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Articles by Kenn Nesbitt
My Hamster Has a Hovercraft
When I was a kid, I had lots of toys, including toy cars, trucks, and airplanes. I loved imagining that they could go on incredible adventures, racing down highways, flying through the clouds, or speeding away from bad guys in daring escapes. I also had quite a few pets growing up. Over the years, my family had cats and dogs, a parakeet, an aquarium full of fish, and even a snake! But there’s one pet I never had: a hamster.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, October 17, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers, teachers, and friends! It is time once again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, where we gather the latest news, clever writing prompts, and inspiring verse shared across the world of children’s poetry over the past week.
My New Poetry Book Is Here!
It’s Here! My Biggest Book of Poetry Ever! I have some BIG news! Today, October 13, 2026, my brand-new book, The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt, is officially available! I’ve been working on this book for a long time, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally share it with you. Now, before you ask, no, I don’t actually think I’ve written the greatest book of poetry ever. That would be a pretty ridiculous claim, wouldn’t it?
Dear Squishy, I Love You
I only recently discovered just how popular squishy toys have become. These soft, stretchy, squeezable toys come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors, including cute animals, funny faces, and even pretend food. Kids love to squeeze them, stretch them, squish them, and watch them slowly return to their original shapes. They’re fun to play with, and squeezing them can even help some people relax or relieve stress.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, October 10, 2026
Welcome to this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup! It is time once again to gather together and explore the latest news, thoughtful articles, and creative updates from the world of children’s poetry from the past week. Carole Boston Weatherford In Banned Books Week: Censors Target Poetry for Young People, 2024 Young People’s Poet Laureate Carole Boston Weatherford addresses the rising challenges against BIPOC and LGBTQ+ literature.
Basketball’s My Favorite Sport
“Basketball’s My Favorite Sport” is one of the many funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions.
Pumpkin Problems
Halloween is coming up soon, so this year I decided to write several different pumpkin poems. Out of all of them, this one quickly became one of my favorites. One of the fun things about visiting a pumpkin patch is seeing how many different kinds of pumpkins there are. Some are tall, some are short, some are wide, some are skinny, and some have funny stems or unusual colors and stripes. When every pumpkin has something special about it, picking just one can be a lot harder than it sounds.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, October 3, 2026
Welcome to this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup! It is time once again to summarize the latest news, creative inspirations, and poetic updates from around the children’s poetry community from the past week. Whether you are a poet looking for a spark of inspiration or an elementary school teacher seeking fresh ideas for the classroom, there is plenty to discover.
Lorenzo Liszt, Non-Scientist
“Lorenzo Liszt, Non-Scientist” is one of the many funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, September 26, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers, teachers, and friends! It is time again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. This post summarizes the latest news, thoughtful reviews, and delightful new verses from the world of children’s poetry from the past week. Children’s Poetry Summit Over at the Children’s Poetry Summit, Irish children’s poet Lucinda Jacob shares a heartwarming perspective in Lucinda Jacob: A (Personal) View From Ireland.
It’s Fun to Be a Football
Football season has just begun, and some members of my family are already enthusiastically watching the games and hoping their favorite team will make it to the Super Bowl again this year. I’ve written lots of sports poems over the years, including a couple about football. But those poems could just as easily have been about soccer as American football.
Summer and Autumn
Here’s a brand new video for my latest poem, “Summer and Autumn,” about a telephone call from the summer to the autumn asking when she is going to arrive. Enjoy!
I Think I’d Like to Get a Pet
“I Think I’d Like to Get a Pet” is one of the many funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, September 19, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers, teachers, and fellow verse-makers! It is time once again for our weekly Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. I am delighted to share this summary of the latest news, poems, and creative inspiration gathered from around the world of children’s poetry over the past week. Children’s Poetry Summit In Allie Esiri: On the Ten-Year Anniversary of A Poem for Every Night of the Year, guest writer Allie Esiri reflects on a decade of weaving verse into daily family routines.
Summer and Autumn
I wrote this poem because, here in the northern hemisphere, summer is almost over and fall will be here in just a few days. But, at least where I live, you wouldn’t necessarily know it from the weather. The days are still sunny and warm, and it still feels a lot like summer, even though I know the cooler autumn weather will be arriving before long. That got me thinking about what might happen if Summer and Autumn were actual people with jobs to do and schedules to keep.
Picture Day - Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4kids.com
My wife recently started a new job as a school picture day photographer. Every day when she comes home, she has interesting, and often funny stories about the people and things she photographed that day. She’s taken pictures of hundreds of students, of course, but she’s also photographed teachers, school staff, and even a principal’s dog! One thing she quickly discovered is that the grown-ups aren’t necessarily any easier to photograph than the kids.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, September 12, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers, teachers, and writers! It is time again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, bringing you a warm summary of news, lessons, prompts, and poems shared across the community over the past week. Children’s Poetry Summit Self-taught illustrator Shirley Hottier shares her creative process and experiences working on poetry books in Shirley Hottier: About Illustrating Poetry.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel” is one of the many funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. You can pre-order the Kindle edition now here: https://kennn.com/greatestebook If you enjoyed this poem, please give the video a 👍 on YouTube, subscribe to my channel, and click the notification bell so you won’t miss future poems, readings, and book updates.
Space Llamas - Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4kids.com
The beginning of a new school year can be exciting, but it can also be a little scary. You might wonder who you’ll sit with, whether you’ll make new friends, or whether the other kids will think you’re cool. That was one of the ideas that got me started on this poem. The other idea has been bouncing around in my head for years. Once, during an assembly at an elementary school, I was speaking to about 200 fourth- and fifth-graders.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, September 5, 2026
Hello friends! It is time once again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. I am delighted to bring you a friendly summary of the latest news, inspiring thoughts, and creative updates from the world of children’s poetry from the past week. Charles Waters Poet Charles Waters checks in after a brief hiatus with POETRY TIME BLOG #58.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, August 29, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers, teachers, and friends! It is time again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. In this post, we take a look back at the latest news, creative exercises, and delightful verse shared across the world of children’s poetry over the past week. Children’s Poetry Summit Over at Children’s Poetry Summit, author Brian Moses explores the power of writing on location in Brian Moses: Writing on Location.
My Teacher Ate My Homework
“My Teacher Ate My Homework” is one of the many funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. You can pre-order the Kindle edition now here: https://kennn.com/greatestebook If you enjoyed this poem, please give the video a 👍 on YouTube, subscribe to my channel, and click the notification bell so you won’t miss future poems, readings, and book updates.
Don’t Rat on a Mouse
“Don’t Rat on a Mouse” is one of the funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. You can pre-order the Kindle edition now here: https://kennn.com/greatestebook If you enjoyed this poem, please give the video a 👍 on YouTube, subscribe to my channel, and click the notification bell so you won’t miss future poems, readings, and book updates.
Get Your Students Excited About Writing This School Year!
As the new school year begins, you’re likely looking for creative ways to inspire your students and ignite their passion for reading and writing. What better way to do that than by bringing an award-winning children’s author directly into your classroom—virtually, of course! Each year, I visit hundreds of schools around the world through live, interactive online sessions.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, August 22, 2026
Welcome back to this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup! It is time once again to explore the latest news, ideas, and poems from around the vibrant world of children’s poetry over the past week. Children’s Poetry Summit In a thoughtful piece titled Lucy Macnab: The Power of Wonder – Why Children’s Poetry Matters in a Changing Climate, author Lucy Macnab reflects on how wonder serves as an essential, grounding force for children processing big climate emotions.
The Sofa Ate My Father
“The Sofa Ate My Father” is one of the funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. You can pre-order the Kindle edition now here: https://kennn.com/greatestebook If you enjoyed this poem, please give the video a 👍 on YouTube, subscribe to my channel, and click the notification bell so you won’t miss future poems, readings, and book updates.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, August 15, 2026
Welcome, fellow poetry lovers! It is time again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, where we gather to celebrate the latest news, updates, and verses from the world of children’s poetry over the past week. Whether you are a poet, an elementary school teacher, or simply someone who delights in a clever verse, here is a helpful summary of what our wonderful community has been sharing.
I Can’t Wait for Summer
“I Can’t Wait for Summer” is one of the funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. You can pre-order the Kindle edition now here: https://kennn.com/greatestebook If you enjoyed this poem, please give the video a 👍 on YouTube, subscribe to my channel, and click the notification bell so you won’t miss future poems, readings, and book updates.
Lunchbox Switcheroo
Sometimes magazines ask me to write poems on a specific topic. Earlier this year, an editor at Storyworks 4-6, a multi-genre magazine for students in grades 4–6, asked me to write a poem about being nervous about making new friends on the first day of school. Instead of writing just one poem, I did what I usually do and wrote several different ideas so the editor would have a few to choose from.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, August 8, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers and teachers! It is time once again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, summarizing the latest news, creative lessons, and inspiring ideas from around the world of children’s poetry over the past week. Carole Boston Weatherford Young People’s Poet Laureate Carole Boston Weatherford reflects on community reading initiatives in The Power of One: One School, One Book, One Author, One Poem.
Big Laughs, Small Wonders
Bison Rule, OK! Every so often, a poetry collection comes along that reminds me just how broad children’s poetry can be. Some poems make you laugh out loud. Some capture moments of family life with startling accuracy. Some tell stories. Some play with language. And some quietly sneak up on you and leave an emotional mark you weren’t expecting. Sarah Ziman’s brand-new collection, Bison Rule, OK!, arriving this August from Otter-Barry Books, manages to do all of those things in a single volume.
Benjamin Blink Drank Invisible Ink
“Benjamin Blink Drank Invisible Ink” is one of the funny poems from my upcoming collection, “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt.” The book will be released on October 13, 2026 in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, August 1, 2026
Welcome, fellow poets, teachers, and lovers of verse! It is time once again for our weekly Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, bringing you a comfortable collection of the latest news, poems, and reflections from around the children’s poetry community over the past week.
Announcing The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt
Announcing The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt I have a new book coming out in a couple of months! Take a look!
The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt
Celebrate the upcoming release of The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt! In this special episode, Kenn shares the story behind his biggest poetry collection yet… a “greatest hits” volume featuring 120 of his favorite poems from across his career, including 18 poems appearing in print for the very first time.
Announcing The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt
I’m thrilled to finally share some exciting news… After more than 25 years of writing poems for children—and publishing more than two dozen books—I’m releasing my biggest collection ever! The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt will be published on October 13, 2026, and the Kindle edition is available for preorder today! So… Why is it called “The Greatest Book of Poetry Ever Written by Kenn Nesbitt”? Good question. The title is obviously tongue-in-cheek.
Octo-Pair - Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4kids.com
When I’m writing a poem, I often know how it’s going to end long before I know how it’s will begin. It’s a little like taking a road trip. You don’t usually hop in the car and start driving without a destination in mind. First, you decide where you want to go. Then you figure out how to get there. You might take a wrong turn or two along the way, but if you keep your destination in sight, you’ll eventually arrive. This poem came together much the same way.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, July 25, 2026
Hello, poetry friends! It is time once again for our weekly Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. It has been a wonderful week in the world of children’s verse, and we have gathered the latest news, writing prompts, and educational resources from some of our favorite poets and teachers to share with you. Attie Lime Our friend Attie Lime shares a wonderful reflection on finding unexpected moments of delight in her post Unexpected JOY.
I Might Have Misbehaved Today
When I was a kid, it seems like I was always getting in trouble with my parents for misbehaving. The funny thing is, I usually didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I was just having fun. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to kick the newly planted flowers in the garden or chew on the edge of the dining room table. Somehow, though, my parents always disagreed. Those childhood memories were the inspiration for this poem, although once I started writing, the idea quickly took on a life of its own.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, July 18, 2026
Hello, poetry friends! It is time once again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. I am delighted to share this summary of the latest news, writing prompts, and book announcements from the wonderful world of children’s poetry from the past week. Whether you are a poet looking for inspiration or a teacher looking for fresh classroom ideas, there is plenty of poetic goodness to explore.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, July 11, 2026
Hello, fellow poetry lovers, teachers, and wordsmiths! It is that wonderful time of the week again for our weekly Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. We have a delightful collection of news, poetic prompts, teaching guides, and award-winning announcements to share from the past week. Whether you are searching for a new classroom activity or simply a quiet moment of inspiration, there is plenty of verse to go around, so let us take a friendly stroll through the latest updates from our community.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, July 4, 2026
Hello, fellow poetry lovers! It is time again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, where I gather the latest news, sweet verses, and creative updates from the world of children’s poetry from the past week. Whether you are an elementary school teacher looking for fresh classroom inspiration or a poet searching for a spark of imagination, there is plenty of wonderful news to share from our reading community.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, June 27, 2026
Welcome, poetry lovers, teachers, and wordsmiths! It is time again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup, where we gather and summarize the latest news, poems, and creative updates from the world of children’s poetry over the past week. We hope these updates inspire your classrooms, your writing desks, and your appreciation for children’s verse.
Out to the Ball Game
For this poem, I decided to revisit an idea I’d played with years ago in a Christmas poem that I co-wrote with my friend Linda Knaus. In that poem, “Christmas Has Its Ups and Downs,” we had fun using lots of words containing “up” and “down” to tell the story. I thought it would be amusing to create a summertime counterpart using “in” and “out” instead.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, June 20, 2026
Hello, lovely readers! It is time once again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. I’ve gathered the latest news, updates, and creative inspirations from the wonderful world of children’s poetry from the past week. Whether you are an teacher seeking fresh ways to bring rhyme into your classroom, a poet looking for a spark of imagination, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of verse, there is plenty of warm and wonderful news to share from our community.
Benny’s Back Yard Barbershop
I wrote this poem because I’m due for a haircut next week, and I have reached that awkward stage where my hair feels just a little too long. It’s not quite wild enough to be a problem, but it’s long enough that I find myself looking forward to my appointment and wishing it would get here sooner. At the same time, summer has finally arrived. After months of cool, rainy weather, the idea of spending time outdoors on a warm, sunny day sounded especially appealing.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, June 13, 2026
Hello, poetry friends! It is time once again for this week’s Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. I’ve gathered the latest news, updates, and creative inspiration from the world of children’s poetry from the past week, and I’m happy to share them with our community of poets, educators, and poetry lovers. Carole Boston Weatherford Young People’s Poet Laureate Carole Boston Weatherford shared an exciting sneak peek in her post, Cover Reveal: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.
Weekly Children’s Poetry Roundup – Saturday, June 6, 2026
Hello, poetry friends! It’s time once again for our weekly Children’s Poetry Blog Post Roundup. We’ve gathered the latest happenings and wonderful new ideas from the world of children’s poetry over the past week, and we’re excited to share them with you. Children’s Poetry Summit The Announcement concerning our 4th June Blog shared that this week’s main post was published a little later than usual to ensure the prize results could be announced publicly first.
Building Hope, One Flower at a Time
A Pathway for Pollinators Every year, I read dozens of children’s picture books and poetry collections about nature, science, and conservation. Many are informative. Some are beautiful. A few manage to be both. But it is surprisingly rare to find one that teaches an important environmental concept while also succeeding as a genuine work of poetry. Michelle Schaub‘s A Pathway for Pollinators, illustrated by Blanca Gómez, is one of those rare books.
Happy Birthday, U.S.A.
Usually, the poems I write begin with some oddball idea that pops into my head, a dragon with problems, a monster Thanksgiving dinner, or a kid with a backpack full of strange surprises. But sometimes I write poems for magazines and classrooms with a particular theme or occasion in mind. That’s exactly how today’s poem came about.
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