There are so many wonderful diverse picture book poetry collections that it was hard to pick five to feature in this post. We'll do at least one more in celebration of April being National Poetry Month here in the U.S., but for now, here are a few that stood out to us for their inclusion of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity:
Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku
by Paul B. Janeczko and J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
This collection is a great choice for fans of humorous poets like Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku features 23 senryū poems which are each three lines of laughs. Senryū is Japanese poetry form similar to haiku but tends to focus on the human experiences as opposed to nature, and are more humorous rather than their serious. This one is ideal for children who are old enough to appreciate puns as many of the poems require an understanding of word play. Tusa's illustrations are just as funny as the poetry and feature a wonderful array of racial diversity.
Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku
by Paul B. Janeczko and J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
This collection is a great choice for fans of humorous poets like Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku features 23 senryū poems which are each three lines of laughs. Senryū is Japanese poetry form similar to haiku but tends to focus on the human experiences as opposed to nature, and are more humorous rather than their serious. This one is ideal for children who are old enough to appreciate puns as many of the poems require an understanding of word play. Tusa's illustrations are just as funny as the poetry and feature a wonderful array of racial diversity.
