National Poetry Month was established by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996. In order to celebrate National Poetry Month, I would like to highlight the diverse poetry collections available on Libby and Hoopla for kids with a three-part series showcasing six great titles. What are Libby and Hoopla? Libby and Hoopla are both easy-to-use apps that allow you to borrow eBooks and audiobooks with your library card for free. Both apps have thousands of adult, teen, and children’s titles that you can borrow using your iPad, tablet, or phone by downloading the apps from your app store. Hoopla also has digital film and music materials available for free for library card holders.

In part II of this series, I’d like to add a new link to a poetry event/connection that would be of interest to kids and their parents. For example, I really enjoyed listening to Naomi Shihab Nye read aloud her poems from her book, Cast Away: Poems of Our Time, and thought you might like to listen to her here.

The following is the second pair of titles highlighted in this three-part series – enjoy!

Cast Away: Poems of Our Time
By Naomi Shihab Nye
eBook on OverDrive Libby
Audiobook on Hoopla
In one of her most recent collections of poetry, Naomi Shihab Nye’s, Cast Away, explores the things in life that are thrown out, out grown, or true to the title, cast away. What the title lacks in illustration, it makes up for in its colorful prose on the things in life that we inevitably out grow in life. The collection’s more humorous poems about lost mittens, discarded candy wrappers, and plastic straws are contrasted by other subjects such as immigrant children, our communities, and the environment. The poems work to create a thought-provoking, engaging, and deeply moving collection of poetry.

It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles
By Jack Prelutsky
In masterfully mischievous rhyme, Jack Prelutsky unleashes a storm of hilarious poetry onto his audience as written by him and narrated by him in this audiobook. You will enjoy hearing his silly and engaging poems such as “I Chased a Dragon,” “Percy’s Perfect Pies,” and “Purple Orangutans” that are accompanied by lively folk music. This collection is fun for the whole family!