Best teens & young adults poetry books according to redditors

Congratulations!

My kids are now adults, and I teach young children. Over the years, these are the books for very young children that I have found to have the most staying power.

Infant/Toddler/Early childhood books: (you can read these to a child under 1 year, he or she will appreciate the rhythmic sounds, and both words and pictures acquire meaning as time goes on.)

Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown (simply the best parental bonding books)

What Do People Do All Day by Richard Scarry

PeekABoo, The Jolly Postman and Each Pear Each Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
All three books have engaging text and illustrations that both child and adult can appreciate.

Little Blue and Little Yellow This book, in my opinion, is a work of art on several levels. Kids never get tired of its reassurance.

No, David by David Shannon (but IMO the other David books are not nearly as good)

Caps for Sale Another book with repetitive rhythms for children, with an amusing story

Blueberries for Sal A classic that has stood the test of time, I still read this to the class every fall.

The Lion and the Mouse This is Aesop's fable, told with no words, only Jerry Pinkney's amazing illustrations. Two, three and four year olds ask for this story over and over again.

Other favorites:

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney

Ferdinand the Bull

The Cat in the Hat

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Authors to consider: Jan Brett, Shel Silverstein, Judith Viorst, E. B.White, Frank Asch, Roald Dahl.

Robert Munsch gets mixed reviews but to me, The Paperbag Princess is a must.

You might look into an anthology for this age range. Something like this.

Alternatively, a project aimed at this age range. Something like this. (My personal favorite is #8!)

You might want to check out some of the poems in Tupac's The Rose That Grew From Concrete. I also pulled some poems from the book Paint me Like I am.

Could it have been this one? It's Oxford and has Custard the Dragon, but doesn't seem to be blue or have the Kit Wright one :/

It might be Split Image: A Novel in Poems, by Mel Glenn.

>School Library Journal:
Gr 8 Up-This novel is about stereotypes, misconceptions, and public vs. private personas. The central figure is Laura Li, an immigrant from China whose life revolves around Tower High School and her family responsibilities. Her businessman father is never around and, in speaking to her mother, the girl says, "-Mother, I will do anything you ask,/To prove that a second-born/Can take first place in your heart." She wonders where to turn for an identity, a purpose. In another selection, she states, "I think God has an answering machine./He's never home, though,-./In the meantime, I wonder,/Does He ever check His messages?" The poems and dialogue exchanges, many of which take place in the library, provide glimpses of classmates, faculty, and family, and all offer insights into Laura Li's life, as well as the life the others think she leads. The action is easy to follow, and although there are too many characters for any of them to be developed in much depth, their entries help to flesh out the story line. The narrative shifts gears several times, and readers may be caught off guard by the teen's suicide. A powerful look at perceptions and what lies behind them.

Could it be The Brimstone Journals by Ron Kortege or After by Francine Prose?

Happy (early) Birthday!

I've been wanting to read Hit ever since I first heard about it on BookRiot. But I've been trying (and failing) to not buy any new books because NaNoWriMo is just around the corner!

Also, I think this is a great contest idea. My birthday is just around the corner and I may borrow it from you. :D