Nine: A Book of Nonet Poems

K-Gr 4–This colorful picture book of nonets (not to be confused with sonnets) features poems that incorporate the number nine. The lesser-known form of poetry is defined as “a nine-line poem in which the first line contains nine syllables; the next line, eight syllables; and so on until the last line has one syllable, or the reverse, with one syllable in the first line and nine in the last.” The poems spotlight baseball games, circuses, armadillos, and planets. The cadence of each poem and the familiarity of the topics make the title perfect as an introduction to poetry in the classroom. Huntington’s colorful watercolor illustrations illuminate the poems’ imagery and ground the words in reality. Huntington’s swirls of color and Latham’s words paint pictures that can be used across the curriculum and various disciplines.