Caroline Kennedy, compiler of A Family of Poems (Hyperion, 2005), has put together another treasury, this time encouraging readers to make poems their own. "If we learn a poem by heart, it is ours forever-and better still, we can share it with others, yet not have to give it away." Thoughtful introductions preface the volume as a whole and each thematic section (self; family; friendship and love; fairies, ogres and witches; nonsense poems; school; sports and games; war; nature). From the perfect opening poem, Rita Dove's "The First Book," ("Open it. / Go ahead, it won't bite. / ... It's not like it's the end of the world- / just the world as you think / you know it") to the final section of "extra credit," offering lengthier poems and passages to savor and memorize, there is a wide range of poetry and poets represented here, from classics to contemporary offerings, and from playful to deeply moving. Two students from DreamYard Prep, a small Bronx high school, were involved in the selection of poems, and a piece called "Voices Rising" from the school's slam team is one of the poems included. (Ages 7-14)

For this companion to her New York Times best-selling collection A Family of Poems, Caroline Kennedy has hand-selected more than a hundred of her favorite poems that lend themselves to memorization. Some are joyful. Some are sad. Some are funny and lighthearted. Many offer layers of meaning that reveal themselves only after the poem has been studied so closely as to be learned by heart.

In issuing the challenge to memorize great poetry, Caroline Kennedy invites us to a deeply enriching experience. For as she reminds us, “If we learn poems by heart, not only do we have their wisdom to draw on, we also gain confidence, knowledge and understanding that no one can take away.”

Illustrated with gorgeous, original watercolor paintings by award-winning artist Jon J Muth , this is truly a book for all ages, and one that families will share again and again. Caroline’s thoughtful introductions shed light on the many ways we can appreciate poetry, and the special tradition of memorizing and reciting poetry that she celebrates within her own family.