In honor of April being National Poetry Month I was approached to review Poetry Speaks Who I Am, an poetry anthologies meant for the middle grade audience that is filled with poems that are meant to inspire both the love of poetry and the child themselves. It is one of the first anthologies of poetry that is specially made for the middle school audience.

Poetry has always been a present in my life. I remember reading some of the poetry books in the library when I was in 5th or 6th grade. I think I would have a better grasp of poetry and make it a bit more of a priority if at that age I wasn't reading poems that were above my head. When reading Poetry Speaks Who I Am, I kept thinking "I wish I had this book when I was in middle school."

Poetry Speaks Who I Am, is filled with over 100 poems that are specially picked out for this anthology. There are current poets, poets of the past and all types of poems. This really is a great introduction to poetry for those that are younger or even those that wish to get poetry into their lives.

The poems are all very easy to read, nothing mystic and filled with double or triple meanings. The thing that is so amazing about this book is the editing, it doesn't feel as though poems were taken and just thrown into a book for those to read. It feels as if careful thought was put into each poem and where to place it in the book. There are poems by Robert Frost, Edger Allan Poe, and Emily Dickinson so it gives an introduction to poets that are some of poetry's greatest authors.

I really believe the mixture of the older poets and the newer poets really makes this book unique. It can speak to those that are a bit younger and hopefully inspire the kids to learn to love poetry, because a first experience in poetry is a lasting one.

Poetry Speaks Who I Am also comes with a CD that has some of the poems actually read aloud. Not only do you get to read the poetry but you get to hear the speed and flow of some of the poems which is an added bonus.