Nina Kossman
Cockroach Soup and Other Poems for Kids
A delightful collection of short, punchy poems that celebrate the absurdity of childhood without being preachy or overly sweet.
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Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
Verse novel · ages 4–12 · 600L · 2000
The definitive poem collection for kids who are ready to fall in love with language—Silverstein's voice is deadpan, the rhythm is infectious, and every poem invites a kid to see the world tilted sideways.
Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes
by Marguerite de Angeli
Picture book · ages 3–7 · 1970
De Angeli's illustrations are warm and period-detailed without being cloying; this is the read-aloud collection that actually works across the 3–7 span because the rhymes carry kids who can't read yet and entertain those who can.
Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes
by Josie Fison
Nonfiction · ages 8–12 · 600L · 1997
A chaotic, giggle-inducing gateway to cooking that trades nutritional sense for Dahl's absurdist spirit — kids will beg to make Witches' Grog and Willy Wonka's Fudge, and the recipes mostly work.