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poetryaction for Circle, Square, Moose

  They’re back! I loved Zebra and Moose in Z Is for Moose, and now they’re back in another adventure! —————————————————————————————————————————– Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just

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poetryaction and bookalikes for Big Bug

  I love books that give me a new perspective, that help me see the bigger picture–and both Big Bug and Me and My Place in Space (an older favorite of mine) do that! —————————————————————————————————————————– Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It

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Happy Holidays and poetryaction to Camp Rex

Good morning, my wonderful kidlit community. I feel like we are a beautiful forest, stronger because we grow together. Thank you for being part of my kidlit world:>) And now, for today’s Kidlit Combos: I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! is a wonderful rhyming picture book. So much fun! And a great pairing with Camp

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poetryactions for Moonlight and It Is Night

Happy Poetry Friday! I’ve been to DC for NCTE and to Florida to visit family in the past month, which makes me feel a little discombobulated. The art in these picture books makes me feel like I’m home and all is right with the world. Here I am reading this poetryaction: [soundcloud url=“https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/182100168” params=“color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=“100%”

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Charmed [15 words or less poems]

  Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! Look at the beautiful bracelet Heidi Mordhorst gave me at NCTE. Aren’t totally unexpected gifts just the best. I don’t have the packaging with me as I write this, but it’s an Alex and Ani bracelet that I think means passion, leadership,

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poetryaction for The Baby Tree

The Baby Tree is a funny and clever picture book, but somehow when I wrote my poetryaction, my first draft (and, for these poetryactions, I usually only do one draft, or maybe a quick second one) came out kind of creepy. I felt like a cannibal describing a crop of babies. So I had to

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Lionesses: Girrrrrrrrl Power! A Need to Feed Poem

Hi teachers! Here’s one more poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. This is the last one I’m sharing–at least for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed them! Note: Lionesses do most of the hunting for a pride of lions. They usually hunt in groups

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Hickory Dickory Dance: A Need to Feed Poem

Hi teachers! Here’s another poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. Note: Chimpanzees like to poke anthills and termite mounds with a stick (from an arrowwood plant, not a hickory tree!). Ants run up the stick, and the chimpanzees slurp them right off! A

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Wolf: Death Dance [Poetry Friday]

Happy Poetry Friday! I’m in Florida visiting family for a few days, and I’m a bit out of the loop–but I’m glad you’re here! Here’s another poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. Note: In the Arctic tundra, wolves chase huge caribou herds across

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Crabby [15 words or less poems]

  Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! Saw this display while grocery shopping (OK, it was really just a donut run) earlier this week. This image makes me think of: 1) crabgrass–hahaha! 2) barbed wire 3) coat of armor And here’s my?first draft. I did a cinquain this week.

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Reading=Victory! Actors and Athletes Aren’t the Only Stars

I wish our culture celebrated reading and book-makers in the same way that it does sports and movies. So, I decided to celebrate us myself! At NCTE, I took some pictures of folks mimicking the poses of sports stars and award-winning actors. Some were enthusiastic–thank you, Leslie Bulion for being my first guinea pig and

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Brotherly Love: A Need to Feed Poem

I’m going to share a few poems this week and next from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. They may be a little too bloodthirsty for some of you, especially in this lovely holiday season. :>) But for the rest of you, I hope you

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poetryaction for Flight School

  I shared Flight School before as a Bookalikes for Flat Rabbit, but I ended up doing a poetryaction for it, too:>) One of the things that can make a list poem interesting–more than a simple list, like a grocery list–is a twist. That briefly-flying penguin is so cute and such a surprise that I

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The View [15 words or less poems]

Starting your holiday shopping? If you’re looking for a nonfiction book, click here to see the signed, personalized books? (including a few rhyming ones, alphabet ones, and color-based ones) I sell through Amazon. Great gifts for teachers/classrooms:>) Thanks! Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! Here’s a picture I took

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poetryaction for Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend

I didn’t want to rhyme here, but I did want a bit of a swingy rhythm…   —————————————————————————————————————————– Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail

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