Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young

by Jack Prelutsky (Selected by), Marc Brown (Illustrator)

Overview

This long beloved poetry treasury from acclaimed anthologist Jack Prelutsky is now available in paperback for the very first time!
 
America's favorite children's poet and anthologist, Jack Prelutsky has selected more than 200 poems for every occasion, every event, every experience that a young child encounters, from waking up in the morning to going to bed at night, all written by popular and well-known twentieth century poets. Each poem is artfully brought to life in the bright, playful illustrations of award-winning artist Marc Brown.

From cover to cover, this fantastic anthology is filled with timeless fun that will open young minds to the magic and meaning of words and enchant both parents and children for generations to come.
 
"A spirited collection, covering the day from dawn to dusk. Exuberantly illustrated." —The New York Times Book Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399553578
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	03/01/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	66,142
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jack Prelutsky was born in Brooklyn, New York.  He attended New York City Public Schools and studied voice at the High School of Music and Art.  He enrolled in Hunter College in Manhattan but left soon after "to become a beatnik".  Jack has been a cab driver, a busboy, a photographer, a furniture mover, a potter, and a folk singer. He enjoys bicycling, playing racquetball, woodworking and cooking.  He lives in Washington State with his wife Carolynn and a vast collection of poetry books and frogs in every shape, size, and form -- except living!  There was a time when Jack couldn't stand poetry.  In grade school he had a teacher who left him with the impression that poetry was the literary equivalent of liver.  He rediscovered poetry in his twenties, and he decided that he would write about things that kids really cared about, and that he would strive to make poetry delightful. He has been writing poetry for more than twenty years and has published more than three dozen books for children.  

Reading Group Guide

Dear Parents,

A long time ago, when I was a little boy, years before I went to school, my mother read to me. I loved listening to fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Hansel and Gretel, I loved books like The Little Engine that Could, but most of all, I loved poems. There was something special about rhyme and meter that sunk in and became part of me. I have no doubt that my lifelong love of literature grew out of those early precious moments with my mother.

Still, my mother only knew a few poems by heart and, except for a Mother Goose collection and Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses, we had no books that contained more than one or two poems. Also, we didn’t have a car, and the library was a very long walk away, so we were seldom able to go there. I sometimes wished that my family owned a giant book of poems written especially for me.

That’s what I tried to do by creating Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young–put together an anthology of delightful poems for children from ages six months or so, to six years or so. Although it includes many old favorites, I also combed through hundreds and hundreds of books to find lesser known, delightful little gems. The poems are on themes that very young children can relate to, such as nature, bedtime, animals, weather, food, the world of make-believe, and of course, children’s own thoughts and feelings. Many of the poems mimic the experiences children have as they discover the world around them.

The tips that follow are designed to help you share these poems with even the youngest child. These are the early building blocks to a lifetime of reading and special memories that your child will remember forever!

Sincerely,

Jack Prelutsky

1. The first few years of a child’s life are extremely important to their emotional and intellectual growth. Reading to your child during these vital years is an essential tool to provide a nurturing and language-enriched environment. In Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, I have selected short poems with wonderful sounds to keep even the youngest child entertained while acknowledging their short attention spans.

2. Make reading a daily practice–a special time for both of you to look forward to. It could be during the afternoon to provide quiet quality time, or perhaps right before bedtime to calm the child after an active day. Find a special place in your home to sit together while you read–snuggling together while listening to a parent read makes the child feel safe, loved, and happy.

3. Read through the whole book to become familiar with the poems before choosing which ones to read to your child. This will help you pick the perfect poem that relates to the day, the weather, or an upcoming event–for example, read a poem about animals before visiting the zoo.

4. Choose rhythmic poems and vary your tone to keep the attention of very young children. While they may not understand the words yet, they will respond to the sounds. As your child gets older, begin to encourage your child to repeat the words you read to them. Point out the pictures that relate to what you are reading. If they start enjoying a particular poem you may look into other books by that poet.

Editorial Reviews

All truly easy to read aloud.”—The Horn Book Magazine

“Bound to develop an appreciation for poetry at a very young age.”—School Library Journal

“Parents will discover it is as much fun to read as it is for the little ones to hear.”—Chicago Tribune

“Marc Brown’s pictures of children and animals, each lovingly depicted, convey the universal childhood exuberance found in each rhyme.”—Boston Sunday Globe

A Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

From the Publisher