What a delight to find a poetry collection that works on so many levels. It’s a tour through world poetry and an introduction to contemporary and classic poets, as well as a great primer for vocabulary and emotions. Yes, A is Amazing (Frances Lincoln, $18.99), but have you considered H for Huffy, N for Nostalgic, Z for Zestful, or P for Puddle-Wonderful? For each emotion (and letter of the alphabet), editor Wendy Cooling has chosen a poem to represent it. Her selections mix the iconic and the unexpected. Debjani Chatterjee’s “My Sari” is under G for Good; John Keats, with “A Song About Myself,” makes an appearance under N for Naughty. Piet Grobler’s bright paint-and-ink drawings underscore Cooling’s message that poetry is whimsical, lively, and fun. Ages 7-10. EMS
