Poetry picks for all primary ages
Perfect to mark National Poetry Day and a great addition to children’s reading diet all your-round, take a look at our poetry picks for all primary ages.
A Ticket to Kalamazoo! Zippy Poems to Read Out Loud by James Carter (Otter-Barry Books, 2023)
Suitable for EYFS
A fantastic, full-colour, read-aloud poetry book for young children. This is a delightful, beautifully designed collection that will engage young children with the wonderful world of poetry. Each poem will make children smile; they’ll all want to join in with the repeated refrains. A great book to dip in and out of throughout the day!
Blow a Kiss, Catch a Kiss by Joseph Coelho (Andersen Press, 2022)
Suitable for EYFS
This fun and heart-warming collection of interactive poems is perfect to share with your class to help them manage everyday feelings and experiences. Children will want to hear them repeatedly and will quickly be able to recite them by heart!
Watch Them Grow! by James Carter (Graffeg, 2024)
Suitable for EYFS
This fun, rhyming non-fiction text for younger readers explores some of nature’s unique life cycles including frogs, starlings, moths, turtles and more. A great way to teach fun facts using rhyme and rhythm, alongside some lovely illustrations.
Take Off Your Brave by Nadim (age 4) (Walker Books, 2021)
Suitable for EYFS
The poems in this book, written from a four-year-old’s perspective, are an invitation for younger pupils to fall in love with poetry. These beautifully illustrated poems will resonate with many children just starting school who are ‘putting on their brave’.
Ready for Spaghetti by Michael Rosen (Walker Books, 2022)
Suitable for EYFS
A wonderful collaboration with illustrator Polly Dunbar, this book looks at a day through the eyes of a toddler, using playful and funny rhyme. This irresistible collection of 30 poems to read aloud is brimming with rhythm and energy to be enjoyed by both children and adults.
Courage in a Poem by a collection of authors (Caterpillar Books, 2022)
Suitable for KS1
This poetry anthology, written by a variety of contemporary poets, will empower young children to take joy in their identities. Poems include celebrations of heritage, body positivity and unique perspectives on the world around us – perfect for reading aloud. With full-colour illustrations, children will want to return to this collection over and over again.
A Year of Nature Poems by Joseph Coelho (Wide Eyed Editions, 2020)
Suitable for KS1
Written by former children’s laureate, Joseph Coelho, this collection of 12 poems, one for each month of the year, explores the cycle of trees, plants and animal behaviour. Capturing a range of emotions and referred to as ‘heart-flutteringly lovely’ by the Book Trust, this is one to foster a love for nature and the natural world.
Forwards Always: Poems to be read aloud by Matthew Hodson (Cicada, 2023)
Suitable for KS1
Highly recommended to read aloud to your class again and again, this book is crammed with brightly illustrated nonsense poems and wordplay. Described as ‘a delightful and idiosyncratic collection’ by the School Library Journal, the poems cover both the silly and serious in a playful way that will make your class laugh out loud.
Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! by a collection of authors (Nosy Crow, 2020)
Suitable for KS1
This is a great book to start off the school year – there is a poem for every day (plus a few extras!). This read-aloud anthology includes beautiful illustrations, a few familiar poems and a range of contemporary literature. If your class loves animals, then these poems and illustrations will ignite their imaginations!
Miracles by Connor Allen (Otter-Barry Books, 2023)
Suitable for lower KS2
Former children’s laureate for Wales, Connor Allen, has chosen a collection of poems for young people. Themes include finding joy, individuality and endless possibilities! If you are looking to empower and inspire the pupils in your classroom through poetry, this is a fantastic place to start.
On Poetry Street by Brian Moses (Scallywag Press, 2024)
Suitable for lower KS2
A collection of 52 entertaining poems – one for every week of the year! The poems are a mixture of rhythm and rhyme, wordplay and poetry prompts to get children’s creative juices flowing! The illustrations perfectly match the tone and wit of the poems and bring to life humorous pets, children, dragons and rock stars, among other delightful characters.
Red Sky at Night, Poet’s Delight by Alex Wharton (Firefly Press 2024)
Suitable for lower KS2
This third collection of poems by the Children’s Laureate Wales, Alex Wharton, will delight both children and adults. About the human and natural world, these poems are thoughtful and funny. Vivid bouncy rhythms and playfulness will develop children’s love of language and self-expression.
Being Me: Poems about Thoughts, Worries and Feelings by Liz Brownlee, Matt Goodfellow and Laura Mucha (Otter-Barry Books, 2021)
Suitable for lower KS2
A great book to introduce to your class at the beginning of the year and to revisit regularly as different worries and feelings arise. Each poem deals with a different emotion or common school situation in a deceptively simple way, creating a bank of highly accessible and hugely reassuring poems.
Let’s Chase Stars Together, Poems to Lose Yourself in by Matt Goodfellow (Bloomsbury, 2023)
Suitable for upper KS2
This collection of poems is perfect for older pupils with its themes of loss, school, growing up, fitting in and friendships. It is a fantastic example of how powerful poetry can be in relating to experiences and expressing emotions. Visit the CLPE website for free videos of Matt Goodfellow reading a selection of these poems aloud, which will inspire your class and foster their love for poetry.
Overheard in a Tower Block by Joseph Coelho (Otter-Barry Books, 2017)
Suitable for upper KS2
Another powerful and atmospheric collection of poems by Joseph Coelho that offers a moving poetic narrative on growing up in a city tower block. Featuring a disappearing father, Mermaid-Queen mother and overheard arguments and laughter, this book is ideal for older children.
Spin! 10 Exciting New Voices in Poetry by Joseph Coelho (Otter-Barry Books, 2024)
Suitable for upper KS2
Former children’s laureate, Joseph Coelho, has chosen ten debut poets, from under-represented backgrounds, to write these poems for children. There are 50 poems on topics such as identity, friendships and personal struggles. This is an unmissable collection to be read aloud and shared.
And I Climbed and I Climbed by Stephen Lightbown (Troika Books, 2023)
Suitable for upper KS2
Cosmo is a young boy whose life has been changed forever after falling out of the tree he loved to climb. Now, Cosmo uses a wheelchair and wants to have a conversation with the tree. Drawn from his own personal experience as a wheelchair user, Stephen Lightbown has created this stunning debut collection of poems using Cosmo’s voice. It will take the reader on a journey of challenges, questions and triumphs. A deserving debut on the CLiPPA 2024 shortlist!
