Novels in verse, but first, a poem taste. April – Poetry Month continues. We can choose to read an anthology, a whole collection of poems. Sometimes the power of one poem fills our heart and causes us to pause, imagine, ponder. I would like to share the beginning of this poem by Arnold Adoff: “…… Read more »
Book Room
WHERE MY WELLIES TAKE ME
WHERE MY WELLIES TAKE ME by Clare and Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill Remember picking dandelions? Splashing through puddles in your rubber boots, which in England are called “wellies”? Michael and Claire Morpurgo have created a charming book of discovery and poetry. Claire has selected a wide variety of poems to include as part of the “image… Read more »
Librarian’s Corner: More Poetry Picks!
When my teenager was young, I wanted to share good poetry with her without taking away her choice of bedtime books, so I started, unintentionally, a strange tradition of reading to her from children’s poetry collections while she took her baths. She was a dawdling bather and my only child at the time, so we… Read more »
Hi, Koo! … Haiku
Haiku – a short, traditional Japanese poem, usually about the seasons or nature – is a form that often finds its way into elementary classrooms. Invite students to write Haiku poems – traditionally written in English using a pattern of five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second, and a third line of five syllables… Read more »
Poetry Tools
Poetry is the language of our hearts and souls. It’s both meaning and music. It’s rhyme and rhythm, surprise and sound. Poetry is language compressed. It’s precision, image, and part of our common cultural language. For all these reasons, kids need poetry as much as anyone. Search the keyword “Poetry” on the Common Core State Standards Initiative… Read more »
Firefly July and a Poem for Every Season
Most kids are familiar with the accessible verse of Shel Silverstein’s Where The Sidewalk Ends and Jack Prelutsky’s The New Kid on the Block (or his poem, a regular classroom favorite, “Homework! Oh Homework!”). But for many kids, that’s as far as their poetry knowledge goes. And in a time of tightened school budgets and… Read more »
Words with Wings – Nikki Grimes
Earlier this week, we shared a review of Nikki Grimes’s wonderful new novel, Words with Wings. Today the ReaderKidZ visit with Nikki to learn more. NANCY: OK, Nikki – a few fun questions: What are some of your favorite words? Can you suggest one word that for readers to “try on” for flying into daydreams? Do you have a… Read more »
