Illustrated poetry books for children.
Meet Twenty Summers and Twenty Autumns, two companion collections that introduce children ages 4–8 to classic poetry through the original verse, full-page illustrations and friendly explanations in plain words.
- 40 poems in all
- Ages 4–8
- Illustrated
- Paperback
Two companion collections
Two seasons. Forty classic poems.
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 both collections, so a child who knows one book already knows how to read the other.
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
Either book stands on its own. Together they cover half the year.
| Twenty Summers | Twenty Autumns | |
|---|---|---|
| Poems | 20 | 20 |
| Ages | 4–8 | 4–8 |
| Season | Summer | Autumn |
| Format | Poem + illustration + explanation | Poem + illustration + explanation |
| Poets | 5 | 16 |
| Grouped into | 5 summer themes | 5 seasonal sections |
| Also includes | About the Poets | About the Poets, source notes, glossary |
| Best for | Summer reading | Fall and Thanksgiving reading |
Interior pages
A full-page watercolor illustration for every poem — calm, uncluttered, and made to be looked at slowly.
Illustrations from Twenty Summers and Twenty Autumns
What readers are saying
“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
“There’s an explanation for the poems at the end of every one, so you can discuss it with your child and really get them involved.”Daniel W. · Amazon review of Twenty Summers
“They’re all short poems — perfect for kids’ attention spans of all ages!”Brittany M. · 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.