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Moving Toward Independence
We’re coming up on July 4—the day the United States celebrates its independence. Lots of picture books also celebrate independence, since it’s a crucial journey kids embark on. This includes my newest photo picture book, Secrets of the Loon. In it, Moon Loon has to learn LOTS of skills to become independent! To extend the
Some Poems for World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day is coming up on June 20. This is a subject that holds power for me, and looking at the photos of refugees, meeting asylum seekers in a refugee camp overseas, and talking to people who work to help with refugees have all inspired me to write poems over the years, and you
We Are All Family!
When I sign my book Meet My Family for readers, I write the above phrase. And when I read it out loud to groups, I invite kids to look for an animal family in the book that has something in common with their own human family. It’s fun to see kids’ eyes open wide when
The World’s Last Magic Bean #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’m sharing another poem readaloud from one of my 30 Painless Classroom Poems books. Now, today, I’m sharing another poem from Fairy Tale Garage Sale, which has the concept that all the characters in fairy tales are selling off their unneeded items. It’s another Jack
Father’s Day Picture Books
Looking for examples of great dads to share with young readers for Father’s Day? My new picture book Secrets of the Loon illustrates how both loon parents share all the responsibilities, from guarding the nest to giving hatchlings piggyback rides to feeding the chicks. You can expand the reading fun by partnering my title
Respirator [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Also, Poetry Friends who have seen our Poetry Princesses/Poetry Sisters/Poetry 7 posts for many years — After more than a decade of writing together and several years of monthly assignments, we wondered if any of you might like to play along? Here’s what
Bright Star #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Well, it’s been quite a week. Last weekend, we went to Madison, WI, to attend a drive-up bridal shower and visit in a safe way with our older daughter, whom we haven’t seen in person in three months. It was different, but wonderful. But then
Fee-Fie-Foe-Fairian: Surprise! I’m Vegetarian! #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Last week, I shared a poem from my book A Need to Feed. Some of you asked when it was coming out, and the answer is that it’s been out for years. It’s part of a little paperback set of books I did for teachers
Metaphors in Snowman-Cold=Puddle #ClassroomConnections
A third-grade teacher emailed me last week to say she was using Snowman-Cold=Puddle to teach metaphors to her ENL students. She wondered if I could share anything with her. I did, and then I thought, this might be useful for other teachers, too! So, here’s what I told her. Thanks for your question! First off,
Blue Whale’s Apology #PoetryFriday
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) A few cool things before my poem: I’m excited to share the awesome news that Snowman-Cold=Puddle is on the ILA Teachers’ Choice Reading List! Also, I recently created a bunch of #readaloud videos of some of my books and a few poems and put them
Online Launch Party and #NationalPoetryMonth Roundup
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) It’s May! Hooray! I want to share two things with you. First up, I’d like to invite you to the online launch party for Secrets of the Loon. It’s Monday, May 4 at 3 pm Central Time on Facebook, and I’d love to see lots
Day 30: The Finish Line (#NationalPoetryMonth2020)
Wow. Does anyone else who wrote and posted poems daily feel as exhausted as I do? I hope I’m not the only one. Congratulations, poets! We made it! (Though we might not look as sleek and graceful as this guy.)
Day 29: A Special Day? (#NationalPoetryMonth2020)
Well, it’s a strange time to launch a book, isn’t it? I’ll be honest. Book publication days are typically mostly normal work days for me, anyway. Because a book launch party doesn’t usually happen on the publication day itself, the day itself is kind of anti-climactic, you know? But we usually go out for a
Day 28: Secrets of the Loon Book Birthday (#NationalPoetryMonth2020)
Whee! It’s the book birthday for Secrets of the Loon (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2020)! So for today’s poem, I’m sharing the opening quatrain of this rhyming picture book. I’m thrilled to welcome this book into the world. Loons are fascinating, and I think this loon chick’s survival story will inspire readers. Also, Jena Benton
Day 27: Today I Took a Walk (#NationalPoetryMonth2020)
Hi, poetry friends! It’s the final stretch of Poetry Month! I actually took this walk and wrote this poem Saturday morning, but I had other poems to share the past couple of days. I’m writing LOTS of poetry this month–how about you? (And teachers, I added a bunch of single-poem #readalouds to my readalouds page!)
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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