Illustrated poetry books for children.
Meet the new Twenty Winters, Twenty Autumns and Twenty Summers, three companion collections that introduce children ages 4–8 to classic poetry through the original verse, full-page illustrations and friendly explanations in plain words.
- 60 poems in all
- Ages 4–8
- Illustrated
- Paperback
For HalloweenTwenty Autumns is a gentle gift for ages 4–8, with nothing frightening in it. See the pumpkin poem →
New for Christmas: Twenty Winters · Three companion collections
Three seasons. Sixty classic poems.
Twenty Winters
The new third book: twenty classic Christmas and winter poems, from the first snow to a winter goodnight, including the complete ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Now in paperback and a tall premium hardcover.
- Poems 20
- Poets 14
- Pages 96
- Editions 2
Twenty Autumns
Twenty classic fall poems by Dickinson, Dunbar, Longfellow, Riley, Stevenson, Rossetti and others — each paired with a full-page illustration and a friendly explanation in plain words. Source notes and short poet biographies at the back.
- Poems 20
- Poets 16
- Sections 5
- Pages 94
Twenty Summers
Twenty classic summer poems by Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, Edward Lear and Eugene Field — each illustrated and explained for young readers, in five gentle summer themes.
- Poems 20
- Poets 5
- Themes 5
- Ages 4–8
The poem, the picture, the explanation.
The same three-step format runs through all three collections, so a child who knows one book already knows how to read the others.
Read it aloud
The original classic verse, carefully set on the page and short enough to share before bed.
Look together
A full-page illustration gives children something to notice, explore and talk about.
Understand it
“In plain words,” “What to notice” and “Words to know” make older language easier to approach.
Compare the collections
Each book stands on its own. Together they follow the year from summer to winter.
| Twenty Winters | Twenty Autumns | Twenty Summers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poems | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Ages | 4–8 | 4–8 | 4–8 |
| Season | Winter and Christmas | Autumn | Summer |
| Format | Poem + illustration + explanation | Poem + illustration + explanation | Poem + illustration + explanation |
| Poets | 14, plus traditional carols | 16 | 5 |
| Grouped into | 5 winter sections | 5 seasonal sections | 5 summer themes |
| Also includes | About the Poets, source notes, glossary | About the Poets, source notes, glossary | About the Poets |
| Best for | Christmas and winter reading, and a Christmas gift | Fall reading, and a gentle Halloween or Thanksgiving gift | Summer reading |
| Editions | Paperback, 8.5 × 8.5 in, and premium hardcover, 8.25 × 11 in | Paperback, 8.5 × 8.5 in | Paperback, 8.5 × 8.5 in |
Interior pages
A full-page watercolor illustration for every poem — calm, uncluttered, and made to be looked at slowly.
Illustrations from Twenty Autumns and Twenty Summers
What readers are saying
“It is great for children because not only does it expose them to poetry but each poem is explained in plain language.”cmg298 · Amazon review of Twenty Autumns
“I love that after the poem it gives a summary for what the poem is about. This is great for kids to help them understand what they read.”Kindle Customer · Amazon review of Twenty Autumns
“I was pleasantly surprised when I read the ‘in plain words’ section — it was very straightforward, and I loved that there was a ‘words to know’ section too.”Elora · Amazon review of Twenty Summers
Twenty classic poems, one season at a time.
A full-page illustration for every poem, and a friendly explanation in plain words.
The picture-book series
Gentle bedtime stories for ages 3–6, in English, French, German and Spanish.