Poetry is surely a many splendored thing in this richly conceived compendium of poets and ideas. Using the handsome format of A Family of Poems (Hyperion, 2005), Kennedy and Muth gather and depict a broader, more complex array of poems, inviting the enjoyment of varied readers and audiences. Kennedy's introductory comments on the value of memorizing poetry note the growing popularity of poetry recitation in festivals, slams, and other competitive events. A major emphasis throughout the book, in introductions to the topical sections and the wide-ranging choice of poems, is the deep pleasure poetry provides its readers, reciters, and writers. ( )

I could have sat with the book for hours. The paintings by Jon J Muth are exquisite. I had a hard time choosing which poems to read because I could not base it only on the illustrations. The collection is broken down into themes about: the self, family, friendship & love, fairies and ogres, nonsensical, school, sports & games, war, and nature. I appreciated having these categories because you can then pick and choose what you want to read. ( )

This book consists of different short poems. In my opinion, it was written for children. Most of the poems are silly children's poems. Others are poems we have learned about in school, such as the Gettysburg Address. I recommend this book for an elementary classroom during a time in which the students are beginning to learn what a poem consists of. ( )

A wide variety of kid-friendly poems from 100s of years ago to now, from Shakespeare to Langston Hughes. They are accompanied by gorgeous watercolor illustrations. ( )

Caroline Kennedy has chosen more than a hundred poems that speak to all of us: the young and young at heart, readers new to poetry and devoted fans. These poems explore deep emotions, as well as ordinary experiences. They cover the range of human experience and imagination. Divided into sections about nature, sports, monsters and fairies, friendship and family, this book is full of surprises.