Small Poems and Peacock by Valerie Worth (and illustrated by Natalie Babbitt)

Small poetry books full of small poems and small drawings: just right for small hands and small listening ears.

All the Small Poems and Fourteen More by Valerie Worth, illustrated by Natalie Babbitt. Square Fish. 1996. 208 pages.

Peacock and Other Poems by Valerie Worth, illustrated by Natalie Babbitt. Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux, 2002. 48 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10. (Peacock and Other Poems is a picture book, like the original Small Poems volumes.)

Recommended For: Ages 0-8

The best books for children are childlike. The author (and illustrator) remembers what it was like to live as a child. She remembers the size of the world, the fascination with small things, with everyday, ordinary things. Literally anything is a source of wonder.

Valerie Worth captures that feeling in this collection of small poems. The original volumes, beginning with Small Poems, are themselves small books. (The trim size of the collected works is similar; it simply has more pages.) These poems are about very ordinary things: a cat, a frog, carrots, a cow…. Suddenly, the reader realizes Worth is correct: carrots must taste the same to horses as they do to us. And yes, I would like to pick up that white duck. The sun streaming in through the window does look like it’s taking a nap on the floor.

Writing children’s poetry requires true finesse. Some books offer merely a singsong verse and call it “poetry.” Worth’s poetry, on the other hand, is real poetry, with a delicate touch. It may remind you of William Carlos Williams and other poets who use words sparingly to great effect.

Peacock and Other Poems is a little newer, but the poems are quite similar in feel. The biggest difference between it and the earlier Small Poems volumes is in Babbitt’s illustrations. The earlier Small Poems volumes feature a delicate pen-and-ink sketch with each poem. Peacock does as well, but the illustrations are less like pen-and-ink sketches and more like, well, illustrations. I much prefer the earlier versions; they invite the reader/viewer to look at them more closely and seem to fit the poetry better. They are utterly marvelous little sketches. Both books are black and white; the difference is in how fleshed out the drawings are.

Look for these in your local library (although, if you are a children’s poetry lover, you might find yourself promptly ordering them from Amazon, as I did! See below for those links). These books are a lovely introduction to poetry for children. Try reading one at a time, over a little afternoon snack (or tea!). Bring a book along on a picnic and look for one of the many nature poems to read while sitting outside. If your children are a little older, they might be inspired to write their own poem in response!

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.5
• Worldview Rating: 4.5

Read more about our ratings here.

Related Reading from Redeemed Reader

• A Book Review: We loved Sing a Song of Seasons, which features a nature poem for each day of the year!
• A Book Review: A Walk in the Woods is a gentle book about grief, nature, and a legacy.
• A Resource: Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Poetry with Children

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Buy All the Small Poems and 14 More from Amazon.

Buy Peacock and Other Small Poems from Amazon.