We have raved about this book already on the blog but on National Poetry Day we're handing over to Fiona for a brilliant guest article on the merits of poetry for children. Over to you, Fiona!

Why Children Should Read Poetry

First off, there is no should about it. Children should not have to be made to read poetry anymore than they shouldbe made to read at all – the eat-up-your-broccoli school of thought. Encouraged, invited to share, shown by example, given a poem to suit the day, the weather – yes to all of these!

Children love poetry. They love its rhythms, colour, magic, its lack of complication and many times, its humour, but also its ability to whack you in the solar plexus. If maybe they don’t have the actual vocabulary themselves to express their thoughts, a poem can say it all. And for some the shorter length is attractive. If they are daunted by a novel, a quick dip into a poetry book can have a huge impact, can take the reader almost immediately to another world. What a wonderful place to start the reading journey.

Fiona Waters and a moggy friend

The oral tradition of relating stories and histories is where it all began.

Long before people learned to read, they listened to storytellers and poets as they went from village to village to perform and entertain. Everyone could share the experience, it wasn’t restricted to adults. Poetry is so very good to read aloud. Composed for the ear with wonderful onomatopoeia, the very sound of the words creating an energy that is utterly beguiling, sometimes using words as yet unknown which will invite the question, ‘What does that mean?’ Beatrix Potter knew this. The Flopsy Bunnies were ‘improvident’ and eating too much lettuce is ‘soporific’.

Children write marvellous poetry themselves. When I am putting together an anthology one of the first places I look for new material is collections of their own poems. The degree of sophistication may surprise some, but we should never underestimate their understanding, they have just the same emotions, dreams, fears, anxieties as we do – all they lack is experience. Adults should also be aware that a good poem for a child to read and enjoy may not have originally been written for a child at all, another important ingredient in my own anthologies.

And finally, if you do wish to go down the broccoli route, then poetry can help develop language skills, it can improve the memory and feed the imagination in the most dynamic manner. So many educational boxes ticked and in such an enjoyable manner. A win win for poetry!