Concrete Poetry: Fun with Words

Concrete poetry can be a lot of fun for children eight and older. "A Poke in the I" is one of my favorite books of concrete poetry. In case you are not familiar with them, concrete poems can be one-word poems or poems with a number of words, but in every case, the words are arranged into a particular shape that reflects the poem's meaning.

"A Poke in the I" is a collection of thirty concrete poems by well-known visual poets. Poet Paul B. Janeczko edited the book, which was published by Candlewick Press. The quality of the poetry, the design of the book, and the witty collages by Chris Raschka, a Caldecott Honor artist, create an exceptional experience for the reader. I recommend the book for 8-14 year olds.