Staff Picks: Poetry

Every month, staff at our Downtown branch read books in a specific fiction genre or nonfiction subject, to familiarize themselves with titles they might not have discovered otherwise. For April, they celebrated National Poetry Month by reading poetry and plays. Here's what everyone read and what they had to say about it:


Dizzy in Your Eyes by Pat Mora
Not a poetry lover, but loved this book. 5 stars

Cactus Poems by Frank Asch
Very good children’s poetry book. 5 stars

Every Thing on It by Shel Silverstein
Not a poetry person at but loved, loved this book. For children and adults alike. 5 stars

Anything by E.E. Cummings
His poetry is delicate and visual. 5 stars

Heartless (a Play) by Sam Shepard
3 stars

Haiku U by David Bader
Very funny, 100 great books from Aristotle to Zola in 17 syllables. 5 stars

Good Poems edited by Garrison Keillor
5 stars   

I Could Pee on This: and other poems by cats by Francesco Marciuliano
Very fun and silly poems. 5 stars   

I Could Chew on This: and other poems by dogs by Francesco Marciuliano
Very funny poems, something a dog would say if they could speak. 5 stars   

Inherit the Wind (a Play) by Jerome Lawrence
Excellent especially if you like courtroom drama.  Reads easier if you envision yourself trying out for the play. 5 stars   

The Smallest Muscle in the Human Body by Alberto Rios
Excellent poet who teaches at ASU. 5 stars   

My Name is Jorge on Both Sides of the River by Jane Medina
In both English and Spanish, just wonderful. 5 stars

Howl and other poems by Allen Ginsberg
4 stars

The Best Loved Poems of the American People
Broken down by subject; would have been higher in ratings but there was no Whitman. 3 stars   

Poetry for Young People
This series is a wonderful introduction to poetry for young people. 5 stars