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In 1977, the NCTE Excellence in Children's Poetry Award Committee was created to recognize the work of outstanding poets who write for children. Since then, in addition to naming an exemplary poet every two years, the committee now selects an annual list of poetry and novels in verse. This year, members of the committee are pleased to recognize 12 excellent books of poetry and six novels in verse as 2023 Notable Books. Each selection was published in 2022. Read and evaluated by each member of the committee, these titles are notable for their use of language, poetic devices, and application to children ages three to thirteen. The form or structure of the poems was evaluated to ensure that the mood and subject matter were accurately represented. This year's picks include a range of formats—lively nonfiction, reflective verse, and moving verse novels—written by familiar poets and debut authors. For past lists and other notable poetry resources, visit ncte.org/resources/poetry.
Notable Poetry Books
CARROLL, James Christopher. Mother Winter. Creative Editions. ISBN 9781568463773.
DE LA PEÑA, Matt. Patchwork. illus. by Corinna Luyken. Putnam. ISBN 9781984813961.
ELLIOTT, David. At the Pond. illus. by Amy Schimler-Safford. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536205985.
FRANCO, Betsy. Counting in Dog Years and Other Sassy Math Poems. illus. by Priscilla Tey. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536201161.
GIANFERRARI, Maria. Ice Cycle: Poems About the Life of Ice. illus. by Jieting Chen. Millbrook. ISBN 9781728436609.
HAGEN, Hans & Monique Hagen. You Are the Loveliest. illus. by Marit Törnqvist. tr. by David Colmer. Levine Querido. ISBN 9781646141289.
KHAN, Naaz. Room for Everyone. illus. by Mercè López. Atheneum/Caitlin Dlouhy. ISBN 9781534431393.
KOOSER, Ted & Connie Wanek. Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play Among Two Figures of Speech. illus. by Richard Jones. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536203035.
SEHGAL, Kabir & Surishtha Sehgal. Mother Goose Goes to India. illus. by Wazza Pink. S. & S./Beach Lane. ISBN 9781534439603.
WALKER, Sally M. Out of This World: Star-Studded Haiku. illus. by Matthew Trueman. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536203561.
WATSON, Renée. Maya's Song. illus. by Brian Collier. Harper. ISBN 9780062871589.
WOLF, Allan. Behold Our Magical Garden: Poems Fresh from a School Garden. illus. by Daniel Duncan. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536204551.
Notable Verse Novels
ALEXANDER, Kwame. The Door of No Return. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316441865.
APPLEGATE, Katherine. Odder. illus. by Charles Santoso. Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250147431.
HILL, Amanda Rawson. The Hope of Elephants. Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781623542597.
LOWELL, Rebekah. The Road to After. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. ISBN 9780593109618.
SALAZAR, Aida. A Seed in the Sun. Dial. ISBN 9780593406601.
SANDERS, Rob. Blood Brothers. Reycraft. ISBN 9781478869276.
List with full annotations at slj.com/2023-Notables
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