Recommendations from Charles Ghigna Children’s Author & Poet

Charles Ghigna, also known as Father Goose, has written more than 100 books and more than 5,000 poems from his “tree house” in his Homewood house. His poetry has been published in the The New Yorker, The Village Voice and The New York Times, as well as in Highlights and Cricket. He’s also taught creative writing at colleges and high schools and speaks and reads poetry throughout the world. Here he shares his new favorite picture books for kids, parents, teachers, librarians—everyone!

National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry

Edited by J. Patrick Lewis

Poems by Robert Frost to Billy Collins accompany stunning nature photos by National Geographic photographers. Open the book and experience the beauty and power of nature—and poetry.

 

World Make Way: New Poems Inspired by Art

Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins

This volume features 18 contemporary poets who wrote poems inspired by works of art from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including paintings by Mary Cassatt and Winslow Homer.

Read! Read! Read!

Written by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke 

I love picture books of poems, especially picture books of poems about reading! The 23 in the book celebrate how reading opens minds and allows you to explore the whole world, accompanied by artwork that captures the imagination and playfulness of their words.

The Knowing Book

Written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Who can resist a book that begins, “Open a door … Follow a trail … And before you forget, look up …”? Experience the wonder of the world with a young rabbit whose path takes him on a journey of a lifetime.

Flashlight Night

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine and Illustrated by Fred Koehler

There’s so much to love about this book. It’s an enchanting story with shadowy illustrations about three kids and a flashlight on a nighttime backyard adventure. Its heroes encounter spooky woods, a fearsome tiger, a time-forgotten tomb, an Egyptian god, a sword-fighting pirate and a giant squid all beyond their tree house.