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Day 1: Haiku: On the calendar
Happy National Poetry Month, and Happy Easter if you celebrate Easter! I’m keeping things simple this year, because life is complicated (with moves, travel, work–mostly good stuff, just…complicated). In years past, I’ve done daily poems with unified visual elements, because I do love that. This year, though, I’m focusing just on words. The power of
Do You Hear the Wind? [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Today, I’m sharing another calendar poem. I know–it’s been a few weeks! For this one, nobody had suggested words for me (I’ve since gotten a few words suggested, but I still need more, so please go here if you’d like to suggest a word!), so
Snowpeople [15 Words or Less]
Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. I hope you’re not offended that I’m still using snow-related photo prompts, but you know March and April are the snowiest months here in Minnesota! This image makes
Mandrake [15 Words or Less]
Madness Poetry is down to just four matchups! My matchup with J.J. Close, who does very clever wordplay, goes live at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time here. I hope you’ll visit and vote for your favorite on all four pairs of poems. Thanks to those of you who voted last week! Hello, and welcome! This is
Blog Tour Stop 6: Kindergarten Writing in Response to Meet My Family (and Giveaway!)
Hello, Kidlitosphere! We’re up to Stop 6 on my Meet My Family blog tour! Today, thoughtful educator Catherine Flynn is sharing some writing her kindergartners did in response to Meet My Family. Wait until you see the book they made! Catherine is not only a super nice person, but she’s an empowering, passionate educator as
Voldetort the Turtle [15 Words or Less]
Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. Here’s Voldetort the turtle, whom we were caring for for a month or so until we could give him to the Minnesota Herpetological Society, where its passionate volunteers
Security Camera [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) This week, I’m sharing another calendar poem. My life at home has gone kinda crazy these past few weeks, and I’m not sharing these every week, so this one is from a couple of weeks ago. My words that week were “camera” (Linda Mitchell), “bread”
Eye [15 Words or Less]
Howdy, folks! I’m taking part in Ed Decaria’s Madness Poetry this year, and today is the last day for voting in Round 1. I’m pitted against Lissa Clouser, and we both had to write poems using the word “coordinates.” Lissa’s poem is lovely, and we both had similar themes but with different approaches. Would be
Throne [15 Words or Less]
Hello, and welcome! It’s March 1, the book birthday for my new picture book, Meet My Family! It’s all about families, animals, and diversity. Of course, that’s super exciting for me, but I know NOTHING gets in the way of 15 Words or Less :>) Still, I hope you’ll order this title for a friend
School Visits in February
I had 2 fabulous school visits in February and wanted to share a few pictures. If you only click on one photo, do the white poem on green background paper in the first gallery–the student poem “Things to Do if You Are a Valentine’s Card.” I am in love with this poem. Often, the very
Penguin [15 Words or Less]
Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. Last week’s photo, if you’re curious, was a filtered close-up shot of some bath salts my daughter Maddie gave me. They smell soooo good, and they have dried
On the Wings of Stories #Poemsketch #Calendarpoem
Here’s my calendar poem this week–thank you to Jan Goodwin Annino for “jar,” Martha O’Quinn for “parasol,” and Leslie Leibhardt Goodman in Illinois for “airy.” (Would you like to suggest a word for me? Just go here!) I was thinking about all the ways books help kids–and me–fly! Save Save Save Save Save
A Book for World Water Day! #ClassroomConnections
March 22 is World Water Day, and I hope you’ll consider sharing my book, Water Can Be…. It shares, in engaging rhyme and with gorgeous art by Violeta Dabija, the many important roles water plays in our world. Plus, I donate a percentage of my royalties to WaterAid, a fabulous water charity! Here’s my water
A Poem for National Pig Day on March 1 [Classroom Connections] [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) [My Classroom Connections posts will share a way to connect one of my books or poems to a classroom topic–often something timely that you might be covering in the next month or so. Please share this post if you have educator friends who might be
Silica Packet? [15 Words or Less]
Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. I’m not going to tell you what this one is. It’s whatever you make of it! This image makes me think of several things:
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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