Karla Kuskin has been creating marvelous poetry for children since the late 1950s. Her verse can be silly, whimsical, or thoughtful, and she often integrates all three qualities into a single poem. Since so many of her books have gone out of print, this hefty volume of Kuskin’s collected poems will be a welcome addition to library collections, particularly where there are no longer many Kuskin titles on the shelves. The poems have been arranged in broad thematic categories that take their names from individual lines of her poems. “Buggity, Buggity, Bug,” “A Wizard Has a Lizard,” “There Is a Me Inside of Me,” “Pigeon Is a Pretty Word,” and “Moon, Have You Met My Mother?” are just samplings of the sections and hint at the impish, teasing, and reflective tones the poems can take. Deceptively simple, Kuskin’s poems often display a masterful use of phrasing, making them a delight to read aloud. (Ages 6–10)

Write about a radish
Too many people write about the moon.

The night is black
The stars are small and high
The clock unwinds its ever-ticking tune
Hills gleam dimly
Distant nighthawks cry.
A radish rises in the waiting sky.

This long-awaited, comprehensive collection by acclaimed poet Karla Kuskin contains her most celebrated poems as well as new works never before published. Whether she's writing about napping cats, reaches of beaches, or radishes as beautiful as the moon, Moon, Have You Met My Mother? amuses while it inspires.