I’m thrilled to finally share some exciting news… After more than 25 years of writing poems for children—and publishing more than two dozen books—I’m releasing my biggest collection ever! The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt will be published on October 13, 2026, and the Kindle edition is available for preorder today!
So… Why is it called “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt”?
Good question. The title is obviously tongue-in-cheek. I mean, after all, it’s not actually the greatest book of poetry ever written, just the greatest* one ever written by me. (*Greatest by weight.) But the idea behind the book is something I’ve wanted to do for years. People often ask me, “Which one of your books should I start with?” or “Which book of yours is the best?” Until now, I never had a good answer.
My poems have appeared in dozens of different collections (and hundreds of anthologies and textbooks) over the years. Some books focus on monsters. Others on school. One was even full of poems about Christmas. And while many of my books had poems of all sorts, if someone wanted a sampling of my work, there wasn’t one book that truly represented everything I’ve been writing over the past quarter century. So I decided to fix that.
A Greatest Hits Collection
This book gathers together 120 of my best-loved funny poems from across my career into one enormous collection. Inside you’ll find poems about:
- school
- monsters
- food
- families and friends
- animals
- music
- sports
- holidays
- science and technology
- fairy tales and legends
- imaginary creatures
- and plenty of wonderfully ridiculous nonsense
If you’ve been reading my books for years, you’ll discover some old favorites gathered together in one place. If you’re new to my poetry, this is the perfect place to start. If you’re looking for a gift to introduce a young reader to super-fun poetry, this book is a great choice.
And There’s Something New…
Even if you already own several of my books, there are brand-new surprises waiting for you. The collection includes 18 new poems appearing in print for the very first time.
I wanted longtime readers to discover something new alongside the classics, and I had a great deal of fun writing these new additions. I’m sure you’re going to love them.
Beautifully Illustrated by Rafael Domingos
One of the things I’m most excited about is the artwork by Rafael Domingos. Rafael has illustrated many of my books, and once again he has filled these pages with delightful, expressive, laugh-out-loud illustrations that perfectly capture the spirit of the poems. His artwork brings every page to life.
Early Praise
I’m especially honored that Jack Prelutsky, the first U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate, had this to say about the book:
“No poems were harmed in compiling this collection of Kenn’s best poems. As a matter of fact, if you read these poems, you’ll be protected from falling meteorites, volcanic explosions, and encounters with Bigfoot. Yes, these poems are that good.” —Jack Prelutsky, America’s first Children’s Poet Laureate and author of The New Kid on the Block, Scranimals, and other works.
Jack Prelutsky has graciously allowed me to share these kind words. In a remarkable career spanning six decades, this is the first—and only—book endorsement he has ever written. I’m deeply humbled to receive such generous praise from Jack.
Not convinced yet? Here is what others are saying about it:
DO YOU LOVE RECTANGLES? Well, great news: EVERY SINGLE PAGE of this book is shaped like a rectangle! Every page ALSO has on it some of the wildest, funniest, and most delightful poetry ever written! —Chris Harris, New York Times bestselling author of I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and My Head Has a Bellyache.
Over and over again, Kenn Nesbitt proves to be the prince of puns and the prime minister of punchline poetry. If this new and ultimate (ultimate as in greatest, not final) Nesbitt collection makes its way into a million new hands, it will surely lead to 500,000 new Kenn converts (assuming my math is correct). —Eric Ode, poet, songwriter, and author of Stop that Poem!
You’ll be smiling before you’ve even opened it! Packed with funny, punny, clever poems – don’t miss this super-sized celebration of Kenn Nesbitt’s poetry, in which sofas eat parents, Rapunzel rocks and remote controls can do ANYTHING! —Attie Lime, children’s poet, author of A Wellie Full of Christmas and Blue Jelly and Strawberries: Poems to Tickle Your Tastebuds.
Available October 13
The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt will be available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle ebook editions. The Kindle edition is available for preorder now, and the print editions will be released on October 13, 2026. Order the ebook edition today and it will be waiting in your Kindle library on publication day!
Thank You
When I started posting poems on the internet back in the 1990s, I never imagined they would eventually lead to books, school visits, and readers around the world. Over the years I’ve received thousands of emails from children, parents, teachers, and librarians telling me that one of my poems made someone laugh, inspired a reluctant reader, or encouraged a child to write a poem of their own. Those messages have meant more to me than I can say.
This collection is really a celebration of all of those years, and of all of you who have read, shared, memorized, performed, and laughed at these poems.
Thank you for making it possible.
I can’t wait to share this book with you.
— Kenn
