A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children

by Caroline Kennedy, Jon J. Muth (Paintings)

Caroline Kennedy has chosen a rich variety of Kennedy family favorite poems to include in this priceless collection. With thoughtful personal introductions written by Caroline herself, and beautiful new original artwork by award-winning artist, Jon J Muth, this collection is sure to become a family favorite for years to come.

Genres: Poetry, Childrens, Picture Books, Family, Anthologies, Nonfiction, Reference

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2005

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Caroline Bouvier Kennedy is an American author and attorney. She is the daughter and only surviving child of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. An older sister, Arabella, died shortly after her birth in 1956. Brother John F. Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash in 1999. Another brother, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy died two days after his birth in 1963.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a nice collection of poetry, every page has lots of colour and illustrations. We weren't keen on the style, a mix of realistic but with exaggerated comical faces, but they were bright and I expect would appeal to some children if not most.

A reread today, a nice collection of poems. Didn’t enjoy the illustrations, found them very 80s and cheesy.

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last Thursday, I got this hardbound pristine book from a second-hand bookstore. I have always liked to read poetry but there are those that I do not understand. So, when I saw that this book contains poems for children and it is written by Caroline Kennedy (born 1957), the only surviving child of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and the tag price was P180 ($4), why not?

The book contains the poems that became her favorites when she was a child because these were the poems that her mom, dad, granddad and grand mom used to read to her and her two brothers, John and Patrick. For one, her mother, Jackie Kennedy was a lover of poems. She even has her own poem here. In fact, most of these poems still remind her of the gentle soothing voice of their mother when she was about to sleep. That included the feeling of comfort and safe that even now when she is sad and lonely, she reads these poems to remind her of her mother, Jackie. Some were the favorites of her brothers and reading them reminded her of their sweet childhood memories.

Quite timely too. This weekend is the Thanksgiving Weekend in the US. Last Thursday morning, a Filipina called Mo Twister in the radio program Goodtimes and greeted him ”Happy Thanksgiving Day” and Mo responded ”That’s for the Americans, if you are not an American, you should not care.” I disagree with him. We may not have the long weekend (except if you are working in a call center that services the US) but it is nice to step back and think of the things that we should be thankful about. Although I have to admit that I didn’t know anything about the history of Thanksgiving Day in the US. I have American colleagues in the office but I never bothered to ask.

Thanks to the book. On one page is this poem that I liked so after reading it, I Googled the title and found the history of Thanksgiving Day. Read on. It is very appropriate for this weekend:

IROQUOIS PRAYER
We return thanks to our mother, the earth,
which sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams,
which supply us with water.
We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish
medicines for the care of our diseases.
We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters,
the beans and squashes, which give us life.
We return thanks to the bushes and trees,
which provide us with fruit.
We return thanks to the wind,
which, moving the air, has banished diseases.
We return thanks to the moon and stars,
which have given us their light when the sun was gone.
We return thanks to our grandfather He-no,
that he has protected his grandchildren from
witches and reptiles, and has given to us his rain.
We return thanks to the sun, that has looked upon
the earth with a beneficent eye.
Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,
in whom is embodied all goodness, and who
directs all things for the good of his children.
Anonymous

What I really liked about this book is that, even if the title says that it is for children, this does not include your usual nursery rhymes. Rather, I found a lot of poems that are quoted in many literatures and I did not have any inkling where they came from like the poem about Mr. Mistoffelees, a character in the opera Cats. And I also read the full text of poems where familiar phrases came from like ”And miles to go before I sleep.” is from Robert Frost poem entitled Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.

These are the poets whose works I really enjoyed reading in this book and I swear I will look for their books and read more of their poems: Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, William Butler Yeats, Robert Frost, A. A. Milne, Ogden Nash, Dylan Thomas, Rainer Maria Rilke, T. S. Eliot, Basho, Christina Rossetti, Lewis Carol, William Blake, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Lord Tennyson, E. E. Cummings, Robert Browning, William Wordsworth, William Shakespeare, Pablo Neruda, Thomas Hardy, Jacqueline Bouvier (yes, she has her own poem here!), Federico Garcia Lorca, Sandra Cisneros, J. R. R. Tolkien, Seamus Heaney (yes, I like his poem here better than in “Seeing Things”), Slyvia Plath and Jorge Luis Borges.

But my personal favorite is the strange but brilliant ”FROM COEUR COURONNE ET MIROIR” or FROM IMAGINE ANGELS by Cullaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), a French poet who wrote a collection of poems called “Calligrammes” with the words of the poem written in such a way that they form relevant figures. This particular poem included in the book forms a circle and it is very clever. Well thought of. I was just blown away.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I was disappointed in the editor's companion book, "Poems to Learn By Heart.' But I love Muth's art in his own books, so I decided to try this. Glad I did. Wonderful diverse selection, enchanting pictures. Many poems were new to me; so refreshing. Of the ones new to me, my favorite poem + art is p. 52, "Saint Francis and the Sow" by Galway Kinnell. Next favorite poem is "Snow in the Suburbs" by Thomas Hardy.

[carrietracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is one of the best available that I've seen. It doesn't talk down to children by only including silly, nonsense rhymes, but contains accessible works by important poets like Blake, William Carlos Williams, Frost, Emily Dickinson and Wordsworth. It is beautifully put together and I recommend it for anyone looking for a meaningful book either for their own children, or to be presented as a gift.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book of poetry for all households with kids. Not only is it illustrated by Jon Muth (which is worthy of purchase alone), but the poems selected in this anthology were chosen with care and attention to particular themes, language, and variety. It's the best little collection of poems for children that I've found.

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed Caroline Kennedy's other collections of poetry, so I decided to look at this one as well (okay, mostly for the Muth illustrations).  It's an odd assortment.  There are some short and silly poems (Ogden Nash is always a delight), and some lovely poems perfect for memorization (one can always rely on Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson), but there are also quite a few that I can't imagine have much appeal for children, such as Wallace Stevens' The Emperor of Ice Cream, which only seems like a children's poem if you don't get past the title.  If you read the actual poem, it doesn't belong in this book at all:

Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month's newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Sure, kids like ice cream, but that is a confusing poem with mature themes, and once you tease out the meaning, it's about a funeral, not something fun at all.

The poems are organized into sections, and each section has an introduction (presumably written by Caroline Kennedy).  The section on "The Seashore" discusses how she and her family spent time at the shore, and highlights two particular poems by cummings & John Masefield.  That's fine, but the section opens with a poem by "Jacqueline Bouvier."  Is that Caroline Kennedy's mother?  Did she write many poems?  Was she young when she wrote this?  (presumably, since it's her maiden name.)  Was this poem a family favorite?   It's just odd that the introduction doesn't even mention it.

My overall impression of this book: it's a chaotic mishmash thrown together without much thought, in an effort to capitalize on Kennedy's earlier success with previous poetry collections.  I have to wonder if she just threw together a bunch of poems that happened to be in the public domain.   Jon Muth's illustrations are lovely, as always, but they aren't enough to make this book worth reading. 

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. Everyone should own This book. The illustrations are museum quality and the poems lift the spirit. The are especially made to be read aloud for children or adults.

[SmarterLilac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gutsy and memorable. Kids need exposure to diverse poetry, so I was pleased to see the editor chose a wide selection of poems from and about all walks of life. Everyone from Naomi Shihab Nye to my beloved Langston Hughes is represented.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was refreshing. I definitely needed this.
So, I know a lot of people don't like poetry, and I understand that. I find it so annoying when teachers give you poems and expect you to fully decipher it and understand it like the back of your hand. I JUST WANT TO ENJOY POEMS. DATS IT. I don't need to completely understand everything. Sometimes not fully understanding the poem is part of the enjoyment. Poems are windows into people's souls. Do we decipher every single thing that people do? Oh look, Taylor Swift ate a bagel today. There must be some motive behind this. Well maybe writers simply want to express a feeling. Today I feel happy. Well, why do you feel happy? Are you really happy? What if this is all just a facade? NO I JUST FEEL HAPPY OKAY AND NOW I'M NOT BECAUSE OF YOU. Ok sorry I just totally ranted. Back to the book.
It's a genuinely good and timeless collection of poems. These are poems that you treasure, keep near and dear to your heart. Poems that inspire joy and happiness, but can also reflect your sadness and sorrow when you need it to. I enjoyed most all the poems that Caroline Kennedy chose for this book, and I've read it many times throughout the years, and it has never lost its charm or grace. It's a book with soul and love, and not to mention the gorgeous watercolor paintings in it, are to die for. (Don't die though, I want you to read this book). It's simply stunning, and I definitely will continue to reread it.

[Bonita Slovinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book of poetry and art. Caroline Kennedy and her brother, John, grew up having poetry read to them, collecting, and writing poems. Many well known poems are included in this book as well as many of Kennedy’s favorites. The poems are gathered under seven themes, About Me, That’s So Silly, Animals, The Seasons, The Seashore, Adventure, and Bedtime. Each theme is introduced by Kennedy as to why the theme was picked. The illustrations throughout the book are by Jon J Muth and are simply beautiful and capture the meaning of the poems. A book to be read, reread, and to be shared with children of all ages.

[A_Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caroline Kennedy shares her family’s traditions and carefully selected, favorite poems for children in this anthology. The anthology contains poems divided into seven sections according to topics such as “About Me”, “That’s So Silly”, “The Seasons”, etc. The beloved poems from all over the world are written in a variety of styles by contemporary poets as well as old, well-known favorites. Caroline Kennedy begins her book with a well-written introduction and each section begins with its own piece written by Kennedy to her readers. She shares family traditions and feelings in a thoughtfully composed manner. Muth’s beautifully created watercolors add to and match the mood of the poems to further enrich the power of the poems themselves. The red-linen endpapers and the endearing picture of Kennedy as a youngster on the cover show how carefully and thoughtfully this anthology was compiled. This anthology would be an excellent addition to a school, classroom, or home library. Can be used for a poetry lesson and for a read aloud.
Grades 2 and up.
Hyperion Books for Children, New York 2005

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great selection of about 110 children's poems, with fantastic watercolor illustrations by Jon J. Muth (author & illustrator of "Zen Shorts").
My favorite poems out of this book were:

"This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams
"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
"The People Upstairs" by Ogden Nash
"Today is Very Boring" by Jack Prelutsky
"The Crocodile" by Lewis Caroll
"The Tyger" by William Blake
"April Rain Song" by Langston Hughes
"The Daffodils" by William Wordsworth
"Thoughts" by Jacqueline Bouvier
"Ode to a Pair of Socks" by Pablo Neruda
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
"The Mock Turtle's Song" by Lewis Carroll
"The Owl and the Pussycat" by Edward Lear

[Sassa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delight to read. Each category of poems was introduced by a very personal note from Caroline Kennedy explaining why the poems were among her favorites. She wrote that her mother loved poetry and was very influential in her and her brother’s similar love. I think it is an excellent idea that the Kennedy children were encouraged to write or choose a favorite poem as gifts for holidays and birthdays. She said the scrapbooks of their poems are as telling as a photo book.
Included are poems by both well-known poets and not-quite-as-well-known. Two beautiful poems by Jacqueline Bouvier (Kennedy), Caroline’s mother, have been chosen.
The illustrations by Jon Muth are gorgeous. The cover photo will pull her heartstrings if you remember Caroline Kennedy as a young child. Sweet!

[Kate Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what I was looking for: a collection of "regular" poems (not children's poems) selected to appeal to children. This collection is well curated and organized (not just rhyming and metered poems, diversity in views and time periods) and beautifully illustrated. Ella is not yet two, and she loves them. I do, too. We'll get a lot of use out of it. Can't recommend this highly enough, not just for kids.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, amazing book of great poems chosen by Caroline Kennedy. The pictures are amazingly vivid, and it enhances the poetry beautifully. There are cute, funny, serious, and classic poems in here, and it is just a pleasure to read.

[Jim Erekson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful anthology to have on hand, because it offers such a broad survey of poets and includes poetry not written specifically for children--but which is memorable and interesting. I appreciate the clear promotion of learning poems to recite--to have as my own!

[JoAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

To those who know me it's obvious why I love this book of poetry. I even have a copy in my classroom.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing better than the smart and witty selection of poems is Jon Muth's fabulous watercolors. It's one of my very favorites.

[Marlies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great gift or to share with kids

[Wendy Cordoba Rivas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I read as a requirement on the book list for a master's course. This book is a collection of poetry with more than one hundred poems, from five continents, illuminated with sumptuous watercolors by Jon J. Muth, Mrs. Kennedy organizes her selections into sections that reflect the world of a child and frames each section with an introduction in your own words.
From her genre of poetry, she tells stories from distant countries and cultures, which can be presented through reading aloud and developed with primary school students, to model the reading of poetry. On the other hand, it allows us to work on the characteristics of poetry, the characters that are very varied, which include animals, the seasons, and adventures.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I don't remember exactly where I got it - maybe from a used book sale - but I have treasured it ever since. I don't care so much for the non-rhyming stuff, but I admire its variety. It features poets from Ogden Nash to Robert Frost to William Blake. Some of my particular favorites are J. R. R. Tolkien's "Goblin Feet" and Ogden Nash's "The Porcupine," but this book also introduced to (or, helped me to appreciate) such classic poems as "The Road Not Taken" and Wordsworth's "Daffodils." This is a great collection to inspire a love of poetry in readers of any age.

[Chloe Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would refer to this book as the Holy Grail of children's poetry. I received it as a gift when I was in elementary school, and never opened it until now. I really appreciate this book because not only is it written by one of the greatest Presidential families, but it also has hundred's of different poems referencing topics from the Bible, humor, animals, seasons, adventure, and bed time stories. I believe there is a poem in here for every student because it considers different reading levels and vocabulary.

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations went well with the book, and there were some poems that I am sure kids would find enjoyable, but I feel like many use language that is too archaic in comparison to today's English, and so I think the meanings of the poems would be lost on kids today. Poetry is very subjective for what people like and don't like, so I think a lot of my feelings about this collection comes from the fact that few of the poems really connected with me, though it did make me aware I need to read more poetry. Not a bad collection, but it felt fairly average over all.

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated wide variety of mostly poems by well known poets - Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, Robert Frost, e.e. cummings, Ogden Nash, Robert Louis Stevenson, William Carlos Williams, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent Millay, William Butler Yates, Walt Whitman, etc. and some lesser known ones.

Good book for lesson on poetry due to wide variety and styles (for grades 3rd through 6th). Classroom library 2nd through 6th grade.

[Megan Uy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars: I saw an interview with Kwame Alexander last week and was inspired to read some poetry. I don’t read a lot of poetry and I don’t think I’m very good at reading it (or understanding it), but I do love being surprised by a line that hits me just right. I can’t say that happened a lot with this collection, probably because many of the poems were already familiar, but I did love the companion illustrations by Jon J. Muth.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in our public library's unshelved books - what a gift! My mother recited poetry to my siblings and me. Many of her favorites are included in this volume. The lyrics provide comfort and stimulate memories. Being a child of the sixties, the fact that the book is Caroline Kennedy's compilation of favorites carries extra meaning for me. Jon J. Muth's illustrations enhance the beauty of the poems.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed to read a book that is out of my comfort zone and I picked this one. I am not big poem fan. I really loved the watercolors in this book and I actually enjoyed reading the poems. It would be fun to read these poems aloud to someone like my grand kids. My favorite has to be Robert Frost's poem about the two roads.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many good memories of childhood are brought out by many familiar poems. And there are many new poems -the international flavor of the poems is very satisfying. My favorite section is the humorous one. I was happy to read 2 poems by Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. They were both very enjoyable.

[Steph Lovelady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really nice collection of poems for children, with handsome watercolor illustrations. There's an appendix at the back with the original text of all translated poems. It's divided thematically (About Me, That's So Silly!, Animals, etc.) Kennedy seems especially fond of Edna St. Vincent Millay, e.e. cummings, Langston Hughes, and Robert Frost.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of poems, very much. I was reminded of my own childhood in the 1960s, and then again of the time I raised my own children and read to them. The illustrations and photographs add to the wonderment of the book. It has great historical value as well. A true gem.