Have you ever dreamed of having a pet? Maybe a fluffy puppy, a colorful parrot, or even a sneaky little monkey? Well, guess what? Today, we’re going to bring those dreams to life… sort of! We’re not just talking about any pets; we’re diving into the world of imaginary animal friends through our very own Poetic Puppet Show! What’s a Poetic Puppet Show? A Poetic Puppet Show is where we mix the magic of poetry with the fun of puppetry. We’ll use poems about different sorts of pets and animals to inspire us to create our own puppet pals. It’s like becoming the director of a mini-theater, where yo ..read more

It’s a momentous week here at Poetry4kids.com, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share some wonderful news with you directly from my desk. Just in time for National Poetry Month, my latest book, A Festival for Frogs, is making its way into the world today in hardcover, paperback, and ebook. I’ve poured my heart, soul, and a good dose of humor into this collection, and I can’t wait for you to read it! From My Pen to Your Funny Bone For those of you who’ve been following my “Funny Poems for Kids” book series, beginning with The Armpit of Doom and The Biggest Burp Ever and continuing through to ..read more

Today, we’re embarking on a journey into the world of “alphabet poems.” If you’ve enjoyed creating acrostic poems, where the first letters of each line spell out a word or phrase, you’re going to love alphabet poems! In alphabet poems, each line starts with a different letter of the alphabet, following the order from A to Z. It’s like weaving a magical tapestry with words, where every letter is a new stroke of your imagination. Imagine combining the fun of acrostics with the thrill of exploring the entire alphabet! So, let’s get our pencils ready and explore every letter in a new and exciting ..read more

I’m thrilled to announce my newest book, A Festival for Frogs—a collection of 70 funny poems that will whisk you away on a whimsical journey filled with laughter, surprises, and the pure joy of words. Following of my previous hilarious collections, including The Armpit of Doom, My Cat Knows Karate, and The Biggest Burp Ever, this new installment continues the tradition of tickling funny bones and sparking imaginations. A Festival for Frogs is not just a book; it’s an invitation to revel in the playful, the peculiar, and the profoundly funny aspects of our world. What’s Hopping Inside? Pr ..read more

What is a Kenning? Imagine you are a secret agent, and instead of saying the name of something directly, you say it in a secret code; you describe it in a clever new way. That’s what a “kenning” does! A kenning is like a little riddle made of two words that describe something without using its name. For example, instead of “ocean,” you might say “whale-road.” Instead of “boat” you might say “wave-traveler.”  Sounds fun, right? Origins of Kenning Poems Kenning poems come from long ago, used by the Vikings and people in Northern Europe. Yes, even Vikings wrote poetry! These poems didn’t j ..read more

What Is Lyric Poetry? You’ve probably heard the word “lyric” before, meaning the words of a song. Today we’re going to be talking about another meaning of the same word. We’re going to talk about lyric poetry. Because “lyric poetry” and “song lyrics” sound similar, it’s easy to mix them up, but they’re really two different things. Lyrics in a song are just the words that go with the music, whether they describe the singer’s feelings or not. But a “lyric poem” is a special kind of poetry where you express your feelings and thoughts, no music needed. While some kinds of poems tell stories, or de ..read more

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Dr. Sam Bommarito for his literacy blog and podcast about my work and website. It was super-fun chatting with him about poetry and even sharing a few poems. You can read his blog post here or watch the interview below ..read more

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at a type of poem with a unique pattern? Let’s dive into the magical world of the triolet (pronounced “tree-oh-lay”). The triolet is a short and fun poem that comes with its very own set of rules. Let’s explore how to write one! What is a Triolet? A triolet is an 8-line poem that has a specific rhyme scheme and repeats some of its lines. It is a cool type of poem was invented in France a long, long time ago (way back in the 13th century!). Its name sort of sounds like “triple,” which makes sense because the poem repeats its first line three times. People ..read more

Throughout the school year, I visit many, many schools around the world virtually through Zoom, Meet, Teams, Skype, etc. In other words, I can visit your class or your school online whenever it’s convenient for you, for a fee. However, if your class or school would like to visit with me, but you don’t have a budget for virtual field trips, I also provide webinars in conjunction with Streamable Learning, the leading provider of interactive livestreams in the K-12 market in the US and Canada. Through quality educational content and an easy-to-use platform, Streamable Learning aims to in introdu ..read more

Meet X.J. Kennedy, a poet who is just as playful as he is wise! Born on August 21, 1929, as Joseph Charles Kennedy, he chose the pen name “X.J. Kennedy” to make his name stand out just like his poems do. And that’s not all; Kennedy is known not only for his delightful and thoughtful poetry for kids and adults but also as a teacher, translator, and writer of textbooks about poetry. Childhood and Early Years Growing up in Dover, New Jersey, Kennedy always had a love for words. As a child, he liked to read books and had a way of painting vivid, colorful scenes with words. This love for language ..read more