Poems About Books & Reading KS2 đź“š | Inspiring a Love of Reading Through Poetry
Poems about books and reading celebrate imagination, curiosity and the joy of stories!
They remind children that every time they open a book, they open a doorway into another world — full of laughter, adventure and wonder.
Through Poems About Books & Reading KS2, pupils can:
🌟 Explore rhythm, rhyme and reflective writing
🎠Develop confidence performing aloud
đź“ť Express how reading makes them feel
🎨 Celebrate their favourite books and characters
👉 In my Poetry Days in primary schools across the UK I work hard to get the children excited about writing and performing their own poems. I visit over 100 schools every year and I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
đź“… You can book me for:
-
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
-
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
➡ Secure your date here: Poets in Schools – Ian Bland
đź’ˇ What Are Poems About Books & Reading?
Poems about reading invite children to reflect on the power of words — how stories can make us laugh, cry, or even see the world in a new way.
They’re perfect for World Book Day, Reading for Pleasure weeks, and class assemblies focused on storytelling and imagination.
Children can write about:
đź“– Favourite books or characters
đź’ Feelings and memories inspired by reading
🌍 New worlds they visit in their imagination
✨ The magic or mystery of stories
The key is helping pupils celebrate reading — to see books as something to treasure, not as a chore.
đź”— Related: World Book Day Poems KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2
👩‍🏫 Poem Example 1: Why I Read Books…
by Ian Bland
Because the words transport me to another place
Because my mind can be blasted into outer space
Because the characters sometimes become my friends
Because I can see life through a magic lens
Because they make me laugh and make me cry
Because they release me and let me fly
Because I want to sense what others feel
Because I want to find what they reveal
Because they draw me and I forget myself
Because they’re there up on the shelf!
đź’ˇ Activity Ideas:
1. “Because I Read…” Writing Framework ✍️
Give pupils the sentence starter “Because I read…” or “Because books…” and invite them to create their own version.
Encourage them to include emotion, imagination and personal reasons for reading.
Challenge higher-ability pupils to use figurative language — simile, metaphor and personification.
2. Book Reflection Carousel
Set up tables with different reading prompts (e.g., “A book that made me laugh”, “A book that took me to another world”).
Pupils rotate and write one poetic line per table. At the end, they compile their lines into a class poem.
3. Performance & Rhythm Workshop
Practise performing Why I Read Books… as a group.
Use echo reading (teacher reads a line, pupils repeat), then divide the class into two halves to alternate verses.
Discuss rhythm and pacing — how do pauses and expression bring emotion to the performance?
4. Art & Display Idea 🎨
Ask children to illustrate their favourite line and decorate the words with colour, texture or collage.
Display as a “Reading Reasons Wall” in your school library or classroom.
đź”— Related: Reading for Pleasure KS2 | Creative Writing Templates KS2
đź“š Poem Example 2: The Library Door
(Inspired by Barbara A. Hendricks)
Open the door and step inside,
A thousand worlds are there to hide.
Dragons, planets, dreams untold,
Heroes brave and villains bold.
Each book a key, each page a door —
Step through and you’ll be you no more!
đź’ˇ Activity Ideas:
1. Drama & Soundscape Performance đźŽ
Recreate the atmosphere of a library through sound.
Split the class into groups:
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Group 1: whispering voices and page-turning
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Group 2: soft footsteps and echoes
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Group 3: dramatic reading of the poem
Perform together as a “Library Soundscape” for assembly or parents.
2. “Behind the Door” Creative Writing
Ask: What might you find behind the library door?
Pupils brainstorm settings — ancient castles, space stations, undersea worlds.
They write descriptive verses beginning “Behind the door I found…”
3. Reading Map Challenge 🗺️
Create a class “map of reading worlds.”
Each pupil chooses a favourite book setting and draws it on a large shared map.
Label with the title and a one-line poem describing it.
4. Library Display Project
Turn your classroom or school library entrance into a “magic door” using paper, fabric or cardboard.
Surround it with pupils’ illustrated poems and book recommendations.
đź”— Related: Cross-Curricular Poetry KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2
✨ Poem Example 3: The Reader’s Spell
by Ian Bland
Open a book and whisper a word,
And suddenly magic is seen and heard.
The room disappears, the walls drift away,
And I’m lost in a story till the end of the day.
No wand, no potion, no wizard’s yell —
Just me and my book and the reader’s spell.
đź’ˇ Activity Ideas:
1. Create Your Own Reading Spell 🪄
Invite pupils to write a “reading spell” poem that begins “Open a book and…”
Encourage them to mix magic with reality — Open a book and dragons fly from the page…
Experiment with rhyme and rhythm to give it a spell-like quality.
2. Sound & Movement Performance
Turn the poem into a dramatic performance piece.
Children use actions — opening books, turning pages, floating or “flying” as if pulled into the story.
Add sound effects (wind, sparkle, music) to create atmosphere.
3. Literacy & Art Crossover
Combine literacy and art by asking children to design their own “magic book cover.”
Include the poem title, a quote from their own line, and symbolic illustrations.
4. Empathy Writing Link ❤️
Ask: How does reading make you feel?
Discuss how stories help us understand others’ experiences.
Use The Reader’s Spell as a starting point for PSHE-style reflection on imagination, empathy and wellbeing.
đź”— Related: World Book Day Assembly Poems | Funny Poems KS2
🧠Teacher Pedagogy Notes
Curriculum Links:
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English: Vocabulary building, figurative language, performance poetry
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Reading: Comprehension, inference, exploring themes of reading for pleasure
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Spoken Language: Voice, tone, confidence, expression
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PSHE: Empathy, imagination, emotional expression
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Art & Design: Visual representation of literary ideas
Differentiation:
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Support: Scaffold sentence starters such as “Because books make me…” or “When I read I feel…”
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Challenge: Encourage pupils to experiment with stanza structure, extended metaphor, or personification (“Books whisper”, “Words dance”).
Cross-Curricular Ideas:
Link with Art (book cover designs), ICT (digital story posters), and Library Skills (book recommendation poetry).
Engagement Tip:
Run a “Reading & Poetry Week” — pupils decorate classroom doors as book covers, perform reading-themed poems, and share why reading matters to them.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Writing Poems About Books & Reading KS2 helps children celebrate stories, express emotion and find their creative voice.
They remind pupils that reading isn’t just about comprehension — it’s about connection, curiosity and joy.
đź“š When children read, they imagine. When they write, they create. When they perform, they come alive!
👉 In my Poetry Days in primary schools across the UK I work hard to get the children excited about writing and performing their own poems. I visit over 100 schools every year and I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
đź“… You can book me for:
-
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
-
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
➡ Secure your date here: Poets in Schools – Ian Bland
