In honor of National Poetry Month, and to celebrate Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day, we’ve been inviting children to do just that—pause, pick up a poem, and read for the sheer joy of it! DEAR Day is a wonderful reminder that reading can happen anywhere, anytime. And during this special month, we’ve been turning our spontaneous reading moments into celebrations of poetry.
Children are naturally drawn to poetry, a magical form of language full of rhythm, rhyme, and playful surprises. When they hear poems read aloud—or chime in to finish a much-loved line—they’re tuning their ears to the music of language, developing a feel for meter, wordplay, and rich vocabulary that will stay with them for years to come.
One collection bringing joy and laughter to our classrooms this month is A Whale of a Time: Funny Poems for Each Day of the Year, selected by Lou Peacock. This award-winning anthology bursts with 366 poems (one for every day—even in leap years!) on every imaginable topic, from socks and sneezes to elephants and emotions. Cheerfully illustrated and perfect for reading aloud, it’s been a hit with our students. They’ve giggled over Jack Prelutsky’s whimsical lines—“It’s raining pigs and noodles, / it’s pouring frogs and hats”—and delighted in the silly chaos of Alfred Noyes’ “Daddy Fell into the Pond,” made even more delightful by its spot-on illustrations. We highly recommend adding this joyful collection to your own bedtime reading at home!
Another favorite this month has been the work of poet and illustrator Douglas Florian. Known for blending playful poetry with energetic, childlike artwork, Florian’s books are full of puns, personality, and poetic invention. His topics range from dinosaurs and pets to bees, trees, and the sea. Though grounded in scientific facts, his poems sparkle with spontaneity and a distinctive voice that children instantly connect with.
“In poetry,” Florian says, “you can pull or push words, s t r e t c h words, shape words, invert words, invent words, use bad grammar, bad spellllling—anything that makes the poem better. That’s poetic license—and I get mine renewed every Thursday.”
His newest picture book, Windsongs: Poems About Weather, takes readers on a breezy tour of the skies. With clever rhymes and airy illustrations, Florian brings the atmosphere to life—clouds, rain, frost, fog, and more. One poetic cloud declares: “I rain cascades / on your parades. / …To nip your nap / I thunderclap.” Meanwhile, the fog, “just a cloud that’s lost,” “drifted down, / close to the ground, / then napped beside a hill. / And gave the day / ten shades of gray, / each un-fog-gettable.” His playful use of shape poetry— spirals for “Hurricane,” a funnel for “Tornado”—adds even more fun, while a startled weatherman gets pelted by hailstones in one memorable illustration.
Whether you’re new to Douglas Florian or already a fan, any of his books would be a delightful addition to your family’s bookshelf. As Florian says: “I hope to impart my love of poetry and painting to the many children I see. It’s most rewarding to hear kids laugh at my poems. I also love the questions, like ‘Have you ever had a real job?’ My answer: ‘No, this is too much fun.’”
And in the spirit of fun, we leave you with one last poem to brighten your day:
“The Laughter Forecast” by Sue Cowling
Today will be humorous
With some giggly patches,
Scattered outbreaks of chuckling in the south
And smiles spreading from the east later,
Widespread chortling
Increasing to gale-force guffaws towards evening.
The outlook for tomorrow
Is hysterical.
So whether it’s five minutes at bedtime or a spontaneous DEAR Day moment in the middle of the afternoon, we encourage you to drop everything, grab a poem, and read together. It’s one of the simplest—and most joyful—ways to celebrate language, connection, and the power of imagination.
Maureen