within its nets of gold,

When all is told

We cannot beg for pardon...."

 

 

2. "Thanks" by W. S. Merwin

"Listen

with the night falling we are saying thank you

we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings

we are running out of glass rooms

with our mouths full of food to look at the sky

and say thank you

we are standing by the water thanking it

standing by the windows looking out

in our directions..."

 

1. "The Orange" by Wendy Cope

"At lunchtime I bought a huge orange

The size of it made us all laugh.

I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave—

They got quarters and I had a half...."

For more of my favorite poems, take a look at my collection of favorites Oh-So-Splendid Poems. 

Do you have a favorite poem? Would any of mine be on your list? Please share some of your favorites in the comments.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.   

My Favorite Reads of 2022

I have a category for everyone, I think.

But when you regularly read over 400 books a year, you find you must divide up your favorites into categories...

BEST NONFICTION READS OF THE YEAR    

Absurd Words: A Kids' Fun and Hilarious Vocabulary Builder for Future Word Nerds by Tara Lazar (Words)

Adrift: America in 100 Charts by Scott Galloway (Social Issues)

Another Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day by Clemency Burton-Hill (Music)

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Nature)

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith (Social Issues)

How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community by Judith Valente (Happiness)

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong (Science)

Last Witnesses: An Oral History of the Children of World War II by Svetlana Alexievich (History)

Solito by Javier Zamora (Memoir)

What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe (Science)

BEST NEW(ISH) FICTION READS OF THE YEAR

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

Joan is Okay by Week Wang

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Grams

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny

I Must Betray You by Ruth Sepetys

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

BEST CLASSIC READS OF THE YEAR

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis

The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir

The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio

The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Samuel Pepys

BEST FOODIE READS OF THE YEAR

    

Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide by Cecily Wong

Life is What You Bake It by Vallery Lomas

One More Croissant for the Road by Felicity Cloake

BEST NATURE READS OF THE YEAR

The Wild Remedy: How Nature Mends Us---A Diary by Emma Mitchell

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal

BEST HAPPINESS READS OF THE YEAR

How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community by Judith Valente

The Dance of Connection: How to Talk to Someone When You're Mad, Hurt, Scared, Frustrated, Insulted, Betrayed, or Desperate by Harriet Lerner

The Joy Plan: How I Took 30 Days to Stop Worrying, Quit Complaining, and Find Ridiculous Happiness by Kaia Roman

Play Your Way Sane: 100 Improv-Inspired Exercises to Help Calm Down, Stop Spiraling, and Embrace Uncertainty by Clay Drinks

BEST BOOKS-ABOUT-BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Around the World in 80 Books by David Demrosch 

Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink

Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times by Azar Nafisi

Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by James Harper

BEST TRAVEL READS OF THE YEAR

Dear Paris: The Paris Letters Collection by Janice MacLeod 

Life on the Mississippi: An Epic American Adventure by Rinker Buck

My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir

One More Croissant for the Road by Felicity Cloake

BEST FANTASY/SCIFI READS OF THE YEAR

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

MY FAVORITE KID/YA BOOKS OF THE YEAR

(Omitting All Cybils Fiction Picture Book/Board Book Nominees)

Rick the Rock of Room 214 by Julie Falatko 

Things to Look Forward To: 52 Large and Small Joys for Today and Every Day by Sophie Blackwell

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett

And We Rise by Erica Martin

The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson

A Dragon Used to Live Here by Annette LeBlanc Cate

The Robber Hotzenplotz by Otfried Pruebler

Hardcourt: Stories from 75 Years of the National Basketball Association by Fred Bowen

Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.    

I Am Happy to Announce the 2022 Cybils Awards Picture Book and Board Book Finalists!

After three months of searching for and reading and reviewing and discussing 280 Cybils Awards Picture Book and Board Book nominees, the five of us serving as first round judges---

Lynne Marie Pisano, My Word Playground

Nicole Levesque, Bluestocking Thinking

Sam Richardson, Little Cub Literacy

Maggi Rohde, Goodreads: Maggi Rohde

Deb Nance, Readerbuzz---

have agreed upon the 2022 Cybils Awards Picture Book and Board Book Finalists...

BOARD BOOKS

Odd Birds: Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock

Written by Laura Gehl

Illustrated by Gareth Lucas

Published by Harry N. Abrams

This engaging and educational board book introduces a fantastically unique selection of birds as well as their unique quirks.

These fun illustrations and accompanying facts and expansive backmatter make this a board book that will appeal to both toddlers and young readers/listeners, and even might inspire a chuckle or two.

A wonderful way to introduce children to the wild and wonderful world of birds, with food for thought -- who is the odd one?

                                                                                ---by Lynne Marie Pisano, My Word Playground

Be My Neighbor?

Written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman

Published by Chronicle Books

Bright colors and whimsical art will entice readers inside this story shaped like a house. Follow the cat family as they go door-to-door in search of some cookie ingredients. Inside each new home young readers will delight in opening ovens, cupboards, and drawers, to see what each family keeps inside. How fun it is to explore each unique home! And through it all, neighborly warmth radiates outward!

                                                                                ---by Nicole Levesque, Bluestocking Thinking

Animals Move (Big, Little Concepts, 3)

Written and illustrated by Jane Whittingham

Published by Pajama Press

Captivating photographs portrayed side-by-side compare animal movements to that of a child, encouraging readers to get up and move! Readers learn the proper names for baby animals and their adult counterparts. With simple sentences and such an engaging premise, this is a phenomenal introduction to nonfiction texts for the youngest audiences. 

                                                                                ---by Sam Richardson, Little Cub Literacy

Hello, World! Garden Time

Written and illustrated by Jill McDonald

Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Hello, World! Garden Time is a wonderful first look at gardening---how seeds are planted and how they grow, the parts of plants, interactions of plants with earthworms and pollinators...everything a little person might like to know about growing plants.

It's a happy way to introduce the joy of gardening, the joy of the outdoors, with young children.

                                                                                ---by Deb Nance, Readerbuzz

10 Little Tractors (10 Little Vehicles)

Written by Annie Bailey

Illustrated by Jeff Harter

Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Ten little tractors have a busy day working, and when the day comes to an end, they all gather together to go to sleep. 

This is a board book that does everything we ask for in a board book: It’s about little things that are, nevertheless, very strong…it's a counting book…it’s a bedtime read-aloud—10 Little Tractors is perfect for all the small folks who love things that move.

                                                                                ---by Deb Nance, Readerbuzz

The Hair Book

Written by LaTonya Yvette

Illustrated by Amanda Jane Jones

Published by Union Square Kids

Bold, fun illustrations showcase hair of all types: short, long, curly, straight, nonexistent and more! The hairstyles represented are inclusive and accurate. Little readers will enjoy identifying their own hair and that of friends and family as they flip through each page and examine their reflection on the mirror page. With highly contrasted imagery, this read grows with children from birth! 

                                                                                ---by Sam Richardson, Little Cub Literacy

Look Twice: An Interactive Board Book Full of Surprises!

Written and illustrated by Giuliano Ferry

Published by mineditionsUS

From beehives to pigs, from flowers to lions, the illustrations in this simple board book provide plenty of opportunities for discoveries. In addition, dicuts on every page transform the familiar animals and landscapes in unexpected ways. Young learners will be engaged in finding the differences, bolstered by the straightforward text. This is a simple book for older toddlers who are learning to comprehend description in text. 

                                                                                    ---by Maggi Rohde, Goodreads: Maggi Rohde

FICTION PICTURE BOOKS

Out of a Jar

Written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero

Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons for Young Readers

Llewellyn doesn't like to feel sad or angry or embarrassed or lonely, and he comes up with a plan to deal with his feelings: he hides his feelings in a jar and puts them away so he won't be bothered with them.

It isn't long before he finds that he needs to hide not only the bad feelings, but also he has to hide feelings of excitement and joy, too.

And then he has no more room for jars...

A lovely little story that offers help in sorting out feelings for kids…and, maybe, for grownups, too. And who among us couldn't use a little more of that these days?

                                                                            ---by Deb Nance, Readerbuzz

How to Party Like a Snail

Written by Naseem Hrab

Illustrated by Kelly Collier

Published by Owlkids

Snail loves parties, especially the quiet parts. Making wishes, confetti, the moments before people yell SURPRISE!

But when sweet snail stops getting invited to parties he reflects that maybe his friends see him as more of a party pooper than a party animal.

So, snail throws himself a pity party for one. He includes all his favorite quiet things: warm milk, lullabies, and being wrapped in a blanket burrito. The story doesn’t end there though! You’ll never guess what happens next.

                                                                                ---by Nicole Levesque, Bluestocking Thinking

Nigel and the Moon

Written by Antwan Eady

Illustrated by Gracey Zhang

Published by Katherine Tegan Books

Nigel is a dreamer, and he tells his dreams to the moon. During the day, however, at school while learning about careers, he is asked to speak his dreams aloud, and Nigel isn't ready. What if his wish to be a superhero isn't possible? In this gentle story of hopes and aspirations, dreams and reality blend to prove the adage that all things are possible if we wish them to be so. 

                                                                                    ---by Maggi Rohde, Goodreads: Maggi Rohde

Finding Fire

Written and illustrated by Logan S. Kline

Published by Candlewick Press

After a foundation in the needs of a neanderthal family is laid, a young boy leads the reader on a journey to find fire through stunning, colorful and captivating illustrations. It's a journey of trials and tribulations, improvisations, failures and successes and unexpected surprises without even a word being said.

A fabulous book of persistence with a subtle message that if the need of someone else pulls you off your path, the blessings will find their way to you despite your altered course.

                                                                                ---by Lynne Marie Pisano, My Word Playground

Farmhouse

Written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

A family of twelve children once grew up inside these farmhouse walls, but now it’s nothing more than peeling wallpaper and faded fabric scraps. Gorgeous, detailed illustrations and text written in verse give readers a glimpse inside the farmhouse walls, imagining what memories could have been made in the time the family lived there. Based on the author’s true experience of finding an abandoned farmhouse on her property, this read is full of nostalgia and love. 

                                                                                ---by Sam Richardson, Little Cub Literacy

Knight Owl

Written and illustrated by Christopher Denise

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Owl desperately wants to be a knight, but he's not sure he is up for the job. But then knights start disappearing and, he dares to apply. Off he goes to knight school, and, happily, he successfully becomes a knight and is assigned to be on Knight Night Watch. And it is here he faces his biggest challenge of all.

Such a gentle story, and yet such a powerful story, of courage and cleverness and overcoming obstacles, all told in a way that allows children to figure things out for themselves. You can't help but love Knight Owl.

                                                                               ---by Deb Nance, Readerbuzz

Apple and Magnolia

Written by Laura Gehl

Illustrated by Patricia Metola

Published by Flyaway Books

Despite others telling her that trees cannot be friends, Britta imagines a friendship between an apple tree and a magnolia tree. And when Magnola becomes ill, despite others giving a grim prognosis, she comes up with a plan to keep them connected over the long, cold winter. And although no one, except Grandma, believes trees can be friends, Britta learns the power of friendship in a most special way.

This book is lyrical, humorous, doubtful and hopeful all at the same time, with a wonderful nod toward hope and a foundation in friendship. 

                                                                                ---by Lynne Marie Pisano, My Word Playground

Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators and publishers who created these wonderful books!