Welcome wonderful wordsmiths! It’s that special time again for our weekly Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. We’re here to share the latest happenings and delightful discoveries from the world of children’s poetry over the past week. Settle in with your favorite mug of cocoa, and let’s see what rhymes and rhythms have been making news!
Children’s Poetry Summit
This week, the Children’s Poetry Summit featured an illuminating post about Rhiannon Oliver, a poet and performer from Cardiff. In Rhiannon Oliver: Lights, Camera – Poetry!, we learned about her fascinating journey from a career in Shakespearean theatre to writing for children, especially since 2020. Her debut collection, Fresh, illustrated by Chris Riddell, is a testament to her love for rhythm and her dedication to bringing children, grandparents, and communities together through poetry events that celebrate empathy and communication.
David L. Harrison
What a busy week for David L. Harrison! He shared several exciting announcements about an upcoming “David Harrison and Friends” event at The Library Center on May 5. This program sounds like it will be a true celebration of Missouri authors and artists! We learned that Michael Frizell will be performing selections from David Harrison‘s work, as announced in Michael Frizell joins David Harrison at The Library Center on May 5. Missouri’s current Poet Laureate, Justin Hamm, will also be joining for a reading, as detailed in Justin Hamm joins David Harrison and Friends at The Library Center on May 5. The event will also feature Kaitlyn McConnell, founder of Ozarks Alive, who will highlight the region’s history and culture, as seen in Kaitlyn McConnell joins David Harrison and Friends at The Library Center on May 5. Folk musician Judy Domeny Bowen is set to perform “The Mother Road,” shared in Judy Domeny joins David Harrison and Friends at The Library Center on May 5, and author Susan Croce Kelly will speak about Route 66, as announced in Susan Croce Kelly joins David Harrison and Friends at The Library Center on May 5. In other news, two of David L. Harrison‘s highly acclaimed titles, Now You See Them Now You Don’t and A Tree Is a Community, are now available in paperback, a wonderful update shared in Now available in paperback.
DreamBeast Poems
Mark Bird over at DreamBeast Poems shared a wonderful new creation this week. In Space Poem for Kids – You’re A Star – Mesostic Poem for Kids, he presented a playful, space-themed mesostic poem titled ‘You’re A Star’, inviting young readers to explore the cosmos through verse.
Imagine the Possibilities
Rose Cappelli let us in on her participation in a collaborative writing adventure this week. In Progressive Poem, she shared her turn adding a line to a Progressive Poem with her Poetry Friday friends, keeping a lovely bird metaphor and a touch of alliteration fluttering along.
Joshua Seigal
Poet Joshua Seigal shared a hilariously relatable tale in his post The Judge of the Poetry Competition. He recounted his daunting, and ultimately un-cheesy, attempt to write a cheese-themed poem for a competition, proving that even poets can face writer’s block when the subject matter isn’t quite right!
Kate Williams
Just in time for Artemis II week, Kate Williams brought us a lunar delight. In A Moon poem for Artemis II week:, she shared her poem “Moonpower” from her Squeak! Squawk! Roar! animal collection, capturing how moonlight playfully alters appearances.
Kathryn Apel
Kathryn Apel checked in with readers to let them know all is well, even if things are a bit quiet on the surface. Her post, The Bears and the Bees, mentioned ongoing updates to her books and exciting new crafts and activities under “Kids’ Stuff,” including material related to her fractured fairytale UnBEARable. Teachers can also find helpful notes and curriculum resources in her “School Stuff” section.
Live Your Poem
Celebrating National Poetry Month, Irene Latham posted I Brake for Butterflies + Giveaway!. This post included a “2-Minute Writing Tip” on “What is Poetry?”, updates from her appearance at the Maynard Book Festival with Charles Waters, a Goodreads giveaway for her upcoming adult novel, and a beautiful poem titled “I Brake for Butterflies” inspired by monarch butterflies and driving.
Liz Garton Scanlon
Liz Garton Scanlon treated us to a wonderful series of haikus this week, a lovely daily practice that helps us find hope and connection. Her posts included Haiku 10 — April 10, 2026, Haiku 9 — April 9, 2026, Haiku 8 — April 8, 2026, Haiku 7 — April 7, 2026, Haiku 6 — April 6, 2026, Haiku 5 — April 5, 2026, and Haiku 4 – April 4, 2026. Each day brought a fresh perspective, from celebrating a safe return and reframing seasonal allergies, to finding comfort in change, dancing with the moon, interpreting cloud photos, encountering a grumpy heron, and appreciating birdsong amidst the city noise.
Miss Rumphius Effect
Tricia Stohr-Hunt has been having a grand time with her National Poetry Month 2026 project, generating playful poems using all sorts of creative methods. Her posts this week showcased various techniques, including using an online blackout-poem generator for NPM 2026 – Day 10, creating “The Fairy Dance” from six-word Poem Dice in NPM 2026 – Day 9, arranging tiles from the Revolution Poet magnetic kit for NPM 2026 – Day 8, experimenting with a Phone Number Poem via the Poetry Machine in NPM 2026 – Day 7, using Joseph Coelho‘s Poetry Kit with its MORERAPS spinner for an acrostic poem in NPM 2026 – Day 6, rolling Haikubes for a dream-themed haiku in NPM 2026 – Day 5, and utilizing Metaphor Dice to inspire her cinquain “Time is an Impossible Promise” in NPM 2026 – Day 4. It sounds like a fantastic way to explore different poetic forms!
My Juicy Little Universe
Heidi Mordhorst has been diligently working on a middle-grade book titled TREEOGRAPHY this National Poetry Month, using daily NaPoWriMo prompts to inspire her tree-focused drafts. Her posts this week shared a variety of explorations: adapting Geoffrey Brock‘s “Goodbye” into a meditation on grief and a tree stump’s lingering presence; writing a pantoum, “Encyclical from the Cardinal,” inspired by Marianne Moore to write in the voice of plants or animals; a draft exploring “not a plant” and “not a person” inspired by Jean D’Amérique; a Tree Rounds poem, inviting readers to create their own clapping, snapping, and jumping rhymes; a playful vignette about meeting a southern magnolia named Cerolia who insists she is a “we”; and a short poem called “Front Porch” that features weather and a season, inspired by Mark van Doren‘s “Spring Thunder.”
Poetrepository
Mary Lee Hahn shared several thought-provoking posts this week, often reflecting on current events and how they intersect with her personal poetic journey. She expressed how reading “A.I. Lockdown” in the NYT felt emotionally taxing in News Fatigue, and presented July 5, 1978 as the sixth installment of her “Poetry In The News” series. She also touched upon a fascinating NPR article in Breaking News From Paleontology, reporting the discovery of a half-billion-year-old spider fossil. In Bright Spot, she offered a moment of positivity, and candidly discussed reading troubling news in Paying Attention, Then Looking Away. Mary Lee also explored how people are choosing to live without smartphones in Nostalgia, and shared her reluctance to write about a daunting budget proposal in Perspective.
Poetry Boost
Poetry Boost shared a wonderful initiative this week titled Poem Share. This post highlighted how children’s poets from across the country gather to share their favorite poems for Poetry Month and beyond, featuring humorous verse from Alan Katz, Michelle Schaub‘s “Wishes” about a cedar-tree road trip, and Jolene Gutiérrez‘s “If . . . Then” from If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of Possibility. It’s a lovely reminder of poetry’s power to boost literacy and keep dreams alive.
Poetry Pop
Danna Smith from Poetry Pop brought us two exciting posts this week. In Write Daily Haiku with the Innovative Renga App, she explored the evolution of haiku from ancient traditions to modern apps, declaring 2026 the year of the haiku app. She also shared her anticipation for a special day in April with Join the Fun on Poem in Your Pocket Day: April 29th! —Includes Downloadable Poems, celebrating the literary vibes of National Poetry Month and encouraging readers to participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day.
Poetry Roundabout
At Poetry Roundabout, Liz Brownlee honored the anniversary of poet Gerard Benson‘s birthday this week. Her post, River Song, by Gerard Benson, remembered a poet and a man who is greatly missed.
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme
Matt Forrest Esenwine shared a joyous post celebrating National Poetry Month and student poetry. In Poetry Friday: Celebrating National Poetry Month with student poetry – and LOTS of it!, he reflected on his decade-long writing journey, his school visits, and the recognition his debut collection, A Universe of Rainbows, has received.
Reflections on the Teche
Margaret Simon was very active this week, offering updates on the collaborative Kidlit Progressive Poem and sharing her own beautiful poetry. In Poetry Friday: Blog Guest Janet Fagal and the Progressive Poem, she hosted Poetry Friday and featured Janet Clare Fagal‘s contribution to the Progressive Poem. Margaret also gave us updates on how the poem, anchored by Tabatha Yeatts’ painting, is progressing in NPM26: Progressive Poem progresses. She celebrated alliteration and shared a butterfly-inspired septercet in NPM26: This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Alliteration, and reflected on forgiveness and her family weekend in Slice of Life Tuesday: NPM26: Forgiveness. Finally, Margaret shared an ekphrastic meditation on Lazarus, drawn from her father’s illustration, in NPM26: Day 4: Lazarus.
Salt City Verse
The collaborative “Land of Poetry” journey continued with Janice Scully‘s post, THE PROGRESSIVE POEM 2026 IS HERE! She thanked Tabatha Yeatts and Irene Latham, and proudly presented her own fifth-line addition to the Progressive Poem, encouraging readers to follow along with the daily lineup of poets throughout April.
Shaun Jex
Big news from Shaun Jex this week, as he announced the release of his first poetry collection! In Come Explore A Catalog of Curious Creatures, he invited readers to explore his fun and spooky book, which delves into the wild origins of American myths, cryptids, and fearsome critters with a glossary included.
The Poem Farm
And finally, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has been busy with her National Poetry Month 2026 project, dedicating each day to writing handwritten index-card poems inspired by sounds and listening. Her posts, from listen – day 11 to listen – day 10, listen – day 9, listen – day 8, listen – day 7, listen – day 6, and listen – day 5, shared her process of noticing everyday sounds and transforming them into short poems. She also offered tips, pointed to past projects, and encouraged readers to join her in this delightful daily practice, emphasizing poetry as a personal, playful experiment.
- Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, April 11, 2026 - April 11, 2026
- Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest 2026 - April 10, 2026
- Book Review: Dinos that Drive - April 9, 2026
