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The Great Kindness Challenge
January 23–27 is the Great Kindness Challenge, and I hope you’ll read this beautiful article from Bookology about the kind of change this can inspire at your school. You don’t have to go all hard core, of course. Start small if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe a simple bingo card or checklist of things students could
Box Your Shadow, Block the Sun — and Happy New Year!
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I hope you had a beautiful Christmas/Hanukkah/winter celebration! I’ll share a few pics from mine next week :>) So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was the box. I don’t remember who suggested this, but we decided we could use a poetic form
Happy Holidays, Teachers!
Classroom teachers, librarians, media specialists, volunteers, home schoolers, tutors, and educators of all kinds, I hope you are finding some well-deserved rest and joy during this busy time. As the old year spins into the new, please know that your work is so important, and I’m grateful for you. Classroom Connections will return in January!
No Degrees of Separation
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Howdy, poetry friends, and welcome! During November, lots of writers were doing NaNoWriMo. I don’t write novels nor want to, so I sometimes come up with some other challenge for November. This year, in my Facebook Group just for Patrons, I opened up a 30-day
Picture Books for Units on Family
Well, I had planned to share this book because I saw that National Family Week is coming up next month, but as I read more, I realized that that’s just a conservative political campaign of intolerance. Forget that! I hope in your own unit on family, you focus on diversity and love and support, not
Recipe for a Song
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone, and I hope you had a delicious and cozy Thanksgiving, if you’re in the U.S. (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) This month, the Poetry 7 and I wrote recipe poems. I’ve written a few before and enjoy them, but I struggled with this one. I couldn’t think of
“So Much Love” — A Definito
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Okay, friends, here’s another definito to go with Finding Family (coming in March from Lerner). I’m having a blast with these!
A Thankful Poem and Writing Activity
Teachers, I’ve got two things for you today. First, here’s a terrific YourClassical Storytime called “Lurkey Is Lost.” It’s a fun take on the “draw a turkey using an outline of your hand” activity. Make sure to have plenty of crayons ready and paper for everyone! Second, it’s the perfect time of year to share
“What Used to Be Whole” — A Definito to Go with a Forthcoming Book
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’ve shared a couple of definitos recently, and I had so much fun I decided to write some to go with the challenging vocabulary in my forthcoming books. I’ve written several for Finding Family, which comes out in March. Wouldn’t it be fun
Feeling Sheepish?
I’m so tickled that Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom is including If You Want to Knit Some Mittens on their website for educators! Although this picture book is a funny, fictional, friendship story, it’s also the story of how a pair of wool mittens starts with a sheep’s coat, which goes through many transformations to
Jitters and a Giveaway
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Many folks in the Poetry Friday community have been sharing their poems from What Is a Friend?, edited by Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell. This book benefits IBBY, with the editors and poets all donating their efforts. I’m thrilled to share my poem with you,
Insomnia — a Dansa
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Before I share today’s poem, I’m inviting you to check out my Halloween riddle-ku that I shared on Wednesday. I also shared an invitation for people who have a young student or family member who might be willing to be in a book
Who Wants to Be in a Video? And a Riddle-Ku for Halloween
Hi, educators! I hope you’re well. I’m sick as a dog in Florida, and I’m having to cancel my storytime in Minnesota for tomorrow. I’ve never had to do that in 15 years of author visits & storytimes. Sigh. Meanwhile, two things for you today! I’m Looking for Kids to Answer a Question in a
2 Brinicle Poems and a Cover Reveal
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Before I share poems, I invite you to check out John Schu’s cover reveal for one of my Spring 2023 picture books. Click here to see Alexandria Neonakis’ gorgeous cover for FINDING FAMILY: THE DUCKLING RAISED BY LOONS. Y’all know I love science poetry, and
Pictures from Scotland and Thoughts on Being a World Citizen
In September, I visited Scotland with my husband, sister, and brother-in-law—and our daughter Maddie joined us for a couple of days in Edinburgh. I’m so grateful to have had this trip. Whenever I’m lucky enough to travel, I think about what people all over the world have both in common and in difference—and how to
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Are You Looking For?
Go to my Poetry page for:
- National Poetry Month projects through the years
- Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
- Introductions to several favorite poetry forms