Everything Is a Poem: The Best of J. Patrick Lewis

Nearly 60 poems from former Children’s Poet Laureate Lewis are gathered in this handsome collection, joined by new illustrations from Italian artist Pritelli. Gathered into eight categories (“Riddles and Epitaphs,” “Mother Nature,” etc.), the poems represent a 30-year span of work by Lewis—tributes to such figures as Sally Ride, Jesse Owens, and Rosa Parks appear, along with several humorous animal poems and a pithy take on classic literature: “A children’s book’s a classic if/ At six, excitedly,/ You read it to another kid/ Who just turned sixty-three.” Dominated by cool blues and greens, Pritelli’s illustrations—a combination of acrylic and airbrushing on a rough-textured background—capably match the comedic or contemplative moods that Lewis’s work so strongly evokes. Ages 6–up. (Sept.)