Kennedy, Branagh to tape poetry clips

LOS ANGELES, April 21 (UPI) -- Caroline Kennedy, Kenneth Branagh and Vanessa Williams are to read poetry for new installments of U.S. television's "A Poem Is ..." series.

Disney Junior announced the celebrities' participation Thursday.

Their appearances are to air next week in honor of National Poetry Month.

"Caroline Kennedy, Kenneth Branagh and Vanessa Williams help introduce young children to the beauty of a poem, reciting works by A.A. Milne, Sara Coleridge, Eliza Lee Follen and Ann and Jane Taylor, in new installments of Disney Junior's short-form series 'A Poem Is …' April 25-29," the cable network said.

Previously announced as poetry readers for the series are Jennifer Garner, Katie Holmes, Whoopi Goldberg and Alfred Molina.

"Poetry fuels the imagination of everyone who reads. For a child, it opens a new world of discovery and always sparks dialogue for interpretation. What a great way to learn, memorize and share," Williams said in a statement.