Children’s poetry books for 7-11-year-olds
Children’s poetry for 7-11-year-olds. Here’s our selection of contemporary, classic, themed, diverse and exciting poetry books for KS2 children, classrooms and school libraries. Featuring collections and anthologies by Michael Rosen, Joseph Coelho, Carol Ann Duffy, Brian Moses, Benjamin Zephaniah, Zaro Weil, Kate Wakeling, Neal Zetter, John Agard, T.S Eliot, Maya Angelou, Kaye Webb and more, there’s a wide range of forms, styles and subjects for every interest, topic area and ability.
Poetry for children aged 7-11 – our recommendations
Poetry anthologies for children aged 7-11
Michael Rosen’s A-Z: The best children’s poetry from Agard to Zephaniah by Michael Rosen.
Happy Poems chosen by Roger McGough.
Poems Aloud: An anthology of poems to read out loud by Joseph Coelho and Daniel Gray-Barnett The River’s A Singer by Valerie Bloom
The River’s A Singer is a collection of vibrant poems from the 2022 CLiPPA award-winning poet Valerie Bloom, with intricate pen and ink illustrations by Sophie Bass. We loved ‘If’, ‘The Artist’, and ‘Today I’m Not Going to School’. Suitable for children aged 8-12, this collection is lively, inspiring, and relatable—always accessible. Teachers will appreciate the rhythmic poetry, range of poetic forms, and rich examples of figurative language. It’s ideal for teachers to use in literacy and to inspire creative writing. The Christmas poems will be of particular interest for festive classroom topics. Highly recommended.
The Shape of Rainbows by Neal Zetter
Whether befriending, startling, or holidaying with a rhino, each poem in this new collection invites 7+ readers to embark on funny and imaginative journeys. Living next door to a Viking or witnessing the tale of a boy who devours his school, these poems, set to lively illustrations by Will Hughes will make children both laugh and think. Thought-provoking, memorable and perfect to read and discuss in class, The Shape of Rainbows is highly recommended for KS2.
The Head That Wears A Crown edited by Rachel Piercey and Emma Dai’an Wright
This anthology contains shape poetry, rhyming couplets, conversation poems, blank verse, ballads, and narrative verse, making it ideal as a springboard for creative writing and literacy instruction. The work of poets such as Melanie Branton, Rebecca Colby, Laura Mucha, and Brian Moses spans a wide range of tones and styles. Read our full review.
New and Collected Poems for Children by Carol Ann Duffy.
The Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry by Brian Patten.
A Poem for Every Day of the Year by Allie Esiri.Contemporary poetry collections for children aged 7-11
Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The Poetry World of James Carter by James Carter.
Hot Like Fire Bind-up by Valerie Bloom. 
Selfies With Komodos: Poems by Brian Moses.A Passing On of Shells: 50 Fifty-Word Poems by Simon Lamb and Chris Riddell
Basketball, mysteries, a scribble, caring for fallen stars and poetry itself are just some of the subjects of this diverse collection of observational and inspirational wordplay poetry. With eye-catching illustrations and the sheer variety of forms, these 50 poems will be a goldmine for KS2 classrooms and teachers.
I Don’t Like Poetry by Joshua Seigal.
Funky Chickens by Benjamin Zephaniah.
Moon Juice: Poems for Children by Kate Wakeling.Cherry Moon: Little Poems Big Ideas Mindful of Nature by Zaro Weil
The award-winning nature poetry collection sparkles with creativity, verve and imagination. KS2 readers will love the short accessible poems featuring Beast-doodles, preposterous penguins and humble fleas. Teachers will love the sheer variety of forms including shape poems, lists, haiku, riddles and conversation poems. At the end of the book, there’s a raft of useful writing prompts to use in class or for students to try at home. Highly recommended.
Razzmatazz!: The Poetry World of Roger Stevens by Roger Stevens.
Chicken on the Roof by Matt Goodfellow.
Michael Rosen’s Book of Very Silly Poems by Michael Rosen.An Imaginary Menagerie by Roger McGough
With fun wordplay, homonyms, puns and rhymes ‘An Imaginary Menagerie’ is perfect for literacy teaching in years 3 and 4. Teachers will remember this collection fondly from their childhoods or early teaching careers and children will love the wordplay, rhymes and sense of humour. Aunt eater is a particular favourite. Great for modelling poetry in KS2 and sparking ideas for animal-related topic work, this is a cracking collection of lively and fun animal poems for 7-11-year-olds.
Narrative and themed poetry for 7-11-year-olds
On the Move: Poems About Migration by Michael Rosen.
Overheard in a Tower Block: Poems by Joseph Coelho.
Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill.We Are Family by Oliver Skyes
This heartwarming poetry adventure blends chaos, fun and heartfelt reflection to give 7+ readers a tantalising glimpse into Oliver Sykes’s single-parent household childhood. With laugh-out-loud anecdotes, poignant stories, and touching illustrations by Ian Morris, this collection is not only an enjoyable read but also an insightful exploration of love, resilience, and the importance of family bonds. Highly recommended. Read our full review.
Outside In by Daniel Thompson, illustrated by Julia Murray
7+-year-olds will love to dive into this collection of 50 fresh and inspirational poems that celebrate the seasons, senses, wildlife, weather and nature. With vivid illustrations and thought-provoking ideas, these poems will encourage readers to look outside and explore the joys of spring. ‘Outside In’ is highly recommended for reading aloud, discussing or using as an impetus for creative writing in KS2.
When Poems Fall From The Sky by Zaro Weil
Featuring playlets, haiku, rhymes, raps and plenty of poems, When Poems Fall From the Sky is a lively collection that’s well suited to KS2 literacy teaching or to use in themed National Poetry Day workshops. Illustrated throughout with spectacular lithograph prints by Junli Song, this is a vibrant book to inspire cross-curricular poetry and artwork projects in years 3-6. For English teachers looking to model observational and nature poems and art teachers looking for printmaking inspiration, this anthology will prove particularly valuable.
What Are We Fighting For? Poems About War by Brian Moses and Roger Stevens.
Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman.
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.Out Of This World by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Ed Vere
Out Of This World is a highly anticipated collection of poems by Michael Rosen, with illustrations by Ed Vere, aimed at children aged 7+. The poems explore themes of imagination and time travel – through history, geography and beyond – making it a useful resource for teachers to use when modelling and discussing imaginative writing in the classroom. Highly recommended.
The Universal Zoo by Neal Zetter.
The Magic of Mums by Justin Coe.
Off By Heart: Poems for Children to Learn, Remember and Perform by Roger Stevens.
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander.
Hello H2O by John Agard & Satoshi Kitamura.
Being you: Poems of Positivity to Support Kids’ Emotional Wellbeing by Daniel Thompson.Classic poetry for 7-11-year-old children
Rhyme Stew by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake.
The Complete Nonsense of Edward Lear by Edward Lear.
Cautionary Verses by Hilaire Belloc and Quentin Blake.Laughter is an Egg by John Agard
A very funny series of poems, riddles, jokes and ballads. A good book for UKS2 classroom libraries, these poems are great to read aloud to class; perform in groups; or use for modelling children’s creative poetry ideas.
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot.
Silly Verse for Kids by Spike Milligan.
Collected Poems for Children by Ted Hughes.Heard it in the Playground by Allan Ahlberg
A funny illustrated collection of poems and songs about primary school life. These timeless poems reflect situations many teachers will have seen and experienced! Including Billy McBone, the Mad Professor’s Daughter and a Longest Kiss Contest there’s plenty of variety here to engage KS2 class in this collection that’s perfect to dip into at the end of the school day. There’s also the ‘Mrs Butler Blues’ to perhaps mime subversively in staff meetings…
I Like This Poem by Kaye Webb.
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou.
The Rattle Bag: An Anthology of PoetrySeamus Heaney & Ted Hughes.
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Poetry for 7-11-year-old children resources
- The Poetry Society offers a microsite for teachers – Poetryclass – which features a vast range of free lesson plans and activities to download.
- Poetry Foundation features videos, learning ideas, reviews and selected poems which teachers in KS2 will find useful. There are also educational articles and poem guides.
- The Poetry Archive is a stunning free website that features a section for teachers which includes poems to read, poems to listen to, interviews with poets, a children’s poetry archive, downloadable learning resources and challenges, and topic-based poetry collections.
- Michael Rosen’s YouTube channel is a goldmine of performance poetry videos that are perfect to inspire children’s writing and reading of poetry.
- James Carter’s website offers lots of poetry tips for KS2 teachers, including how to arrange school poetry events, poetry writing ideas, and suggestions for how to celebrate and display children’s poetry.
- The Dirigible Balloon is a fabulous website that aims to “showcase the best poetry that writers for children have to offer.” Many of the poems are also available to listen to as audio files.
