Famous Children's Poets

These are some of the most famous writers of children's poetry in the English language.

Francisco X Alarcon

Francisco X. Alarcón

American poet
(1954-2016)

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist
(1928-2014)

Hillaire Belloc

Hilaire Belloc

English writer, poet, and humorist
(1870-1953)

Edmund Clerihew Bentley

Edmund Clerihew Bentley

English novelist and humorist
(1875-1956)

Gellet Burgess

Gelett Burgess

American artist, art critic, poet, author, and humorist
(1866-1851)

Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll

English author, poet, and mathematician
(1832-1898)

Charles E. Carryl

Charles E. Carryl

American children’s author and poet
(1841-1920)

Guy Wetmore Carryl

Guy Wetmore Carryl

American humorist and poet
(1873-1904)

Lydia Maria Child

Lydia Maria Child

American abolitionist, activist, and writer
(1802-1880)

John Ciardi

John Ciardi

American poet, translator, and etymologist

Kalli Dakos

Kalli Dakos

Canadian children’s poet and educator

Eugene Field

Eugene Field

American writer, poet, and journalist

Robert Frost

Robert Frost

American poet

Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni

American poet, writer, and activist

Mary Ann Hoberman

Mary Ann Hoberman

American author and poet

Lee Bennet Hopkins

Lee Bennett Hopkins

American educator, author, poet, and anthologist

A. E. Housman

A. E. Houseman

English classical scholar and poet

Paul Janeczko

Paul Janeczko

American poet and anthologist

X. J. Kennedy

X. J. Kennedy

American poet

Karla Kuskin

Karla Kuskin

American author, poet, and illustrator

Edward Lear

Edward Lear

English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet

Dennis Lee

Dennis Lee

Canadian poet, teacher, editor, and critic

Myra Cohn Livingston

Myra Cohn Livingston

American poet

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

American poet and educator

Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan

Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright

A. A. Milne

A. A. Milne

English writer and poet

Clement Clarke Moore

Clement Clarke Moore

American writer and scholar

Ogden Nash

Ogden Nash

American poet

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe

American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic

Laura E. Richards

Laura E. Richards

American author and poet

Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg

American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor

Robert W. Service

Robert W. Service

British-Canadian poet and writer

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss

American children’s author and cartoonist

Joyce Sidman

Joyce Sidman

American children’s author and poet

William Makepeace Thackeray

William Makepeace Thackeray

British author, poet, and illustrator

Ernest Thayer

Ernest Thayer

American writer and poet

Iris Tiedt

Iris Tiedt

American Educator

Judith Viorst

Judith Viorst

American author, poet, and journalist

Carolyn Wells

Carolyn Wells

American author and poet

Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen

American author, poet, and journalist