Poetry books for the Poetry Friendly Classroom

Who Let the Words Out

Take a look at some of our favourite children's poetry books - perfect for use in the poetry-friendly classroom.

From Roald Dahl's classic Revolting Rhymes to Elizabeth Acevedo's fantastic novel in verse The Poet X, these books are guaranteed to promote a love of poetry.

  • Cloud Busting

    Author: Malorie Blackman

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Cloud Busting

    Author: Malorie Blackman

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 8+

    Shortlisted for the 2004 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (age 6-8 category), an exploration of an unlikely friendship between tw…

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  • Heartbeat

    Author: Sharon Creech

    Interest level: 8+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Heartbeat

    Author: Sharon Creech

    Interest level: 8+

    Reading age: 8+

    Annie loves drawing, running barefoot, her family, and possibly Max, her running partner. It’s an eventful time for the 12-y…

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  • Who Let the Words Out?

    Author: Joshua Seigal Illustrator: Chris Piascik

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Who Let the Words Out?

    Author: Joshua Seigal Illustrator: Chris Piascik

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 7+

    A funny and engaging poetry collection, perfect for reading aloud and for sharing.

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  • Outside In: Nature Poems

    Author: Daniel Thompson Illustrator: Julia Murray

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Outside In: Nature Poems

    Author: Daniel Thompson Illustrator: Julia Murray

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 7+

    This wonderful collection of 50 poemscelebratesdifferent aspects of the natural world, from animals and plants to seasons and weat…

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  • Revolting Rhymes

    Author: Roald Dahl Illustrator: Quentin Blake

    Interest level: 5+

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Revolting Rhymes

    Author: Roald Dahl Illustrator: Quentin Blake

    Interest level: 5+

    Reading age: 7+

    This is an hilarious collection of some well-loved fairy tales, cleverly reinvented by Roald Dahl.

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  • A Kid in my Class

    Author: Rachel Rooney Illustrator: Chris Riddell

    Interest level: 8-11

    Reading age: 9+

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  • A Kid in my Class

    Author: Rachel Rooney Illustrator: Chris Riddell

    Interest level: 8-11

    Reading age: 9+

    This brilliant and imaginatively illustrated book is the perfect addition to any classroom library; a book of clever poems picking…

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  • Over to You!

    Author: Roger McGough Illustrator: Jennifer Naalchigar

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 6-8

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  • Over to You!

    Author: Roger McGough Illustrator: Jennifer Naalchigar

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 6-8

    A joyous collection of funny, accessible poems that are wonderful to read aloud. Perfect for inspiring children to write their own…

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  • Sensational!

    Author: Various Editor: Roger McGough Illustrator: Sara Fanelli

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Sensational!

    Author: Various Editor: Roger McGough Illustrator: Sara Fanelli

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 8+

    Every poem could inspire a child's writing, reading or thinking, and their teachers' too.

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  • The Hat

    Author: Carol Ann Duffy Illustrator: David Whittle

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 10+

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  • The Hat

    Author: Carol Ann Duffy Illustrator: David Whittle

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 10+

    Bubbling over with humour and life, the poems in The Hat paint pictures, evoke smells, conjure sounds and encapsulate events both …

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  • Overheard in a Tower Block

    Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Kate Milner

    Interest level: 10-14

    Reading age: 10+

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  • Overheard in a Tower Block

    Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Kate Milner

    Interest level: 10-14

    Reading age: 10+

    Recounting the childhood of a child living in a city tower block, many of these poems are sad or angry and bristle with an edgines…

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  • Poems to Perform

    Author: Various Illustrator: Clare Melinsky Editor: Julia Donaldson

    Interest level: 5+

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Poems to Perform

    Author: Various Illustrator: Clare Melinsky Editor: Julia Donaldson

    Interest level: 5+

    Reading age: 7+

    Julia Donaldson selects her favourite poems to perform in this anthology.

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  • A Year of Nature Poems

    Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Kelly Louise Judd

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

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  • A Year of Nature Poems

    Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Kelly Louise Judd

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

    This beautifully illustrated portrait of one year in nature is put together by poet Joseph Coelho, with each month assigned a rele…

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  • Red, Cherry Red

    Author: Jackie Kay

    Interest level: 12+

    Reading age: 11+

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  • Red, Cherry Red

    Author: Jackie Kay

    Interest level: 12+

    Reading age: 11+

    Truthful, soulful and witty poems in this collection explore a theme of identity. Who are we? What reveals us? Is our identity bou…

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  • Read Me and Laugh

    Author: Various Editor: Gaby Morgan

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Read Me and Laugh

    Author: Various Editor: Gaby Morgan

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 8+

    This is a collection of funny poems from a wide range of poets from Spike Milligan to Valarie Bloom, and Lewes Carroll to Michael …

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  • The Poet X

    Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

    Interest level: 13-18

    Reading age: 13+

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  • The Poet X

    Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

    Interest level: 13-18

    Reading age: 13+

    Xiomara, a teenage girl of Dominican heritage, is starting to notice boys, but her strict Catholic parents have decided on no cont…

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  • We Come Apart

    Author: Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan

    Interest level: 12-16

    Reading age: 12+

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  • We Come Apart

    Author: Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan

    Interest level: 12-16

    Reading age: 12+

    Written in free verse, this dual narrative story goes straight to the heart of Jess and Nicu’s friendship, exploring their f…

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  • Pumpkin Grumpkin

    Author: Various Editor: John Agard and Grace Nichols Illustrator: Satoshi Kitamura

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 9+

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  • Pumpkin Grumpkin

    Author: Various Editor: John Agard and Grace Nichols Illustrator: Satoshi Kitamura

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 9+

    Amusing and bemusing poetry from around the globe. John Agard and Grace Nichols have assembled a bunch of silly poems in this new …

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  • Plum

    Author: Tony Mitton

    Interest level: 3+

    Reading age: 6+

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  • Plum

    Author: Tony Mitton

    Interest level: 3+

    Reading age: 6+

    This enjoyable collection from popular children’s poet Tony Mitton brings together a wide range of engaging poems for younge…

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  • My Mum’s Growing Down

    Author: Laura Dockrill Illustrator: David Tazzyman

    Interest level: 7-11

    Reading age: 7-11

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  • My Mum’s Growing Down

    Author: Laura Dockrill Illustrator: David Tazzyman

    Interest level: 7-11

    Reading age: 7-11

    What do you do if your mum loves nothing better than complaining in restaurants and calling museum guards fruit bats? What if she …

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  • Letters to Anyone and Everyone

    Author: Toon Tellegen Illustrator: Jessica Ahlberg Translator: Martin Cleaver

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Letters to Anyone and Everyone

    Author: Toon Tellegen Illustrator: Jessica Ahlberg Translator: Martin Cleaver

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 7+

    Discover a collection of extraordinary letters in this magical new volume of short stories.

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  • Bad, Bad Cats

    Author: Roger McGough Illustrator: Lydia Monks

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 7+

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  • Bad, Bad Cats

    Author: Roger McGough Illustrator: Lydia Monks

    Interest level: 6-8

    Reading age: 7+

    Packed with witty wordplay, and quirky humour, this delightful collection will appeal to children of all ages

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