Famous Children's Poets

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

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)
William Blake

William Blake

English poet and painter
(1757-1827)
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)
John Ciardi

John Ciardi

American poet, translator, and etymologist
(1916-1986)
Adelaide Crapsey

Adelaide Crapsey

American poet
(1878-1914)
Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

British writer and poet
(1916-1990)
Eugene Field

Eugene Field

American writer, poet, and journalist
(1850-1895)
Rachel Field

Rachel Field

American novelist and poet
(1894-1942)
Robert Frost

Robert Frost

American poet
(1874-1963)
Oliver Herford

Oliver Herford

English-American writer, poet, and artist
(1860-1935)
Mary Ann Hoberman

Mary Ann Hoberman

American author and poet
(1930-2023)
Lee Bennet Hopkins

Lee Bennett Hopkins

American educator, author, poet, and anthologist
(1938-2019)
A. E. Housman

A. E. Housman

English classical scholar and poet
(1859-1936)
Paul Janeczko

Paul Janeczko

American poet and anthologist
(1945-2019)
X. J. Kennedy

X. J. Kennedy

American poet
(1929-)
Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

English writer and poet
(1856-1936)
Karla Kuskin

Karla Kuskin

American author, poet, and illustrator
(1932-2009)
Edward Lear

Edward Lear

English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet
(1812-1888)
Myra Cohn Livingston

Myra Cohn Livingston

American poet
(1926-1996)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

American poet and educator
(1807-1882)
Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan

Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, and poet
(1918-2002)
A. A. Milne

A. A. Milne

English writer and poet
(1882-1956)
Clement Clarke Moore

Clement Clarke Moore

American writer and scholar
(1779-1863)
Ogden Nash

Ogden Nash

American poet
(1902-1971)
Kenn Nesbitt

Kenn Nesbitt

American poet
(1962-)
Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe

American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic
(1809-1849)
William Brighty Rands

William Brighty Rands

English poet
(1823-1882)
Laura E. Richards

Laura E. Richards

American author and poet
(1850-1943)
James Whitcomb Riley

James Whitcomb Riley

American poet
(1849-1916)
Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti

English poet
(1830-1894)
Carl Sandburg

Carl Sandburg

American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor
(1878-1967)
Robert W. Service

Robert W. Service

British-Canadian poet and writer
(1874-1958)
Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss

American children's author and cartoonist
(1904-1991)
Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein

American writer, poet, cartoonist, songwriter, and musician
(1930-1999)
Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson

Scottish novelist and poet
(1850-1894)
Jane Taylor

Jane Taylor

English poet and novelist
(1783-1824)
William Makepeace Thackeray

William Makepeace Thackeray

British author, poet, and illustrator
(1811-1863)
Judith Viorst

Judith Viorst

American author, poet, and journalist
(1931-)
Carolyn Wells

Carolyn Wells

American author and poet
(1862-1942)