Blog
Storytime + Talking Writing Process with First Graders and The Write Time
Friends–I’m doing a virtual library storytime on Monday, Jan 10, at 6pm Central Time. Family and friends with kids in the 4–9 range, hope to see you there! I’ll be sharing picture books about water, winter, and getting yarn from sheep. Learn about states of matter, animal adaptations and behaviors, and the miracle of sheep
Bell Song [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was a song around bells in some way. I wasn’t able to meet up with my poetry sisters last Sunday, but I did put together a draft on Monday or Tuesday. The sound of bells always
Idioms All Around
I love wordplay (no surprise there), and I’m always surprised at how many idioms I come across related to any topic I research. When I was writing If You Want to Knit Some Mittens, I toyed with the idea of putting a bunch of sheep and knitting puns and idioms into the book. I didn’t
A Winter Riddle-Ku
It’s almost winter! I find myself writing about the seasons over and over again. I circle back to that topic the same way the seasons themselves circle around each year. That’s so comforting to me. Here’s a riddle-ku from Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons. Can your students guess the answer without looking
Without
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) My father-in-law passed away last month, and he had a good passing. He was surrounded by family and love in the days before he died in his sleep. I’m sad for the loss of him but also reminded how every loss inspires us to live
Crafting Is Not About Perfection #ClassroomConnections
Whenever I knit, I learn all over again that crafting is not really about making something perfect. It’s about touching yarn or other materials. It’s about transforming something from one thing into another. It’s about letting nagging worries slide away and losing yourself in something meditative or creative. It’s all about the process. Sometimes the
Ode to Bare Branches
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I hope you’ve had a beautiful Thanksgiving! Today, the day after Thanksgiving, we’re helping our older daughter move into her new apartment. I’m so happy for her, but honestly, if I never see another U‑Haul or moving box again, that’s too soon. Anyway,
Roundup of Fall Small Reads [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Oops, I’m checking in late here! But I want to give y’all a link to my Small Reads for Fall roundup page! This was the main part of my November e‑newsletter for educators, Small Reads. Check the right sidebar to find the subscription link! You’ll
Behind-the-Book Tidbits and Writing Process Thoughts for If You Want to Knit Some Mittens
Thank you so much to those of you who were able to come to my online launch event last week with Red Balloon Bookshop! It was just lovely to see some familiar names in the Chat–really warmed my heart. Since I had gathered info and thoughts in preparation for the event, I thought I’d create
Sheep Is a Solid Word [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) A quick invitation before my poem today! Click on the graphic for details and free registration. So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was a Wordplay poem, my choice–whee! Now, lots of poems have wordplay in them, of course, but what I’m talking
Her Fur Is Soft as Mittens, But… #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’m late getting this together, but I have three big things to share! 1) Thank you! A huge thank you to all of you who sent both donations and good wishes to my friends Steve and Vicki Palmquist last week. I am so grateful for
How-to Writing #ClassroomConnections
October only: Looking for how-to mentor texts to share with your students? If You Want to Knit Some Mittens takes the reader from a sheep to a pair of sunny gold mittens in 18 easy steps—including some madcap adventures and ending with a close-knit friendship. Plus Angela Matteson and I created this downloadable writing activity
A Measuring Lesson Plan #ClassroomConnections
October only: I’m so pleased to have a measuring lesson plan (using yarn!) for K‑2 available on Patricia Newman’s wonderful blog as part of her LitLinks series celebrating the links between STEM topics and writing/literature. I hope you enjoy it! [My Classroom Connections posts share a way to connect one of my books or poems
Call of the Highland Sky #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Wasn’t planning to post this week, but then my small group met yesterday, and I wrote this poem, inspired by a YouTube video. For your weekly poetry rabbit hole, fall into the Poetry Friday Roundup with fantastic poet Irene Latham! Save
Outside Storytime with Nature Books #ClassroomConnections
October only: There’s nothing like getting outside to read a nature book! A couple of weekends ago, I got to share Secrets of the Loon with some families at a Minnesota park through Dakota County Library. It was a gorgeous fall day, and it was fun to talk about how a loon’s anatomy affects its
Subscribe to Blog via Email
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