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Vacation Time #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Thanks for all your empathy and sharing last week when I shared a poem about sad books. You guys are the best. This week, I’m sharing another poem written for BookSpeak, but this one is actually in the book! This poem’s also in a
Back to School Printables #ClassroomConnections
This year, the phrase “back to school” is raising anxiety levels to a new high. I’m not even a teacher anymore, and my kids are grown, but even I’m feeling the pressure. (On a less dangerous level, it’s a rather nerve-wracking time to be a children’s writer, too, as getting our books to readers is
Why Aren’t All Books Happy? #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I wished you a happy day, but the truth is, I’ve been feeling a bit down. I tend to be relentlessly optimistic and generally feel grateful and content. And here’s the thing. Although my career, like most writers’ is taking a beating with the pandemic,
Animal Adaptations #ClassroomConnections
One of the science topics I am constantly fascinated by is animal adaptations: how animals’ bodies and behaviors adapt to their environments. My favorite facts from Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Animals Get Ready for Winter (Millbrook, illus by Claudine Gevry) concern Northern wood frogs that freeze solid and earthworms that migrate vertically, just a few
Blow It Up, Pufferfish! Plus the Poetry Friday Roundup
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Today, I’m sharing a poem I wrote during a March Madness poetry competition several years ago. When I initially signed up to host, this would have been a Poetry Princesses Friday, but then we changed our schedule. Sooooooo, you get a random poem
Back to School with Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten #ClassroomConnections
It’s almost time for school to begin—in one form or another! As a kid, one of my favorite things about school was spending time in the library (these were the days before media centers!). I’m so sad that this year, many school districts facing financial hardship have laid off librarians and media specialists. I’ve worked
Pandemic Summer: an Etheree
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Hey, this part isn’t poetry, but it’s the LAST DAY for these two things, so I’m sharing here. First, there’s a Goodreads Giveaway. Win one of 20 copies–last day to enter is today. Second, it’s the last day to get CLOVER KITTY GOES
Dandelion Poems, Crafts, and Coloring Page
There’s something about a dandelion. I know many folks hate them, and I admit a yard over-run by them can be…intimidating. But a single beautiful dandelion seedhead…. I seem to have a number of dandelion poems. Here are two from two 2019 picture books, Snowman-Cold=Puddle and Lion of the Sky. The riddle-ku on the left
Obsession, a Cinderella Poem #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) First up, I’m over at Lydia Lukidis’ Blissfully Bookish with a post about my newest picture book, Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten–and there’s a giveaway (ends today)! Please stop by if you have a chance! Sometime in the last month or so, I answered a
Puppet Play to Encourage Being a Good Friend
There are so many ways we can encourage kids to be good friends. And the actions that might be friendly to one child can feel totally overwhelming to another. In Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten, the other kitties aren’t really a squealing tornado of fangs and fur…but that’s how it feels to Clover. Check out
If an Aurora Appears [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Hi, Poetry Friday friends. First, thanks for all the lovely wishes for Annabelle’s wedding :>) Even a rainy day and social distancing couldn’t tamp down the joy! I missed PF last week, and I missed you guys. This weekend will also be very busy with
Use a Countdown Calendar to Ease Back-to-School Anxiety
[Guess what? Author/artist Lydia Lukidis is also featuring Clover Kitty on her blog today–with ANOTHER chance for a giveaway! Plus backstory and writing process info. You can check it out here!) Is your child anxious about starting school? (Or are you?!) Check out the cute countdown calendar I created to go with my new
Celebrate the Lunar Landing Anniversary with If You Were the Moon
July 20 is the 51st anniversary of the first lunar landing! I bought stamps recently featuring this momentous occasion in our history. It really is astonishing to me that humans were able to walk on the moon. Want to celebrate the moon landing with your students or kids? Check out the post I wrote for
Fireworks Poem
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Well, we won’t be going to see any fireworks this year, but the ones Mercè López created for Lion of the Sky are more glorious, anyway! Now if we could just create a world where the only explosions were fireworks… And for lots of wonderful
“Morning” [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was: a theme of susurrus, or an image of thick woods, whatever form we wish! Maybe some of you wrote along with us? I look forward to seeing your poem on your blog, if so! I
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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