Ten Books for National Poetry Month (plus a weekly poetry challenge)

  April is a mere five days away, and that means it’s almost National Poetry Month! To help you get a kick start to celebrating poetry throughout April, we’ve put together an assortment of book recommendations. You’ll find a little bit of everything in this list of ten books: poetry collections, picture book stories told in poems, biographies of poets, even a novel in verse! We hope this list is just the beginning of a month of reading, discussing and doing (that is, writing ) poetry! We have a month long celebration planned in which we challenge our readers and the children in their lives to read, discuss, and write four different types of poems—one challenge per week. You can join the weekly poetry fun by subscribing to our newsletter , visiting the website regularly for updates, following us on Instagram (@readdiscussdo), or all of the above! To read : Choose a book from this list or any poetry book. To discuss : Do you usually like poetry? Why or why not? Can you think of a poem y

Eight Tips for Helping Young Readers Bloom

Spring is here, so many people are planning and prepping to work in their gardens. In many places, spring flowers are already blooming or daffodils and other spring bulbs are poking up out of the warming soil. Given the right conditions and care, gardens can be thriving, vibrant places full of life. And the same is true for young readers! So, to celebrate spring and gardens and reading, here are ten tips to help your young readers bloom and thrive, along with some garden photos for some garden inspiration.

1. Just like flowers, budding readers blossom in their own time. Encourage them, but let them grow at their own pace.

2. Gardens need the right nutrients to grow, and this can vary depending on the plant. The same is true for young readers. Fertilize young readers minds with consistent, nutrient-rich mind food. In other words, offer a variety of books! But remember, not all growing readers will respond to the same books the same way. 

Cone flowers and black-eyed Susans in Rebecca's
native garden.

3. Be sure to include a blend of perennials (old favorites) and annuals (new picks) in your reading garden. The library is like a garden center for young minds. Use it often!

4. Spend time tending your garden (reading) every day!

Laura's spring daffodils

5. Gardening honors the seasons: sometimes a quick story quenches your thirst like a burst of rain moistens a seed sprouting in the spring. Other times a long steady read is needed to sink deep into the soil of your heart, like the snow and rains of winter. 

6. Share what's in your garden with others, like putting together a bouquet or sharing your crop of tomatoes! This can be as simple as talking about what you're reading and even recommending favorite books. 

An old stock tank that Marci converted to a 
raised garden bed

7. Gardening, like reading, can be even more special when you do it with someone you love. Sharing a picture book at bedtime, reading a novel together as a family, or participating in a book club can all be ways to cultivate a lifetime of reading.

8. Let the sun shine on your garden! Set an example by making sure your young readers see you reading for the simple pleasure of it.


Looking for more? Check out these garden themed posts:







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