Favorite Poems Old and New

This amazing poetry collection is so comprehensive and well organized that you may never need another anthology of children's poetry. I have many very good poetry books (101 Great American Poems, F E G stupid Poems for Intelligent Children, being a couple of other recommendations) but this one is without question the most complete, nostalgic, and well organized. I appreciate that they aren't put in alphabetical order, as many others are, since often you can remember the subject better than the title of the piece in question. As we homeschool, I can flip through this MASSIVE collection quickly and find the perfect poem to compliment our current study. Our home is filled with books and this one is out "on display" to encourage browsing by meanderers...with this book around there will never be a dull moment (okay, there aren't many here anyway). I agree with another post that it is DEFINITELY not just for children. If you're buying this for a gift for someone who doesn't live with you....you'd better get two!

This book was gift from my much older sister when I was a small child. I have treasured memories of my mother reading poems aloud and listening with pleasure as I chose and read one back to her. When I had children of my own, I often would have one of them bring out the book for a "quiet time" session and they tell me how much those memories mean to them now that they are grown men. I recently took my old dog-eared copy of this book along on a visit to my 87 year old mother, who was absolutely delighted to hear some of her favorite poems once again. Is this book for children? Yes, but it is just as wonderful for parents! I'm happy to be giving this treasure as a gift this Christmas to a new family, hoping it brings the joy of reading poetry into their lives, too.

My father gave me this book in 1958 and I dearly loved it. I have read it to all my children many many times especially "Little Orphan Annie" It has been well read. and now my daughter wants it to read to her grandson ( my great grandson) I was so happy to find it was still around.As mine is falling apart. Like many others I feel this book should never go out of print. It would be a big loss if it did.

I first used this anthology when I was in grade school. I now have a personal copy and recommend it to students who come into my library for their poetry projects. It has such a wide variety of material and is very useful for the different assignments that the students have. It is also one of the few books that has "High Flight", by John Gillespie Magee,and all the verses to the "Star Spangled Banner". I hope it never goes out of print.

Stumbling upon this book is a tribute to the wonders of modern technology - is seems like a miracle! I have occasionally browsed through poetry collections at bookstores and libraries over the past 20 years, trying to find a particular poem I liked SOOO much in childhood. All I could recall is that it contained something like "... the goblins gonna git you if you don't watch out." I assumed I'd stumble upon it one day - but never had - mainly because I didn't know the author or correct title. With the advent of the internet (and being awed by a 1 minute search procurring a Tunnel of Fudge Cake receipe I'd ALSO been searching for casually for years - since Pillsbury's ill-advised decision to remove it as a boxed cake + frosting mix combo - but appears revised in their new "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-off Cookbook"). Flush with success, I decided to brave exposing my ignorance with an e-mail inquiry in a poetry newsgroup. A kindly soul pointed me to James Whitcomb Riley and a web search got me the correct title -- "Little Orphant Annie." Someone knowledgeable about children's books guided me to my long-lost poem in THIS wonderful book - HER personal favorite children's poetry book (thank HEAVENS it's still printed - it should NEVER go out of print!!). When I got it home, I started by recalling the "scary" poem I loved in my childhood - plus Riley's warm "Raggedy Man" poem. I then proceeded to discover everything from the last few verses of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" (which I'd tried to recall only a few weeks ago - to no avail - alas) to Paul Revere's Ride (which I'd had to memorize in 7th grade - and have also dutifully forgotten). I reluctantly gave up browsing at 1 AM - unaware of time slipping away as everyone else slept soundly. Every few pages there was a familiar poem evoking an "oh my gosh - I'd forgotten all about that one" and those not familiar looked like potentially great new discoveries! Coincidentally, a column in the next morning's newspaper listed current book favorites of 4th graders in Hawaii (Maniac McGee is #1), and the column's author added this particular poetry book as HIS all-time favorite for children (frankly, I think adults will love it too). I bought this book to share MY favorite poems with my 8 and 10-year-old summer visitors and ULTIMATELY my own newly married daughter and future grandchildren. But I think I will have to savor the nostalgia for several more days before I'll be ready to share with the newer generation