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Poems To Perform
A vibrant collection of poems perfect to be performed by two or more voices! In this collection, Julia Donaldson has chosen poems with performance by children in mind, and in the notes section at the end of the book are her notes and ideas on performing them. Julia’s passionate belief that performance can help children enjoy reading and grow in confidence is informed by her own experience both as a child and now, working with groups of children to bring stories, poems and songs to life. The poems range from classics by Edward Lear, W H Auden, and Eleanor Farjeon, to contemporary work by Michael Rosen, John Agard, and Clare Bevan. Illustrated throughout with exquisite, expressive lino-cuts, this is a book for teachers, parents, children: anyone who loves great poetry.
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
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March 5, 2021A great selection of poetry that, as the title suggests, is a great performance piece.
This could be a good basis for children developing a piece of drama / art / music based on some of the poems (I particularly like the dinosaur rap).
Useful for encouraging performance and expression in reading, and all the poems are suitable lengths, as to not disengage the reader.
This could be a good basis for children developing a piece of drama / art / music based on some of the poems (I particularly like the dinosaur rap).
Useful for encouraging performance and expression in reading, and all the poems are suitable lengths, as to not disengage the reader.
May 17, 2019
A great collection of poems that could be used with children at any point. They are great for getting children involved in the performing of poetry and gives them a reason to be over the top and excitable about it. The rhythm in some of the poems make them so catchy and great to read aloud and in your own head.
September 23, 2020
A stunning collection of poems to sue with children of all ages. A useful text to have in your classroom
February 24, 2021
Great collection of poems - will definitely be using this in my teaching.
January 9, 2021
A lovely collection of poems to use with primary school children of all ages. Nice as read aloud poems, for children to read individually or for work to be based around. A good book to get children interested in poetry through a nice range of styles.
September 8, 2020
Great collection of poems that can be used for children to read themselves or for class projects. Some classic poems were featured within this book, which was great to see. Whilst reading these, I was immersed with ideas on how these could be performed either in both large and small groups. Many poems have cross - curricular links meaning English can be integrated in a fun and creative way with many other subjects and topics that the children will learn about in their duration of their school life.
October 29, 2021
‘Poems to Perform’ by Julia Donaldson is an excellent resource for teachers as it provides a range of high-quality poems, all in one place. I think this book is ideal for reading aloud to younger children at story time or individual poems could be picked out for older children to study. Although I liked most of the poems, I found there were certain poems that I would not personally choose to use for story time as I do not think I would be able to perform them so well, however these poems may be more suitable for Key Stage 2 in order to introduce them to poetry. Lots of these poems also have potential cross-curricular links which allow for English to be integrated into the curriculum in a creative and engaging way.
I particularly enjoyed the poem ‘Walking the Dog’. I thought this poem may be excellent for use in a classroom as the subject matter, dogs, is something that interests many children, but also because of the many poetic features it includes, such as repetition, stanzas, and rhyme. These features make this book great to read aloud and perform but would also be appropriate for literacy lessons, to expose children to features of a poem. I also think the pictures make it appropriate for all ages. As well as analysing the poem, ‘Walking the Dog’ could be used as a template for early poetry writing, inspiring children to write their own poem about something that interests them.
UPDATE: I recently shared The Sound Collector poem from this collection with a year 1/2 class in a unit of work studying poetry about the senses. The children were able to identify the meaning of this poem and suggest their own interpretations. I think this poem was a brilliant introduction to poetry and promoted reading for pleasure. This poem allowed children to identify features of poetry that we had discussed throughout the week and inspired them in their own writing.
I particularly enjoyed the poem ‘Walking the Dog’. I thought this poem may be excellent for use in a classroom as the subject matter, dogs, is something that interests many children, but also because of the many poetic features it includes, such as repetition, stanzas, and rhyme. These features make this book great to read aloud and perform but would also be appropriate for literacy lessons, to expose children to features of a poem. I also think the pictures make it appropriate for all ages. As well as analysing the poem, ‘Walking the Dog’ could be used as a template for early poetry writing, inspiring children to write their own poem about something that interests them.
UPDATE: I recently shared The Sound Collector poem from this collection with a year 1/2 class in a unit of work studying poetry about the senses. The children were able to identify the meaning of this poem and suggest their own interpretations. I think this poem was a brilliant introduction to poetry and promoted reading for pleasure. This poem allowed children to identify features of poetry that we had discussed throughout the week and inspired them in their own writing.
September 18, 2020
This is a great poetry anthology for use with children of any age between 5 and 12, therefore making this the perfect book to be a part of a primary school library as well as being used by all teachers trying to get children more immersed in poetry. The wide range of themes within this poetry book means there will be a poem suitable to all the children’s individual interests. At the back of this book there are suggestions on how to perform the poems which could be useful for children who are lacking in confidence. By encouraging all children to act out the poems it will make children see that reading can be enjoyable, can help with their confidence and isn’t always just about being able to read from a page.
It is important for children to understand and be able to recognise the difference between a story and a poem. By children being able to tell the difference, this will help them to understand how they would be presented differently, helping them to deepen their understanding and knowledge. Not only can this book be used in teaching aspects in English and Drama it could also be used in Art (get children to illustrate the poems themselves) and Music (get children to compose a music piece to add meaning to the poem).
Encouraging children to read poetry, as well as performing it, either to their friends as a solo or as a group project, is a great way to get everyone involved with learning poetry. It is a good way to introduce children who don’t enjoy writing ‘traditional’ poetry, to how forms of poetry can be extremely diverse, varied and, on occasion, simple.
It is important for children to understand and be able to recognise the difference between a story and a poem. By children being able to tell the difference, this will help them to understand how they would be presented differently, helping them to deepen their understanding and knowledge. Not only can this book be used in teaching aspects in English and Drama it could also be used in Art (get children to illustrate the poems themselves) and Music (get children to compose a music piece to add meaning to the poem).
Encouraging children to read poetry, as well as performing it, either to their friends as a solo or as a group project, is a great way to get everyone involved with learning poetry. It is a good way to introduce children who don’t enjoy writing ‘traditional’ poetry, to how forms of poetry can be extremely diverse, varied and, on occasion, simple.
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May 23, 2018Julia Donaldson’s Poems to Perform book covers a range of poems which are aimed at all children aged 3-11 years so it is a perfect book to be placed in the school’s library and a book that could be used in all years. There are lots of poems which can be chosen from to fit all of the children’s interests. One of my favourite parts of the book is that there are notes and ideas on how to perform the poems which are in a section at the back. This will help to give both the children and the teachers ideas of how to act out the poems which is vital, especially for children who struggle with creativity and confidence. By acting out the poems, I believe it can help children to enjoy reading more and help to grow their confidence by experience of acting independently as well as in groups.
I would also use this book to help children understand the difference between a story and a poem. This is in regard to how they are written, rhyming, the meaning of the poems etc. From knowing this they can take into consideration how it might be performed differently to a story, expanding their mind and knowledge.
Teaching Points:
Drama activities - acting out the poems.
English activities - understanding the difference between a poem and a story and the meaning of the poems.
Art activities - designing illustrations for the poems.
Music - designing music to accompany the poems to add meaning.
I would also use this book to help children understand the difference between a story and a poem. This is in regard to how they are written, rhyming, the meaning of the poems etc. From knowing this they can take into consideration how it might be performed differently to a story, expanding their mind and knowledge.
Teaching Points:
Drama activities - acting out the poems.
English activities - understanding the difference between a poem and a story and the meaning of the poems.
Art activities - designing illustrations for the poems.
Music - designing music to accompany the poems to add meaning.
November 2, 2021
'Poems to perform'
I thought this books was a very universal teaching resource. This book can be used in a variety manors to allow children of all abilities and interests to engage with the poems. The book is a high-quality text that could can be used to read aloud to the class or independently. It is a book that could be taught along side guided reading comprehensions as well as may other activities. This book has no limitation to only be taught in English, as the title states they are 'poems to perform' so using the poems to act out as small groups or a class would be a great inclusive activity.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be having it in my classroom to explore further.
I thought this books was a very universal teaching resource. This book can be used in a variety manors to allow children of all abilities and interests to engage with the poems. The book is a high-quality text that could can be used to read aloud to the class or independently. It is a book that could be taught along side guided reading comprehensions as well as may other activities. This book has no limitation to only be taught in English, as the title states they are 'poems to perform' so using the poems to act out as small groups or a class would be a great inclusive activity.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be having it in my classroom to explore further.
October 26, 2020
I have never come across a book like this before but so glad I did- what a great idea! I think poetry is often glossed over in English lessons both primary and secondary and for me personally, was less enjoyable than reading other kinds of texts- I certainly don't remember reciting or reading any poetry that stood out to me as a child but remember so many novels/picture books/traditional tales that did. Adding the acting/performance element adds excitement to the idea of poetry for the child demonstrating that there is a story to be told in each poem subsequently enabling them to analyse and absorb what is before them effortlessly. Whilst it may be difficult with children who are more reserved initially, I can see this really improving the children's confidence especially watching their peers take part and enjoy it. A brilliant book for all ages which could help children gain confidence in themselves and their voice, spot patterns in words and sentences, learn about different forms of narrative, learn about different sentence structures and punctuation, add to their word bank, familiarise them with different types of grammar, rhyme and rhythm. These poems can be used across the curriculum in many different lessons such as counting-'Caribbean Counting Poem' which could aid children with their memory, 'My Colours' could be used in an art lesson when learning how to paint a rainbow with the order the colours come in, music lessons as each child could have a percussion instrument and take it in turns or in groups to play to the rhythm of the poem and English lessons where each child could choose a poem they liked then create their own mimicking the particular style and structure. The latter idea could also be used when learning about different narratives as after differentiating between the different types, children in Year 5 and 6 could be asked to find an example of a poem with a first person narrative in the book then create their own poem in this narrative. Another English lesson could entail the children picking a poem that is personal to them and explaining why this is the case (analysis). The poems 'What I hate about school', 'What I Love About School' and 'Blame' could be used at the beginning of a relevant PSHE lesson as they are relatable to all children due to simply being about being a child and the different emotions and scenarios that occur whilst growing up. I particularly liked Boys' Game? which humorously challenges the stereotype of girls not being able to play football with an underlying promotion of inclusivity. I really like the variety of poems as they range from tongue-twisters to chants to poems with actions/sound effects and the variety of topics covered including animals, school, emotions, sport, siblings and food! There is something for everyone. This book promotes diversity with its different authors and inclusivity with its messages. The section at the back giving ideas of how to perform each poem with your class is invaluable.
July 13, 2020
- part of my course literature summer reading -
I am a big fan of poetry so am very excited to see children's poetry taking a larger role in my second year of studies.
I enjoyed the book itself, and will definitely be using it in the years to come. It took me a while longer to read as I was annotating and coming up with ideas of how I would use the poems that I enjoyed most in the classroom.
However, I would say I only really annotated about a third of the poems, for a mixture of reasons:
I have a personal feeling that a handful of the poems were a little older. Not so much in the way that it would be harder for children to grasp or immerse themselves in (I'm all for sharing classics and spending the time to unravel and ask questions about them), but leaning more towards it being debatable if they quite have a place in the classroom anymore. For example, "The Wraggle Taggle Gipsies" and "From a Railway Carriage". I felt they may have been put in more as a nostalgia moment for Julia Donaldson rather than their suitability.
As for the rest, I know I am /very/ picky with my poetry! So it's probably just that I personally wasn't a fan, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't use them if the right topic arose.
The ones that I did annotate however, I adored! There is so much possible to do with them, from tongue twisters, to chants, to full blown acting opportunities. I found poems that would work for small groups (3/4), that they could stage themselves very easily from the imagery provided. And others that could use the whole class (around 32 lines to give out in the poems) that can either be handed over completely, or controlled by the teacher in the position of a narrator/conductor.
There are poems with non speaking rolls, poems with single lines, and poems with full paragraphs to give out.
Poems for reception age right through to year 6s who want a challenge!
And plenty that will reach across the curriculum to prepare- I found examples that could easily bring in art, drama, music, history, geography, sports, maths, science...
Overall definitely a useful read and a good tool to take with me.
I am a big fan of poetry so am very excited to see children's poetry taking a larger role in my second year of studies.
I enjoyed the book itself, and will definitely be using it in the years to come. It took me a while longer to read as I was annotating and coming up with ideas of how I would use the poems that I enjoyed most in the classroom.
However, I would say I only really annotated about a third of the poems, for a mixture of reasons:
I have a personal feeling that a handful of the poems were a little older. Not so much in the way that it would be harder for children to grasp or immerse themselves in (I'm all for sharing classics and spending the time to unravel and ask questions about them), but leaning more towards it being debatable if they quite have a place in the classroom anymore. For example, "The Wraggle Taggle Gipsies" and "From a Railway Carriage". I felt they may have been put in more as a nostalgia moment for Julia Donaldson rather than their suitability.
As for the rest, I know I am /very/ picky with my poetry! So it's probably just that I personally wasn't a fan, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't use them if the right topic arose.
The ones that I did annotate however, I adored! There is so much possible to do with them, from tongue twisters, to chants, to full blown acting opportunities. I found poems that would work for small groups (3/4), that they could stage themselves very easily from the imagery provided. And others that could use the whole class (around 32 lines to give out in the poems) that can either be handed over completely, or controlled by the teacher in the position of a narrator/conductor.
There are poems with non speaking rolls, poems with single lines, and poems with full paragraphs to give out.
Poems for reception age right through to year 6s who want a challenge!
And plenty that will reach across the curriculum to prepare- I found examples that could easily bring in art, drama, music, history, geography, sports, maths, science...
Overall definitely a useful read and a good tool to take with me.
April 20, 2026
女兒在學校裏唸了一些詩，也學習了怎樣寫詩。她在家裏和我分享了在學校裏讀到過的詩，也告訴了我一些詩集的名稱，日後我打算逐一找來閱讀，再和女兒分享。
作為詩的作者，其實我也很有興趣了解，在外國長大的孩子，小時候到底是怎樣開始認識詩的呢，又怎樣開始閱讀和寫作詩呢？怎樣為英文詩分類？格律和體裁方面又是怎樣的呢？
出於好奇，也出於想和孩子一起進行親子互動的詩創作和閱讀詩的活動，我早前買了How to write poems，後來又在圖書館裏看到了這一本: Julia Donaldson Poems to Perform，Julia Donaldson現時已是一位77歲的婆婆了，她是一位兒童文學作家。她為孩子選了一些詩，可以作為朗誦、朗讀、演唱、表演的材料。我和孩子也透過這本書，認識了很多有趣的詩。其中有兩首是我和女兒都很喜歡的，摘記如下：
Yellow Butter Mary Ann Hoberman
Yello butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick,
Say it quick,
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thicker,
Say it quicker,
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Now repeat it,
While you eat it,
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread…
Don't talk
With your mouth full!
-------------------------
The Food Train Julia Donaldson
Cof-fee, cof-fee, cof-fee, cof-fee.
Bread and butter, bread and butter, bread and butter, bread and butter,
Biscuits and cheese, biscuits and cheese, biscuits and cheese, biscuits and cheese,
Fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips
fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips,
SOUP!
這兩首詩很好記，而且都和食物有關，孩子唸一兩遍後就能背懂了。
除了這兩首之外，書中還有很多不同的詩，題材生活化，表達有趣生動，不少都會押韻，是孩子了解詩的入門讀物。而且書裏詩是可以拿來演繹的，是可以玩、可以唸、可以唱的，適合家長和老師按著詩的內容和題材設計成活動呢。
作為詩的作者，其實我也很有興趣了解，在外國長大的孩子，小時候到底是怎樣開始認識詩的呢，又怎樣開始閱讀和寫作詩呢？怎樣為英文詩分類？格律和體裁方面又是怎樣的呢？
出於好奇，也出於想和孩子一起進行親子互動的詩創作和閱讀詩的活動，我早前買了How to write poems，後來又在圖書館裏看到了這一本: Julia Donaldson Poems to Perform，Julia Donaldson現時已是一位77歲的婆婆了，她是一位兒童文學作家。她為孩子選了一些詩，可以作為朗誦、朗讀、演唱、表演的材料。我和孩子也透過這本書，認識了很多有趣的詩。其中有兩首是我和女兒都很喜歡的，摘記如下：
Yellow Butter Mary Ann Hoberman
Yello butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick,
Say it quick,
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thicker,
Say it quicker,
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Now repeat it,
While you eat it,
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread…
Don't talk
With your mouth full!
-------------------------
The Food Train Julia Donaldson
Cof-fee, cof-fee, cof-fee, cof-fee.
Bread and butter, bread and butter, bread and butter, bread and butter,
Biscuits and cheese, biscuits and cheese, biscuits and cheese, biscuits and cheese,
Fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips
fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips, fish and chips,
SOUP!
這兩首詩很好記，而且都和食物有關，孩子唸一兩遍後就能背懂了。
除了這兩首之外，書中還有很多不同的詩，題材生活化，表達有趣生動，不少都會押韻，是孩子了解詩的入門讀物。而且書裏詩是可以拿來演繹的，是可以玩、可以唸、可以唱的，適合家長和老師按著詩的內容和題材設計成活動呢。
October 23, 2017
This book is appropriate for 1st graders.
Poems to Perform: A Classic Collection Chosen by the Children's Laureate by Julia Donaldson is has a vibrant collection of poems that are perfect to be performed by two or more voices! Julia Donaldson chose poems where children could perform them. The poems range from classics by Edward Lear, W H Auden, and Eleanor Farjeon, to contemporary work by Michael Rosen, John Agard, and Clare Bevan.
This is a very cute book. I like that she gives some ideas on ways that the students can perform the poems because sometimes the students may not know what to do and you as a teacher can give them a hint with her ideas. This book can help students minds to expand and think of what the poem means and what other ways you can perform it, other than what she wrote.
I would use this book for when trying to teach to the students the difference between a story and a poem. Regarding how they are written; why some words rhyme; the way to interpret a poem, and so on. I would also use this as a way to let the students interpret what the poem means to them and to perform it the way they think it should be performed.
Poems to Perform: A Classic Collection Chosen by the Children's Laureate by Julia Donaldson is has a vibrant collection of poems that are perfect to be performed by two or more voices! Julia Donaldson chose poems where children could perform them. The poems range from classics by Edward Lear, W H Auden, and Eleanor Farjeon, to contemporary work by Michael Rosen, John Agard, and Clare Bevan.
This is a very cute book. I like that she gives some ideas on ways that the students can perform the poems because sometimes the students may not know what to do and you as a teacher can give them a hint with her ideas. This book can help students minds to expand and think of what the poem means and what other ways you can perform it, other than what she wrote.
I would use this book for when trying to teach to the students the difference between a story and a poem. Regarding how they are written; why some words rhyme; the way to interpret a poem, and so on. I would also use this as a way to let the students interpret what the poem means to them and to perform it the way they think it should be performed.
February 21, 2021
This book is a must have for the primary classroom!
I am normally quite hesitant and picky when it comes to poetry, however I loved most of the poems in this book.
I couldn’t resist picking up a pencil and making lots of annotations throughout of suggestions for lessons, ideas on how it could be read, and some in depth study ideas to use in my future teaching.
There is such a range of poems in this book that there is something for everyone - even someone who usually doesn’t care much for poetry like myself! I’m sure other children would feel the same, and the possibilities with this book are endless.
There are also suggestions for reading the poems aloud at the back to prompt teaching and learning in a fun and engaging way to make poetry an appealing topic for all.
I am normally quite hesitant and picky when it comes to poetry, however I loved most of the poems in this book.
I couldn’t resist picking up a pencil and making lots of annotations throughout of suggestions for lessons, ideas on how it could be read, and some in depth study ideas to use in my future teaching.
There is such a range of poems in this book that there is something for everyone - even someone who usually doesn’t care much for poetry like myself! I’m sure other children would feel the same, and the possibilities with this book are endless.
There are also suggestions for reading the poems aloud at the back to prompt teaching and learning in a fun and engaging way to make poetry an appealing topic for all.
June 1, 2022
This book provides children with the opportunity to bring poems to life. Using this book in the classroom will encourage children to act out and perform stories, poems and plays. This book provides a range of high-quality poems which will assist in getting children interested in poetry. It could be used as a stimulus for creating and performing drama and/or music and also to help inspire their own writing and pieces of artwork.
I particularly like this book as it provides suggestions on how to perform the written pieces. An idea from this book could be used as a way of encouraging children to think of their own ways to perform a piece. This type of text really helps to build confidence in children and bring poetry to life.
This text is truly fun to work with!
I particularly like this book as it provides suggestions on how to perform the written pieces. An idea from this book could be used as a way of encouraging children to think of their own ways to perform a piece. This type of text really helps to build confidence in children and bring poetry to life.
This text is truly fun to work with!
March 23, 2021
Contains a good collection of poems that can be used in the class room. Poems are by a variety of authors and contain poems about a lot of themes. There are a lot of nature based poems in this book. At the end of the book there is a recommendation of how to perform each of the poems, this is helpful to have as a teacher because it allows us to make poetry more engaging and link it to drama and performance.
October 8, 2020
Poetry is not my strongest area but I enjoyed several of the poems contained within this collection. From the sound collector, nut tree and I dont want to go to school. Plenty of poems to explore rhythm and rhyme, several also have good use of adjectives. A useful collection to explore with a class and also to potentially use to end the day on.
September 30, 2022
This was a book my mum got for me when I was a lot younger. Even so, I remember going through these poems for the first time, memorising them, performing them in front of my family, and creating numerous good memories. Many have stayed with me for all these years. Truly unforgettable. A great collection of children's poems.
February 12, 2020
This book has a wonderful collection of poems to perform. Children will love these short poems which cover interesting and relatable topics for children. Children will have fun reading these alone or performing them to their friends. It is a great way to introduce young children to poetry and spark their interest. For teachers it is a great source which is easy to plan to.
September 30, 2020
A wonderful collection of poems to perform to children. A selection of lots of different poems with fun names for children to choose from. I will get a lot of use out of this as a teacher and love reading it aloud!
June 2, 2021
Fun to read out loud or even to sing to *Rum Tum Tugger by TS Elliott* from Cats musical.
Some are fun to read with kids and some I couldn't hold her attention - it is more for my own pleasure as I love tongue twisters and poems
Some are fun to read with kids and some I couldn't hold her attention - it is more for my own pleasure as I love tongue twisters and poems
June 14, 2022
Another Classic really useful to get children interested in poetry, great way to get them to learn and act out poems. I found it gave them a lot of confidence to perform in front of one another the book was really helpful in getting them into it.
October 31, 2019
Fine, but a rather forgettable anthology.
September 30, 2020
A lovely collection of poems - simple and fun.
October 20, 2020
A wonderful collection of exciting poems to perform. I love that there is performance suggestions at the back separate from the poem. Can't wait to use these in my class!
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May 6, 2021What a fun collection of entertaining poems! This book gave me some ideas for creative writing in the classroom.
August 28, 2021
Absolutely loved this collection of poetry! This is an amazing resource for children to express their interest in English through dramatics, music and art.
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June 13, 2022This book provides a great mix of poems to explore and good ideas for performance for each poem. It would be better if it was in color though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews