Thirty-three poems by various writers offer advice to young readers for doing such things as toasting marshmallows, walking on Mars, and being a snowflake. The range of subjects covered by these short, child–friendly poems is impressive. Some are light and humorous, while others are more thought- provoking. Although we wish the selection of poets was more culturally diverse, the inclusion of two poems related to disabilities is notable, and the illustrations compensate for the lack of poets of color and Native writers by depicting a diverse cast of child characters throughout. The spare illustrations also leave room for the child’s imagination to interpret the meaning of the poems. (Ages 4–8)

Toast a marshmallow, be a tree in winter, read braille — Paul B. Janeczko and Richard Jones invite you to enjoy an assortment of poems that inform and inspire.

Today I walked outside and spied
a hedgehog on the hill.
When she and I met eye to eye,
she raised up straight and still.

Be they practical (how to mix a pancake or how to bird-watch) or fanciful (how to scare monsters or how to be a snowflake), the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won’t find in any instruction manual. Poets from Kwame Alexander to Pat Mora to Allan Wolf share the way to play hard, to love nature, and to be grateful. Soft, evocative illustrations will encourage readers to look at the world with an eye to its countless possibilities.

Contributors include:

Kwame Alexander
Calef Brown
Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Margarita Engle
Ralph Fletcher
Douglas Florian
Helen Frost
Martin Gardner
Charles Ghigna
Nikki Grimes
Anna E. Jordan
Karla Kuskin
Irene Latham
J. Patrick Lewis
Marjorie Maddox
Elaine Magliaro
Pat Mora
Christina Rossetti
Monica Shannon
Marilyn Singer
Robert Louis Stevenson
Charles Waters
April Halprin Wayland
Steven Withrow
Allan Wolf