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Diverse Family Structures Highlighted in MEET MY FAMILY!
It’s always nerve-wracking waiting for reviews, but–yay–here’s one from Kirkus. I’m glad the diversity theme came through loud and clear! KIRKUS REVIEW Animal babies from around the world describe their families. This information-packed title not only describes varied family structures and child-rearing practices, it gives the proper names of the children for each of 23
Mae’s Wall of Warmth [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday, and Happy New Year! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) 2017 ended on a low note for me, so I’m happy to be sharing poems with the Poetry Princesses today. We’ve decided to continue on our monthly journey of writing and posting poems according to a prompt chosen by
Shredder [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. Thank you, everyone who sent such nice thoughts of the death of our dog, Jackie. It’s been a painful week, and your touching notes have helped ease my
In Memory of Jack
We just got home from the vet, where we had to have Captain Jack Sparrow put to sleep. It’s been a hard, hard day. Here are a few poems I wrote with Jack in mind, plus a video I made a couple of months ago. Thanks, you guys, for always being so fond of Jack
Gloves in the Snow [15 Words or Less]
Hello, and welcome to the final 15 Words or Less Poems of the year! This is a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. Walking to the mailbox with Jack is always an adventure. Trying to corral him while unlocking the mailbox with a tiny key
Sailing Ships [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. So, the picture I posted last week was a filtered image (as usual) of some frosted glass with a coral‑y design on it. I think it was at
First Graders Ponder What Leaves Can Be…
There is hardly anything a writer likes better than hearing/seeing how readers respond to her work. A writer friend sent me this fun image a few weeks ago. Her sister is a substitute teacher in New Hampshire, and she used A Leaf Can Be… with first graders. They were studying the number 9, and the
Coral? [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 took this pic in an airport a couple of weeks ago. Want to take a guess? I’ll reveal the correct answer (if I can remember exactly what
Writing Poetry with Third Graders
I had the best time at Pinewood Elementary last month. I got to spend two days there, which means that, in addition to two large-group presentations, I did writing workshops with each third-grade class. Love! The staff was amazing and enthusiastic, and the students were incredible. We had the best time. I’m going to share
Jellyfish Dance [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) So, last week, I shared a lai, which the Poetry Princesses tackled for December. I liked it and wanted to try another, so here’s a #poemsketch with another lai. I had one with a font I liked a little better, but it was a
Traffic Cones [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 a pic from a recent road trip. This image makes me think of several things:
December #Poemsketch
I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the year! Here’s a #poemsketch for you today:>) I love December and winter, and I enjoy the fresh start feeling of a new year (though fall always feels like the beginning of my year, personally). But when it’s frigid and icy, December seems a little…violent to me,
Lai-ing About with Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) This month, we Poetry Princesses wrote lais (a 9‑line, aabaabaab poem) on the theme of hope, light, or peace. I had done the little drawing below before thinking about this month’s poem. Then I started thinking about how the sight of chimney smoke
Bike Rack [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. If you didn’t see my note earlier, sorry about last week! Major blog/Wordpress fail, and I lost several posts. Boo. And I was traveling without my laptop and
Silo Storm #Poemsketch
Apologies for those who visited last Thursday. I had several posts for Thanksgiving Thursday and Poetry Friday and one all about NCTE–and they have completely disappeared. :>( OK, moving on… There’s something about a farm silhouetted against the sky that always feels so nostalgic. As I’ve driven around Minnesota doing school visits, I’ve been treated
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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