Poetry Friday — Children’s Poet Laureates!

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First of all, isn’t it a righteous comfort that there even is such a thing as Children’s Poet Laureate? 
Like maybe there are folks in charge somewhere who’ve got their heads screwed on right?

When we value poetry, as a society, we are saying that we value self-expression, beauty and space.
We are saying we value whimsy and wordplay, wisdom and thoughtfulness, creativity and imagination. 
And when we name a Children’s Poet Laureate, we are saying we value all those things not just for adults, but for children, too.

I don’t know about you, but that makes me feel better already.

So, this morning I’m raising my coffee cup to the outgoing Children’s Poetry Laureate — the world master of rhyme — Mary Ann Hoberman. Here she is reading the delectable All Kinds of Families. Thank you for your service, Ms. Hoberman!

And then, after a good-sized sip, I raise my cup again to the ever-inspiring, prolific, diverse, wise, generous, funny and, okay, downright brilliant, poet that is J. Patrick Lewis — our new Children’s Poet Laureate!

Here’s an announcement of his appointment.

And a lovely interview with him (conducted by our own Sylvia Vardell). 

And another one!

And finally, this lovely poem:

Books Discover Children
by J. Patrick Lewis

Yes, children do discover books,
But books find children on their own,
And then can’t wait to get their hooks
In kids who think they’re all alone.


(Read the whole thing, and a couple of others, here….)

Congratulations, Pat!! 
And lucky us….

24 Responses to “Poetry Friday — Children’s Poet Laureates!”

  1. Anonymous

    Came here through the Poetry Friday links. I didn’t know there was a Children’s Poet Laureate until last month but I was thrilled to discover there was one. And although this may seem weirdly stalkerish I featured your book A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes today on my blog for Poetry Friday. My kids and I both love it.

  2. Anonymous

    So nicely said!

    “When we value poetry, as a society, we are saying that we value self-expression, beauty and space.
    We are saying we value whimsy and wordplay, wisdom and thoughtfulness, creativity and imagination.
    And when we name a Children’s Poet Laureate, we are saying we value all those things not just for adults, but for children, too.”

    LOVE!

  5. Anonymous

    Great post! Here’s to the Children’s Poets Laureate!

    Tabatha