Poems Aloud

January 20, 2020
In this spunky anthology, Coelho encourages a theatrical approach to poetry: “Poetry and performance have always gone hand in hand,” he offers in an introduction about its early days, when it was set to the tune of a lyre (ergo, “lyrics”). Featured poems follow different styles (tongue twisters, action poems), communicate clever reading tricks (crescendo, reading in a group), and come with difficulty levels and recommendations—homophone-based “The Chilly Chili” instructs readers to emphasize bolded terms when reading. Vibrant mixed-media drawings by Gray-Barnett suggest loosely drawn poster art; expressive free lines and bright colors enliven each spread (a bear gazing out on a pink landscape attends “This Bear,” footprints decorate a page of riddles). The poems themselves range from zippy and amusing to thoughtful and leisurely (“This lumbering bear is old”) in this engaging approach to connecting young readers with poetry, which will be of particular use in the classroom. Ages 5–10.