Author & Editor Profile
Mary Ann Hoberman
15 Books
Mary Ann Hoberman was an American children’s poet and author who served as the United States Children's Poet Laureate. She wrote dozens of books characterized by playful rhyme, rhythmic word music, and verses designed to be read aloud. Her extensive body of work includes A House Is a House for Me, Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers, and the poetry collection Forget-Me-Nots. She frequently partnered with illustrators to create engaging picture books that explore family dynamics, nature, and the joy of language.
A pocket can be a house for a penny. A pea pod can be a house for peas. A kennel, a shell, a nest, a drawer, even a word in your mouth can become a home when you start looking closely. In this lively rhyming picture book, Mary Ann Hoberman turns the idea of a house into a playful discovery game, inviting you to notice how nearly everything holds, shelters, or belongs to something else. The verse moves with bounce and surprise, while Betty Fraser’s detailed illustrations give readers plenty to explore on every page. Funny, inventive, and full of wordplay, A House Is a House for Me is a classic read-aloud that encourages children to see ordinary objects, animals, and places in a wonderfully new way.
6-8 Years
50 Pages
Making peace is much more fun than picking a fight! It all starts when a brother and sister decide to stop arguing and become friends instead. Soon, this wonderful idea starts to spread. When their family stops squabbling with the noisy neighbors, they decide to play music together instead. Before long, the whole town is marching in a joyful parade! This bouncy, rhyming story shows how a little bit of kindness can travel a long way. Eventually, the parade grows to include the whole country, and even the animals join in. Discover how turning fighters into friends can make the whole world a happier place.
6-8 Years
50 Pages
Miss Mary Mack is dressed in black, ready for a rhyme that begs to be clapped, chanted, and shared. This playful picture book expands the familiar hand-clapping verse into a bright, funny story about Miss Mary Mack, an elephant, and the delightfully silly rhythm children already love. The words are easy to join in, the beat is made for reading aloud, and the included music and hand-clapping directions turn the book into an invitation to play. Mary Ann Hoberman’s adaptation keeps the bounce of the traditional rhyme while giving young readers a fuller, more entertaining version to enjoy. Nadine Bernard Westcott’s lively illustrations add humor and motion, making this a strong choice for story time, classroom sharing, and children who like poems they can perform.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Cozy can be a warm smell, a soft blanket, a friendly word, a favorite food, or a quiet place where the world feels just right. In this gentle rhyming picture book, Mary Ann Hoberman gathers the many little comforts that make a day feel safe, snug, and happy. The verses move through tastes, sounds, places, people, and feelings, helping readers notice how comfort can come from both familiar routines and tiny surprises. Betty Fraser’s detailed illustrations add warmth and charm, giving children many cozy moments to spot and talk about. Perfect for reading aloud, The Cozy Book celebrates everyday pleasures with a tender sense of wonder. It is especially appealing for children who enjoy poems about home, feelings, and the small things that make life sweet.
6-8 Years
48 Pages
Old clothes are not boring when they carry stories. A hand-me-down shirt, an outgrown dress, or a not-quite-new hat might have history, mystery, and a whole new life waiting in it. In this cheerful rhyming picture book, a child celebrates the fun of wearing clothes that once belonged to someone else and imagining where they have been before. Mary Ann Hoberman’s bouncy poem turns hand-me-downs into a source of pride, creativity, and play, while Patrice Barton’s warm illustrations show children dressing up, making things, and enjoying what others might overlook. Bright, resourceful, and full of read-aloud rhythm, I Like Old Clothes is a joyful choice for readers who love imaginative play, family sharing, and finding treasure in everyday things.
6-8 Years
33 Pages
Mother Goose gets a new stage in this lively book made for two voices. Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet, Old King Cole, and other familiar nursery-rhyme figures step into short, funny tales that children and adults can read together. The color-coded text shows which lines belong to each reader and when both voices join, making the book inviting for growing readers who are ready to share the page. Mary Ann Hoberman uses rhyme, rhythm, repetition, and quick dialogue to build confidence without losing the fun of a real story. Michael Emberley’s energetic illustrations add humor and expression to each familiar character. Part of the You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You series, this collection is a warm, playful bridge between being read to and reading with someone else.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Families are everywhere once you learn how to look. A bunch of celery, a row of buttons, a pile of bottle caps, a group of animals, and the people who love you can all be understood as families in their own way. In this bright rhyming picture book, Mary Ann Hoberman uses playful comparisons to help young readers think about belonging, togetherness, and the many shapes a family can take. The book moves lightly from everyday objects to human relationships, making big ideas feel friendly and easy to grasp. Marc Boutavant’s colorful illustrations bring extra humor and energy to the poem, giving children lots to notice. All Kinds of Families! is a warm, inclusive read-aloud for children exploring what it means to be part of a group and part of a home.
6-8 Years
29 Pages
Mrs. McGee walks into a garden with one simple question: whose garden is it? The gardener says it is his, but he is not the only one with a claim. The rabbit, woodchuck, butterfly, squash bug, bumblebee, seeds, weeds, sun, and rain all have reasons the garden belongs to them, too. Through graceful rhyme and a lively parade of voices, Mary Ann Hoberman shows how every part of a garden depends on the others. Jane Dyer’s illustrations bring the flowers, vegetables, creatures, and people into a soft, beautiful world that rewards close looking. Whose Garden Is It? is a thoughtful read-aloud for children who enjoy nature, animals, and questions with more than one good answer.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
At the Peters house, every child has a very particular favorite food. Peter wants milk, Lucy wants homemade lemonade, Jack wants applesauce, and each new sibling adds another special request. Mrs. Peters tries to keep up, but seven picky eaters can make mealtimes wildly complicated.
Mary Ann Hoberman’s lively rhymes make the family’s food troubles bounce along with comic energy, while Marla Frazee’s detailed illustrations fill the house with movement, mess, and affection. The Seven Silly Eaters is a funny picture book in verse about family life, picky eating, and the surprises that can come from too many special orders.
For ages 6 to 8, this is a playful read-aloud with delicious language, busy scenes to examine, and a warm look at how a big family can be chaotic, loving, and very silly all at once.
6-8 Years
44 Pages
Poems to Learn by Heart
A poem learned by heart can stay with you long after the book is closed. This generous anthology gathers more than 120 poems chosen especially for memorizing, speaking aloud, and enjoying again and again. Mary Ann Hoberman introduces the collection with practical encouragement for learning poems by heart, then offers a wide mix of classic and contemporary voices, childhood favorites, and lesser-known treasures. Some poems are funny, some are thoughtful, and many are short enough to try right away. Michael Emberley’s lively illustrations add warmth, wit, and movement without distracting from the words themselves. Forget-Me-Nots is a strong choice for young readers, families, and classrooms looking for poetry that feels meant to be heard, remembered, and shared.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
144 Pages
Tiny Tim has a very strange problem, and ordinary grown-ups are not much help. The doctor arrives, the nurse arrives, and then comes the unforgettable lady with the alligator purse. Based on a familiar jump-rope rhyme, this funny picture book turns a playground chant into a playful read-aloud full of rhythm, nonsense, and comic timing. Children can chant along, predict the repeating pattern, and enjoy the absurdity of a tiny patient, dramatic visitors, and a cure that belongs completely to the world of silly verse. Nadine Bernard Westcott’s lively version keeps the spirit of the traditional rhyme bright and energetic, with illustrations that make the humor easy for young readers to follow. It is a good fit for children who enjoy nursery rhymes, music, and laugh-out-loud repetition.
6-8 Years
28 Pages
An armadillo is a terrible pillow, and that is only the beginning. This illustrated collection gathers one hundred favorite poems by Mary Ann Hoberman, moving from animals and seasons to birthdays, food, growing up, swings, ice-skating, and the funny surprises of everyday childhood. The poems are short, musical, and full of sharp little observations that make them satisfying to read aloud or remember by heart. Some pieces are silly, some are tender, and many turn ordinary moments into playful discoveries. Betty Fraser’s illustrations add warmth and detail, helping the collection feel welcoming for younger readers while still offering plenty for older children to enjoy. The Llama Who Had No Pajama is a lively introduction to poetry for families, classrooms, and independent readers who like language with bounce.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
72 Pages
Simon thinks every challenge is simple. Growl like a dog? Simple. Stretch like a cat? Simple. Jump like a horse? Simple. Then a tiger appears, and suddenly the dares become much more dangerous. With each new test, Simon has to do more than show off. He has to think quickly, stay calm, and use his wits before the tiger decides that the easiest thing to do is eat him. Mary Ann Hoberman’s spare, lively text gives this picture book the feel of a folktale, with repetition that makes it fun to read aloud and suspense that builds page by page. Meilo So’s expressive illustrations bring energy and elegance to Simon’s encounters with the animals. It’s Simple, Said Simon is a clever, funny story about confidence, danger, and outsmarting a very hungry opponent.
6-8 Years
78 Pages
A Collection of Family Poems
Families can be funny, noisy, loving, surprising, and complicated, sometimes all in the same day. This collection of poems celebrates the people who fill family life: mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, step-relatives, and even family pets. Mary Ann Hoberman moves between humor and tenderness, giving young readers poems that recognize everyday moments at home as well as the strong feelings that come with belonging to a family. The collection is easy to read aloud, with poems that invite laughter, recognition, and conversation. Marylin Hafner’s illustrations add warmth and personality, helping each family member feel distinct. Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers is a welcoming poetry collection for children who enjoy poems about real life, family relationships, and the many ways people can be connected.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
36 Pages
Oliver Tolliver’s house is perfectly arranged: one table, one chair, one apple, one pear, one of everything. To Oliver, that seems just right. Then Peggoty Small comes to visit and notices something important: with only one of each, there is no room to share. Mary Ann Hoberman turns a simple idea into a warm, funny picture book about friendship, generosity, and making space for someone else. The rhyming text is easy to follow and satisfying to hear aloud, while Marjorie Priceman’s bold illustrations give Oliver’s little world a bright, cheerful energy. Young readers will recognize the comfort of having things just so, as well as the joy that can come when a carefully ordered life opens up to include a friend.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
