TheGold Shelf

Poetry and rhyme books for ages 9 to 12

48 award-winning books for ages 9 to 12. Verse, nursery rhymes, songs and novels in verse.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals112Adventure205Fantasy and magic203Funny books85Family182Friendship87History and real people398Nature and science57Folktales and fairy tales62Poetry and rhyme48Feelings and big moments101

48 books

Cover of All the Blues in the SkyWinner2026All the Blues in the SkyRenée Watson2026 Newbery Medal winnerCover of One Big Open SkyHonor2025One Big Open SkyLesa Cline-Ransome2025 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Iveliz Explains It AllHonor2023Iveliz Explains It AllAndrea Beatriz Arango2023 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Red, White, and WholeHonor2022Red, White, and WholeRajani LaRocca2022 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of A Place Inside of MeHonor2021A Place Inside of MeZetta Elliott2021 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to FreedomHonor2021Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to FreedomCarole Boston Weatherford2021 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Other Words for HomeHonor2020Other Words for HomeJasmine Warga2020 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The UndefeatedWinner2020The UndefeatedKwame Alexander2020 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Lost WordsWinner2019The Lost WordsRobert Macfarlane2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley BryanHonor2017Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley BryanAshley Bryan2017 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights MovementHonor2016Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights MovementEkua Holmes2016 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Brown Girl DreamingHonor2015Brown Girl DreamingJacqueline Woodson2015 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The CrossoverWinner2015The CrossoverKwame Alexander2015 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Northwest PassageWinner2013Northwest PassageStan Rogers2013 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Inside Out & Back AgainHonor2012Inside Out & Back AgainThanhha Lai2012 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the NightHonor2011Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the NightJoyce Sidman2011 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of The Crazy ManWinner2005The Crazy ManPamela Porter2005 Governor General's Award (text) winnerCover of JabberwockyWinner2004JabberwockyLewis Carroll2004 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Carver: A Life in PoemsHonor2002Carver: A Life in PoemsMarilyn Nelson2002 Newbery Medal Honor BookCover of Casey at the BatHonor2001Casey at the BatErnest Lawrence Thayer2001 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of HarlemHonor1998HarlemChristopher Myers1998 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Out of the DustWinner1998Out of the DustKaren Hesse1998 Newbery Medal winnerCover of Joyful Noise: Poems for Two VoicesWinner1989Joyful Noise: Poems for Two VoicesPaul Fleischman1989 Newbery Medal winnerCover of The Ghost Horse of the MountiesWinner1983The Ghost Horse of the MountiesSean O'Huigin1983 Governor General's Award (text) winnerCover of A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced TravelersWinner1982A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced TravelersNancy Willard1982 Newbery Medal winnerCover of The Man from IronbarkWinner1975The Man from IronbarkA. B. Paterson1975 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of A Bundle of BalladsWinner1959A Bundle of BalladsRuth Manning-Sanders from the Child Ballads1959 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Song of Robin HoodHonor1948Song of Robin HoodVirginia Lee Burton1948 Caldecott Medal Honor BookA Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto AlvarezMaría Dolores ÁguilaHonor2026A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto AlvarezMaría Dolores Águila2026 Newbery Medal Honor BookThe Boy Lost in the MazeJoseph CoelhoWinner2024The Boy Lost in the MazeJoseph Coelho2024 Carnegie Medal for Writing winnerThe Little WavePip HarryWinner2020The Little WavePip Harry2020 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winnerCover of The Door of No ReturnShortlist2024The Door of No ReturnKwame Alexander2024 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of The Girl Who Became A TreeShortlist2021The Girl Who Became A TreeJoseph Coelho2021 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of ReboundShortlist2019ReboundKwame Alexander2019 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedCover of Ebb & FlowFinalist2018Ebb & FlowHeather Smith2018 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of Where My Wellies Take MeShortlist2014Where My Wellies Take MeMichael Morpurgo and Clare Morpurgo2014 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of JimShortlist2011JimHilaire Belloc, 19072011 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of LibertadFinalist2008LibertadAlma Fullerton2008 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of My Letter to the World and Other PoemsFinalist2008My Letter to the World and Other PoemsEmily Dickinson2008 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Ann and SeamusFinalist2003Ann and SeamusKevin Major2003 Governor General's Award (text) finalistCover of Love That DogCommended2001Love That DogSharon Creech2001 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedCover of There Was An Old Man...: A Collection of LimericksFinalist1994There Was An Old Man...: A Collection of LimericksEdward Lear1994 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistThe Final YearMatt GoodfellowShortlist2025The Final YearMatt Goodfellow2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedSong of Freedom, Song of DreamsShari GreenFinalist2024Song of Freedom, Song of DreamsShari Green2024 Governor General's Award (text) finalistBook of NonsenseMichael RosenShortlist1997Book of NonsenseMichael Rosen1997 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedRagged RobinJames ReevesCommended1961Ragged RobinJames Reeves1961 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedThe Penny FiddleRobert GravesCommended1960The Penny FiddleRobert Graves1960 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedQuiet as Moss: 36 PoemsAndres YoungCommended1959Quiet as Moss: 36 PoemsAndres Young1959 Carnegie Medal for Writing commended