SOLVED. Children's Poetry book. Poems: Popcorn Song, I have a little shadow, There was a little turtle, Cocoa & Animal Crackers, Swing song, The Piper, etc. Old-fashioned illustrations. Large book, not very thick. Cover: orange. Read 1990-2000. [s]

[Sarah]

I'm looking for a poetry book I remember reading to my younger siblings - probably between 1990-2000, but the book was an old one we found somewhere or were given.
It was a very large size with an orange cover, not terribly thick. Being little, we usually just called it 'The Big Orange Book', so I don't remember a title! I want to say there was an illustration on the front, but I don't remember what it was.
It was definitely not Robert Louis Stevenson's book for children, although I know some of his poetry was in it.
It had very adorable old-fashioned illustrations - more like sketches than paintings.
Poems included: 'Popcorn Song', 'I have a little shadow', 'There was a little turtle', 'Cocoa and Animal Crackers', one about a little boy playing hide and seek with his parents, 'Swing Song'(or something like that!), 'The Piper', and many others.
If anyone has any clues, I'd be so happy to try to find this book! Wish I knew what happened to it between two moves...!

[[deleted user]]

Maybe The Best Loved Poems of the American People?

[Sarah]

I don't think so...this one had fewer poems and a lot of illustrations, at least one for each poem.
It was also very much for children, more so than children/YA.
Thanks so much for the suggestion, though!

[Teri-K]

Could it be one of these?

or

I grew up with them and they have all the poems you mention, including "I'm hiding, I'm hiding and no one knows where, for all they can see is my toes and my hair..." lol

[Sarah]

"Poems of Early Childhood' sounds familiar...I'll see if I can get a look inside.

[Teri-K]

Sarah wrote: ""Poems of Early Childhood' sounds familiar...I'll see if I can get a look inside."

Childcraft has released numerous versions of these books over the years, with different pictures. Ours had illustrations by many different artists, so it may be hard to find pictures of the exact pages you remember. But perhaps you'll recognize some other pages.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Sarah, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Sarah]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Sarah, are you still looking for this or did you find it?"

No, I never did. Maybe one day I'll come across it in a second hand store or something!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Don't give up. Bump your thread every once in awhile (but not more often than every 30 days) to get new members looking at it.

[Todd]

https://archive.org/stream/childcraft...

is this it?

[Rosa]

ChildCraft, Poems of Early Childhood for the Goodreads link.

[SBC]

One from my bookshelf: The Faber Book Of Children's Verse? It's orange (at least, one edition of it was), but just a normal paperback size and lacking illustrations...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking now?

[Sarah]

I never found it, but I'd completely forgotten about this thread!

[Kris]

Sarah, do you know which country this book is from?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it.

[Kris]

Is 'Cocoa & Animal Crackers' the Christopher Morley's poem "Animal Crackers"? I've used the spoiler tag to shorten the post (unfortunately, this doesn't work on the mobile app).

(view spoiler)[Animal Crackers
Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.
What do YOU choose when you're offered a treat?
When Mother says, "What would you like best to eat?"
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?
It's cocoa and animals that I love most!

The kitchen's the cosiest place that I know;
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see
The cocoa and animals waiting for me.

Daddy and Mother dine later in state,
With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait;
But they don't have nearly as much fun as I
Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by;
And Daddy once said, he would like to be me
Having cocoa and animals once more for tea. (hide spoiler)]

[Kris]

Is 'Swing Song' the The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson? I've used the spoiler tag to shorten the post (unfortunately, this doesn't work on the mobile app).

(view spoiler)[How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside—

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown—
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down! (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Kris wrote: "Sarah, do you know which country this book is from?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it."

I'm afraid I don't. Either US or England. We read so many books from GB, I probably wouldn't have noticed the spelling differences!

[Sarah]

Kris wrote: "Is 'Cocoa & Animal Crackers' the Christopher Morley's poem "Animal Crackers"? I've used the spoiler tag to shorten the post (unfortunately, this doesn't work on the mobile app).

Animal Crackers
An..."

Yes, that's the one!

[Sarah]

Kris wrote: "Is 'Swing Song' the The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson? I've used the spoiler tag to shorten the post (unfortunately, this doesn't work on the mobile app).

How do ..."

Yes! I can just picture the illustration - from behind the child on the swing, looking down over a wall and beautiful countryside...

[Margaret]

I’m sure it’s the Childcraft book, because I had the same set as a child with the poetry book being my favorite. A couple of years ago , I found a set on Etsy and bought it. It was the set published around 1949. You can try looking for the poetry volume by itself, but as that’s everyone’s favorite it would be harder to find. Also try EBay and used book sites.

[Tab]

For a Child Great Poems Old and New by Wilma McFarland sounds like it. It has all of the poems you mentioned.

You can read the book on Openlibrary
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL65114...

Here's a link to a copy of the book on Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/listing/98816593...

[Sarah]

Tab wrote: "For a Child Great Poems Old and New by Wilma McFarland sounds like it. It has all of the poems you mentioned.

You can read the book on Openlibrary
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL65..."

YES! That's it! After all these years, I've finally found it. I was able to see some of the illustrations on Etsy, and I remember the format so well! I'm thrilled! Oh, the memories...

Thank you so much, everyone, especially @Tab. I can't wait to get a copy!