Top 10 Tuesday – Celebrate Poetry Month with

Poetry Month is HERE! So rather than squishing poetry into the last two weeks of June, NOW is the time to spread a little poetry joy in your classroom! In fact, there is no better time than to start sharing the joy poetry with your students than Poetry Month! Remember – it’s difficult for students to write poetry until they EXPERIENCE poetry – so use this month to fill them up with the rhyme, rhythm and repetition from some great children’s poets!

Here are 10 of my new favorite poetry books to help celebrate poetry month with your students:

Welcome to the Wonder House – Rebecca Kai Dotlich & Georgia Heard

From one of my all-time favourite poets for both learners and educators, Georgia Heard, this book is visually stunning and overflowing with wonder! The book is a collection of children’s poems written in the format of an allegorical house. Each room is filled with poems covering a wide variety of STEAM topics, including geology, paleontology, physics, astronomy, creative writing, and drawing. There is magic, wonder and curiosity in every poem – and a perfect book to promote “Powerful Thinking”! Such a lot you could do with this book in a classroom!

Love, the Earth – Frances Stickley

This moving poem is told from the perspective of the Earth. The book celebrates Earth and all the things it can do for us, but also focuses on how we can take care of it. This would be a great book for Earth day and for young students who are exploring ways to appreciate what the world gives us. Beautiful, vibrant illustrations.

Poetry Comics – Grant Snider

This is the first poetry graphic novel I have ever read! Such a wonderfully creative combination of poetry and comics in a fun and imaginative book. I also appreciated how the poems deal with universal human emotions and feelings such as anxiety, ambition, creativity, fears, and joy. Drawings are delighful and whimsical! A great book for grades 4 and up.

This is a Tiny Fragile Snake – Nicholas Ruddock

A delightful collection of poetry for young animal lovers! Fifteen information poems about various animals and insects, highlighting their unique characteristics but also explores close encounters with animals … and choosing to respond tenderly.

NOTE: If you are a GearPicks Pack book subscriber, this book is included in the INTERMEDIATE Spring GearPicks Box and will be arriving at your school soon!

Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku – Curtis Manley

Through haiku poems, a young boy narrates his family’s invigorating hike to the peak of Oregon’s
South Sister volcano. Not all the poems in this book follow the 5-7-5 syllable rule but an interesting note in the back about the haiku form debunks the idea that English-language haiku must follow a 5-7-5 syllable pattern! Also included in the back notes is the history and geology of the region, hiking tips, and a visual index.

NOTE: If you are a GearPicks Pack book subscriber, this book and accompanying lesson plan, is included in the INTERMEDIATE Spring GearPicks Box and will be arriving at your school soon!

A Planet is a Poem – Amanda West Lewis

A poetic exploration of the wonders of our solar system – this book is a perfect example of how poetry can be combined with scientific information! 14 original poems filled with fascinating facts about planets, each written in a different poetic structure – sonnet, acrositic, free verse, a ballad of Earth, an ode to the sun, and a villanelle for Venus. Each double page spread features a stunning space scene, a poem and a fold-out flap that includes accessible science facts and an explanation of the poetic form used and why it was matched with that object. AMAZING book!

Animals in Pants: A Poetry Picture Book – Suzy Levinson

Your students will enjoy digging into their imagination pockets and imagining just what if animals wore pants! Such a fun book to read aloud during Poetry month! From wiener dogs in yoga pants to kangaroos wearing Elvis-inspired jumpsuits (because they’re King-aroos, lol!) every poem is sure to bring out some smiles and giggles.

Octopus Acrobatics – Sue Fliess

While not exactly considered a poetry book, this information book includes playful rhyming verse and gorgeous artwork celebrating our curiosity about octopuses. Short lines of verse are accompanied by longer sentences of prose containing more information on each page. The verse works well to summarize the illustrations for younger readers, while more detail is there for the older ones. The artwork is perfect in illustrating the octopus’s camouflage abilities and ocean habitat. Back notes includes a glossary and an anatomical diagram.

I’m From – Gary R. Gray Jr

A beautiful poetic picture book that helps answer the question — where are you from? But instead of giving a geographical answer, the boy tells all the things that make him special that set him apart, that show he is loved and cherished, and has a place in the world. This one will tug on your heartstrings! A perfect book to share when exploring identity and unique character traits and great addition to your Powerful Understanding collection for SELF!

My Head Has a Bellyache: And More Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups – Chris Harris

If you love Shel Silverstein – you will LOVE Chris Harris the same, if not more! Hilarious, entertaining, and heartwarming and invite LOTS of connections! You will be laughing one minute and tearing up the next! SOOOO good!

At the Poles – David Elliot

Straightforward and accessible, this poetry picture book captures the wonders of nature and animals found in the Arctic and Antarctic in 15 poems. Gorgeous paper collage illustrations. A great book to use as poetry or linked to your science unit. If you like this book, David Elliott has written other poetry books including On the Farm, In the Wild, and In the Sea.

Counting in Dog Years and Other Sassy Math Poems – Betsy Franco

This book of poems is full of trickery about math and covers lots of math topics including palindromes, geometry, fractions (when talking about summer vacation), and even multiplying mice! All in clever rhyme and includes hilarious illustrations filled with creatures and kids in full action on every page!

Champion Chompers, Super Stinkers and Other Poems by Extraordinary Animals – Linda Ashman

An information poetry book introducing extreme animals through playful poems and fascinating facts. Each poem is written as a riddle to be solved from both the facts that it shares and a visual clue that is on the page. Definitely a book you could use to practice inferring (from the clues and pictures) and also one that might inspire kids to write their own riddle poems!

If you are are looking for new ways to bring poetry into your classroom, my book Powerful Poetry, is filled with practical ideas, lessons, structures, and strategies to help you get started!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Poetry Month, everyone!

And don’t forget – April 18 is Poem in Your Pocket Day – a great day for kids to share and celebrate favorite or original poems!

Top 10 Tuesday – Top New Treasures from a Sunday Indy Book Store Browse!

This past Sunday, I was in Mosaic Books – my favorite independent book store in Kelowna. I was picking up a book for book club (I’m now in 3!) and, of course, found myself peering onto the shelves in the children’s section, looking for new treasures! And I found LOTS – including some new poetry books just in time for April Poetry Month! So, I stacked them in a pile and sat down on one of the tiny chairs and spent the next hour reading!

Here are my favorite finds from my Sunday browse (and yes, I still have trouble counting to ten!)

This Is Not My Home – Eugenia Yah

While I have read many stories about immigration, this is the first one I have read that deals with reverse immigration. When Lily’s family has to move back to Taiwan to take care of Lily’s aging Ah Ma, Lily is devastated! Everything is different in Taiwan, from the streets to the food to the sights and the smells and even the toilets! Readers follow Lily’s journey as she overcomes challenges and learns to navigate her new home, with the help of her family. Fun pictures, sweet story! (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers -Jan. 24, 2023)

The Knowing – Ani Di Franco

Singer and poet Ani Di Franco’s new book for young readers is gorgeous! It is a lovely lesson for kids learn that not everything people see on the outside defines them; it’s what is inside is important. Trust what’s inside of them and what they know to be true about themselves. The text is lyrical and flow beautifully – so a great choice for a read-aloud. (Rise x Penguin Workshop – March 7, 2023)

Wants Vs Needs Vs Robots – Michael Rex

I love this witty companion to the popular Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots! Using simple, funny robot examples, this book charmingly explains the difference between wants and needs and why this knowledge is important. Such a great book! (Nancy Paulsen Books – March 14, 2023)

Gold – David Shannon

I am a huge fan of David Shannon so excited to see this book about Maximilian Midas, a boy obsessed with gold who does everything to get more of it. Readers familiar with King Midas will have an idea where this one is headed. But there’s lots of room for laughs and discussion and a great fable to teach kids about valuing people, relationships, and memories over riches. (There’s also lemonade, pie, and bunny slippers. I love Max’s bunny slippers!)

Sometimes It’s Nice to Be Alone – Amy Hest

Enjoyed this book about the quiet pleasures of being alone and the beauty of friendships – real and imaginary. Love the illustrations by the great Philip Stead! (Neal Porter Books – Feb. 14, 2023)

If You Laugh, I Am Starting This Book Over – Chris Harris

Not a new release, but new to me – this book had me LOLing in the book store! A super silly interactive picture book sure to make kids laugh. And sometimes, you just need to have a book to make them laugh! The book insists that listeners must not laugh until the end of the book, all the while presenting them things that are sure to make them laugh. Great ending, too!

Patterns Everywhere – Lisa Varchol Perron

A gorgeous introduction to patterns in nature. Stunning photographs showing the patterns, along with easy to understand rhyming text. A perfect book for younger readers and a great anchor book to inspire outdoor play and pattern searches! Delightful! (Millbrook Press – April 4, 2023)

The Planet We Call Home – Aimee Isaac

A lyrical ode to Planet Earth – told in the cumulative style of “This Is the House that Jack Built.” Wonderful curriculum connections to the interconnectedness of nature, Earth Day, and the environment. LOVE this one! (Philomel Books – March 21, 2023)

NOTE: If you are a GEARPICKS book subscriber, DO NOT buy this book! You will be receiving it in your PRIMARY Spring collection! (for information about the book subscription – please contact Elizabeth Graves at gpp@uls.com)

How To Write A Poem – Kwame Alexander

Oh this book now in my poetry collection! So inspiring!  The great Kwame Alexander will make you want to write and illustrate your own by poem the time you finish! The illustrations are magical, colorful, and add another layer of meaning to the poem. (Harper Collins – April 4, 2023 – except I bought a copy on Sunday!)

Champion Chompers, Super Stinkers And Other Poem By Extraordinary Animals – Linda Ashman

Wonderful “guessing game” style poetry book filled with persona poems written in the voice of different animals. Each persona poem offers hints about which animal is talking, then you turn the page to reveal informational facts about the animal. Engaging and interesting and a great anchor book for “Fact Pocket poetry!” (Kids Can Press – June 6, 2023)

Animals in Pants – Suzy Levinson

I had no idea that this was a poetry book until I opened it! Clever and imaginative, these poems had me giggling from beginning to end! Animals in pants? Why not! Playful rhyming text, rhythm, and delightful wordplay fill these poems about animals with covered bottoms (think dogs in yoga pants, goats in overalls, and yaks in slacks)! A perfect book for sharing during Poetry Month in April and sure to inspire your students to write their own “Animals in Pants” poem! (Cameron Kids – April 11, 2023)

Not bad for an afternoon browse in my favorite book store!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you found a book or two that caught your fancy!

Top Ten Tuesday – Favorite Old and New Books About Snow!

Happy New Year everyone! I’m a little “off” this week – Tuesday felt like Monday… yesterday felt like Tuesday… in any event I’m a bit late for this post but better late than never, I say!

I don’t know about where you live, but here in Kelowna, we have had snow on the ground since the end of October!!! Winter is HERE and what better way to celebrate the snow than to share a few SNOW BOOKS??? There are SO many SNOW books to choose from by I have tried to narrow it down!

Here are my top 10 (okay – 19!) favorite books (some old, some new) about SNOW! I have grouped the books into a few categories: waiting for snow, celebrating snow, animals in snow, and visualizing snow. ENJOY!

GearTip – if you don’t have a hard copy of the book, check online for the YouTube read-alouds!

WAITING FOR SNOW:

A Thing Called Snow – Yuval Zommer

With the support of each other and help from friends along the way, Fox and Hare embark on a wonder-filled journey to find snow. GORGEOUS illustrations! (I will be writing that comment a lot in this blog!!!)

Waiting for Snow – Marsha Diane Arnold

Adorable story time read-aloud about animals waiting for the first snowfall, some more impatiently than others. Giggle worthy in some parts but also gentle themes of being patient, waiting for the right time, as well as loving and supporting your friends while they wait.

Waiting for Winter – Sebastian Meschenmoser

Start off with the adorable fuzziness of a squirrel waiting for his first snowflake.. add a deer, a hedgehog, and a bear, mix in some humor, friendship, and wintry wonderfulness, and you get this magnificent picture book.

If Winter Comes, Tell It I’m Not Here– Simona Ciraolo

A summer-loving boy dreads the coming of winter but discovers that each season has specialness when you spend it with your family. Great anchor book for talking or writing about favorite seasons.

We Want Snow- A Wintery Chant – Jamie A. Swenson

Lively and fun rhyming text about kids who want the snow to fall so they can play in it. Readers will enjoy their snow chant and want to join in! Fun to see how the children change the chant at the end when they are tired of snow! I would use this book to inspire kids to write their own “Snow Chant”!

Only the Trees Know – Jane Whittingham

Another book about waiting for winter that was released this past fall. This is a beautifully illustrated book about the changes of the seasons and paying attention, seen from the viewpoint of an impatient young rabbit. The small rabbit spends his days pestering everyone he can, asking when winter will come. Finally his grandmother tells him to ask the trees. Lovely story.

CELBRATING SNOW:

Snow Song – A.K. Riley

Lovely poetic celebration of snow told in a simple narrative as a young girl explores outdoors on a snow day. The book is full of descriptive words, metaphors and interesting verbs, making it a great anchor book for descriptive or poetic writing about snow. Playful illustrations.  

A Perfect Day – Carin Berger

A simple story but I’ve always loved the “feel” of this book! Its a celebration of winter as we join children making first tracks, gliding on skis, having snowball fights and building snowmen and forts. Gorgeous collage illustrations. A great book for talking about winter activities.

Perfect Snow – Barbara Reid

I have used this book SO many times for “making connections”. Barbara Reid PERFECTLY captures the excitement and anticipation of a snowfall on a school day! Signature plasticine illustrations are perfect, too!

A Sled for Gabo – Emma Otheguy

Snowy Day meets First Stop on Market Street! A young boy who is in a new town feels discouraged when he sees all the kids sledding in the snow and he doesn’t have a sled. But with the help of a loving community he discovers the joys of his first snowy day. Lovely story dealing with a tough topic.

ANIMALS IN SNOW

Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story – Sean Taylor

In this gentle introduction to hibernation, we follow a child and his grandma through a winter landscape to explore how the Earth goes to sleep for winter. Along the way, we spot the sleeping animals through lovely cut-away illustrations. Info about hibernation habits is included at the back. Would be a great one to pair with Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner (next in this list!)

Over and Under the Snow – Kate Messner

This was the first book in Kate Messner’s “Over and Under” series and I remember how delighted my students and I were reading it for the first time and discovering the wonder and magic that lies beneath the wintery landscape.

Whose Tracks in the Snow? – Alexandra Milton

Really lovely illustrations, and the simple, rhyming text is perfect for Pre-K and K. I especially loved the actual-size tracks in the end papers.

Winter Dance – Marion Dane Bauer

All the animals fox knows do a variety of different activities to prepare for winter, from flying south to hibernating, but fox is unsure of what he should do. Beautiful, poetic text and GORGEOUS illustrations in this one! (See? I told you!)

Once Upon a Snowstorm – Richard Johnson

Absolutely gorgeous illustrations fill this heartfelt wordless picture book about a little boy who gets separated from his father during a snowstorm. With the help of the woodland animals, he finds his father again.

VISUALIZING SNOW

(and great anchor books for writing!)

After the Snowfall – Rich Lo

A quiet, gentle story that made me want to have a cup of hot chocolate!!! Beautiful illustration perfectly captures the wonder of nature and beauty of a forest after a snowstorm. Sparse text makes this a perfect book to practice visualizing! Don’t show the pictures right away – invite the students to sketch their “thinking pictures” that come to mind while they listen to the story.

Ten Ways to Hear Snow – Cathy Camper

Did you know that snow makes sounds? This is one of my FAVORITE books about snow (I feel like I’m saying that a LOT!!) with so many things to LOVE – it’s a counting book, an intergenerational story (grandmother and grandaughter), a diverse story (family is Lebanese), a great anchor book for teaching onomatopoeia (all the sound of snow when you step on it, throw it, shovel it. The quiet of snow is also a sound.) I developed one of my OLLI lessons connected to this book – you can download the free lesson HERE

Snow – Cynthia Rylant

Cynthia Rylant is up there in my top 10 (maybe even my top 5??) picture book authors. This book is an ode to the beauty and magic of the many different kinds of snow: soft, fat, light and heavy. Intergenerational, gorgeous illustrations, lyrical descriptions, personification, sensory details – this book has it all! LOVE!

Winter Eyes – Douglas Florian

Twenty-eight original, whimsical, humorous, descriptive, quirky poems about winter by my favorite children’s poet. Every poetry technique and structure you could ever want. Mic drop.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you found one or two new titles that caught your eye!

Coming up next week….. my top 10 new books for celebrating Lunar New Year!

Adrienne’s OLLI – Online Learning Lesson Idea #21 – Mother’s Day Poem

I originally created OLLIs when schools in my province of British Columbia shut down last spring due to Covid19.  While we are now back in class, I know there are many districts still juggling virtual and in-class support.  These OLLIs can be used both in class and virtually person.  Either way, I hope you find some ideas that you can use with your students to lighten your load just a little this year!  

Here is a list of the previous OLLI lessons and anchor books in case you missed any of them:

OLLI#1 (The Hike)

OLLI#2. (If I Could Build A School)

OLLIE#3  (Mother’s Day)

OLLI#4 (Everybody Needs a Rock)

OLLI #5 – (WANTED:  Criminals of the Animal Kingdom) 

OLLI #6 – (Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt)

OLLI #7 (All About Feelings – “Keep it! – Calm it! – Courage it!)  

OLLI #8 (I’m Talking DAD! – lesson for Father’s Day) 

OLLI #9 (Be Happy Right Now!) 

OLLI #10 – (Dusk Explorers)

OLLI#11 (If You Come to Earth)

OLLI #12 (Map of Good Memories)

OLLI #13 (Harvey Slumfenburger)

OLLI #14 (New Year’s Resolutions)

OLLI #15 ( 100 Things That Make Me Happy)

OLLIE #16 (Leaving Our Heartprints) 

OLLIE #17  (The Sounds of Snow)  (This post is temporarily unavailable)

OLLIE #18 – Celebrating Women Trail Blazers

OLLIE #19 – The Six Senses of Spring

OLLIE #20 – Thank you, Earth!

THE INSPIRATION:

This Sunday is Mother’s Day – a day to show love and appreciation for all the hard working Moms out there who are trying to juggle work, kids, marriage, and all the other things that moms do! While I recognize that there may be some students who might not have a mom present in their lives, let’s invite them to choose a special grown up in their life they would like to say “thank you” to.

THE ANCHOR:

Last year, my Mother’s Day OLLI lesson, entitled “How to Be My Mom”, focused on instructional writing. You can check out the “HOW TO BE MY MOM” lesson from OLLIE May, 2020 – HERE.

This year, since my head is full of poetry (I’m writing a new book called “Powerful Poetry”), I thought a Mother’s Day poem might be just the thing for this week’s Mother’s Day OLLI!

Jack Prelutsky is a well-known, popular children’s poet. His poem “I Love You More Than Applesauce” has a great rhyming pattern and is also a great mentor poem for teaching syllables. For this lesson, we will be “borrowing” Jack Prelutsky’s rhyming pattern to help us write our own “I Love You More” Mother’s Day Poems Download a copy of the poem HERE

THE LESSON

• Ask students what special day is coming up this weekend (Mother’s day)
• Ask them why we celebrate Mother’s Day? (to say how much we love our moms; thank them, make them feel special)
• Tell the students that moms, dads, and other special grownups always appreciate when we take the time to thank them for all they do and tell them we love them.
• Explain that we are going to be writing a poem for our Moms or special grown up in our lives.
• Copy the poem onto chart paper or share on the smart board (Note: you may need to explain “marzipan” and “marmalade”) Download a copy of the poem HERE
• Tell the students that the poem was written by Jack Prelutsky – a poet who is very good at writing rhyming poems.
• Read the poem aloud.
• Ask students what the poem is about (someone who loves sweets a lot but loves someone even more than all those sweets!)
• Invite students to think of something they really love (soccer, Minecraft, pizza, unicorns). Then ask them to think of someone they love MORE than that! (ie – I love you more than books! )
• Read the poem again and invite students to listen for the rhyming words in the poem. You may explain that the rhyming pattern is A-B-C-C-B. (lines 2 & 5 rhyme and lines 3 & 4 rhyme) in each stanza.
• Tell the students that one of the things you noticed is that a lot of the words in the poem have 3 syllables. This is what helps to give the poem have such a great rhythm. Find the 3 syllable words in the poem and clap out the syllables (bubble-gum, lollipop, candy drops, lemonade, etc.)
• Read the poem again and invite the students to clap each time you read a 3 syllable word
• Ask students to think of other words or phrases that have three syllables. (soccer ball, grizzly bears, Nintendo, hockey stick, unicorns, Christmas trees) List them on the board.
• Invite students to try to think of a 3 syllable word or phrase that rhymes – ie soccer ball – waterfall, hockey stick – magic trick, Christmas tree – deep blue sea Write the rhyming word or phrase beside it.
• Explain that they are going to be writing their own “I Love You More” poem for their mom or special grown-up. You are going to be “borrowing” the rhyming pattern from Jack Prelutsky but use your own rhyming words.
• Pass out the syllable rhyming sheet. Explain that the students are going to start by listing things they love that have one syllable on the left (ball, gum, dogs) On the right side, they are to try to find a word that rhymes. Continue with 2 syllables words and 3 syllable words. (See sample below)

ONE SYLLABLE

ball – wall

dog – frog

TWO SYLLABLES

ice cream – day dream

rainbow – playdough

THREE SYLLABLES

soccer ball – waterfall

hockey stick – magic trick

• Explain that these words are going to help them with their poem. Download the Syllable Rhyming sheet HERE (This lesson may take two days so this might be a good start end Part 1)
• When the students have finished their rhyming page, pass out the I LOVE YOU MORE poem template. Download HERE
• Re-read the Jack Prelutsky’s poem. Explain that they are going to be using their syllable sheet to fill in the blanks on the page. The small numbers at the end of each line tells them how many syllables should be on that line. Students can use their syllable rhyming sheet to help them.
• Model a sample, using a “Write Aloud” – talking about and clapping your syllables:

I love you more reading books

Than forests and the beach

Than camping tents

And big presents

And a fuzzy orange peach (I cheated a bit here!)

• Note: The rhyming pattern in the last stanza changes slightly so ending requires some 1 syllable rhyming words. Depending on your grade level, I recommend focusing more on the syllable count rather than the rhyming. Encourage students to clap their words and read their poem out loud as they write so they can check the rhythm.
• See student sample below from a grade 3 student.

MOTHER’S DAY ANCHOR BOOKS:

Below are some of my favorite books for celebrating Mothers and Mother’s Day:

What Not to Give Your Mother on Mother’s Day – Martha Simpson

Online read aloud

How to Raise a Mom – Jean Reagan

My Mother’s Voice – Joanne Ryder

The Mommy Book – Todd Parr

The Best Mother – C.M. Surrisi

My Mum is Fantastic – Nick Butterworth

My Mum – Anthony Browne

Thanks for stopping by, everyone! Happy Mother’s Day to every mother, mother-to-be, hoping-to-be, mother in other ways, and mothers who are no longer with us.

Please tag me readingpowergear if you are posting any student samples! Thank you!

Adrienne’s OLLI – Online Learning Lesson Idea #19 – The Six Senses of Spring

I originally created OLLIs when schools in my province of British Columbia shut down last spring due to Covid19.  While we are now back in class, I know there are many districts still juggling virtual and in-class support.  These OLLIs can be used both in class and virtually person.  Either way, I hope you find some ideas that you can use with your students to lighten your load just a little this year!  

Here is a list of the previous OLLI lessons and anchor books in case you missed any of them:

OLLI#1 (The Hike)

OLLI#2. (If I Could Build A School)

OLLIE#3  (Mother’s Day)

OLLI#4 (Everybody Needs a Rock)

OLLI #5 – (WANTED:  Criminals of the Animal Kingdom) 

OLLI #6 – (Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt)

OLLI #7 (All About Feelings – “Keep it! – Calm it! – Courage it!)  

OLLI #8 (I’m Talking DAD! – lesson for Father’s Day) 

OLLI #9 (Be Happy Right Now!) 

OLLI #10 – (Dusk Explorers)

OLLI#11 (If You Come to Earth)

OLLI #12 (Map of Good Memories)

OLLI #13 (Harvey Slumfenburger)

OLLI #14 (New Year’s Resolutions)

OLLI #15 ( 100 Things That Make Me Happy)

OLLIE #16 (Leaving Our Heartprints) 

OLLIE #17  (The Sounds of Snow)  (This post is temporarily unavailable)

OLLIE #18 – Celebrating Women Trail Blazers

THE INSPIRATION:

Spring break might be over for some of us, but the season of Spring is just beginning. I love the freshness, the colors, the sounds, smells and feelings of hope and renewal that comes with this time of year. And since I have been immersed in poetry of late (due to the new poetry book I’m writing), what better way to celebrate the new season than a little poetry lesson?

THE ANCHOR BOOKS:

This week’s OLLI lesson, unlike the previous ones, is not dependent on a specific title. Any book about spring will do! New spring picture books come out every year and this year is no exception (including Todd Parr’s new book!) The first books listed (below the lesson) are new releases (#warmbookalert) and the later ones are some of my favorites from previous years. If you don’t have a hard copy, don’t forget to check YouTube for a read-aloud. (always preview full video before showing your class!) If you prefer, you can always show the video with the volume down and read it yourself! I’ve tried to include some video links for the titles whenever possible.

THE LESSON:

• Begin with the “ONE WORD” activity. Write the word “Spring” on the board or chart stand. Invite students to think about a connection, a visual image, and a feeling that comes into their mind when they think of this word.

• Give them 1 minute to think and 2 minutes to share (with a partner)

• Invite students to share their responses with the class, while you record the words in a web on the board around the word “spring”

• Explain to the students that one of the things you notice most about spring is how everything feels as if nature is waking up from the darkness of winter – flowers grow, leaves grow, baby animals are being born, grass is greener, it stays lighter longer. Tell them that spring also wakes up our senses – there are more colors and smells and sounds and “feels” in springtime.
• Choose one of the anchor books (see list below) to read aloud. Invite students to be listening for the “six senses” of spring.

• Write “Six Senses of Spring” on the chart stand or board. Explain that scientists have 5 senses but writers add emotion and feeling into their writing. Make a 6 box chart and write the name of each of six senses (or draw a symbol) at the top of each box: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, emotion(feeling)

• Beginning with sight, invite students to brainstorm things they see in springtime (flowers, grass, baby animals, blossoms, rain, mud, etc.)

• Move into the next box and do the same. Depending on your grade level, complete the chart as a class or pass out “The Six Senses of Spring” and invite students to complete the page either by themselves or with a partner.

• Download the Six Senses of Spring student template HERE

Sight flowers kites grass chicks puddles	Smell grass dirt blossoms flowers dirt/mud
Taste ice cream jelly beans chocolate eggs barbeques	Sound rain wind birds kids playing baseball
Touch rain grass Easter eggs baby chicks puppies baseball bat kite string	Feeling hope energetic excitement happy

• Once the chart is complete, students can use their ideas to create a simple list poem. Model how to select three ideas from each box and add a verb (action word) to it. Encourage “triple scoop” verbs! End each stanza with the sense “I _______ spring”. (see below for an example of the start of a poem) Students may “borrow” a few ideas from your example but you would like to see how unique and clever they can be!

The Six Senses of Spring

Flowers blooming

Blossoms bursting

Kites flying

I see spring

Rain splashing

Bees buzzing

Chicks chirping

I hear spring

• Students can add illustrations to their poem and share them out loud with a partner, their buddy, or with the class.

THE ANCHOR BOOKS

Busy Spring – Nature Wakes Up – Sean Taylor Youtube Read aloud – HERE (story starts at about 1.23)

Happy Springtime! – Kate McMullan

Spring Stinks! – Ryan T. Higgins YouTube Read-Aloud HERE

The Spring Book – Todd Parr Youtube Read Aloud HERE

Spring for Sophie – Yael Werber
YouTube Read Aloud HERE

Splish, Splash, Spring – Jan Carr

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring – Kenard Pak
YouTube Video HERE

Abracadabra, It’s Spring! – Anne Sibley O’Brian Watch YouTube Here

Spring is Here! – Heidi Pross Gray

Toad Weather – Sandra Markle

Worm Weather – Jean Taft
YouTube Read Aloud Here

When Spring Comes – Keven Henkes

Youtube Read Aloud HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_kNU3XpMew

And Then It’s Spring – Julie Fagliano Youtube

Read Aloud HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hPa3OqwlOA

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms – Julia Rawlinson YouTube Read-Aloud HERE

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt – Kate Messner

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Hoping your students will enjoy writing their spring poems and that you have discovered a new Spring picture book to brighten your classroom or library!

Top Ten Tuesday – Top 10 Books About Bees!

It’s been a while since I have written a blog post so I’m excited to share a new “top ten” list this week!  Bees!  So many great new books coming out about these amazing and important insects that I thought I would feature some of my favorites new and not so new books about bees including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.  BEE-lieve me – BEES would BE a great topic for an end of the year inquiry project!  Invite a local bee keeper into your class as a guest.  And share some of these amazing bee books!

Follow That Bee!  A First Book of Bees in the City – Scot Ritchie

I love Scot Ritchie’s “Exploring Our Community” series so was excited to see this new addition all about bees!  Always just the right amount of interesting information but also high on the entertainment scale! The illustrations are great and I love that he includes a “call to action” toward the end of the story on how we can help the bees. Packed with interesting bee facts – did you know bees can’t see the colour red?

Willbee the Bumblebee – Craig Smith and Maureen Thomson

By the same team who brought us “Wonky Donkey” – this one is not quite as funny as Wonky Donkey, but a cute story, just the same.  Great triple scoop words!

Bees – A Honeyed History – Piotr Socha

This fascinating, over-sized bee book is one you could spend several hours pouring over.  Lots of interesting, scientific facts, gorgeous illustrations.  While I may not read this aloud to a class due to the significant amount of small text, it would be a great book for looking at with a buddy.

      

Are You a Bee?  – Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries

This is one of several books in a series called the “Backyard Books”, featuring insects you might find in your backyard.  What makes this book different from your typical nonfiction text is how the narrative voice speaks to the reader directly, detailing the stages of the life cycle of a bee and all the challenges it faces.  A unique point of view that I would certainly also use as an anchor for writing.  Gorgeous pencil crayon illustrations.

The Honeybee – Kristen Hall

Love, love, love this enchanting book that reveals the day-to-day activities of honeybees. Lyrical wordplay, rhyming text, eye-catching black and white illustrations with pops of bright colors, and cute little bees with little neck ribbons. Adorable!

Busy Buzzy Bee – Karen Wallace

Perfect for K-1, this beginning reader is filled with interesting bee facts,  eye-catching DK photographs and plenty of word repetition.

The Bee Book – Charlotte Milner

While many bee books focus on the honey bee, I enjoyed how this book introduces readers to various kinds of bees and emphasizes the importance of all bees in the world.   Beautiful and simple.

UnBEElievables – Douglas Florian

Douglas Florian is one of my favorite children’s poet.  I love the way he integrates poetry, facts, and visuals in such a seamless, interesting and entertaining way.  Each page is complete with his signature art and also contains a short informative description connected to the topic of the poem.  Poems and paintings about bees;  puns and word play; humor – you can’t ask for more.

Give Bees a Chance – Bethany Barton

The author-illustrator of the delightful I’m Trying to Love Spiders is offering readers a plea to please give bees a chance!  Written in the same engaging, interactive style, this book is not only packed full of bee facts, but makes a fabulous read-aloud for your class.

The Honeybee Man – Lela Nargi 

Every morning, Fred climbs three flights of stairs—up to his rooftop in Brooklyn, New York—and greets the members of his enormous family: “Good morning, my bees, my darlings!”  With beautiful and unique illustrations, this “Fact-ion” picture book combines Fred’s story with facts about what bees do in their hives, what they do to find honey, and how the pollen they collect affects the taste and color of the honey.  It is full of such lush, sensory details, that you can hear the bees buzzing, see them collecting nectar, and then you can taste the sweet honey.  A great writing anchor book for using sensory details!

Bee and Me – Alison Jay

This is a beautiful wordless picture book – perfect for teaching and practicing inferring – with a subtle message about the importance of bees in our world.    This book has a whimsical feel to it but includes with an important closing note explaining the plight of the dwindling honeybee population and suggests plants that readers can grow to help bee populations.

Ant and Bee – Angela Banner

My last pick is not really a book about bees, but one I just had to include.  While doing my bee search, up popped a book from a far corner of my memory pocket!  And while I would not classify them as “books about bees”,  Ant and Bee books were among my favorite growing up.  I remember my sisters and I and reading and re-reading them dozens of times!  (Ant and Bee and Kind Doggie and Around the World with Ant and Bee were my two favorites!) These books have been updated and re-released.  Sadly, the original illustrations by Brian Ward have been replaced by those from the author, (who is now in her 80’s!) apparently after the two had a falling out.  While lacking some of the original charm, I was impressed at how well the story is written in simple, scaffold-ed text, with new words highlighted in red. As an adult, I see the educational value of them for emergent readers.  As a child, I just remember loving them!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you found one or two BEE books that caught your eye!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? “How To” Books for “How To” Writing

It’s Monday and I’m happy to be participating in a weekly event with a community of bloggers who post reviews of books that they have read the previous week. Check out more IMWAYR posts here: Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers

Sometimes the discovery of a new book leads me to making many connections to other books and that sparks me to want to make a new blog post!  Such is the case for this week’s post – focusing on books written as “How To’s”, inspired by the new book The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog by Paul B. Janeczko.

One of the tendencies for students writing instructions is including too many words:  “First, you have to ….”  When teaching “How To” Writing – I tell students to follow the S.A.D. Formula:  Sequence word, Action word, Detail.  For example, First, (sequence word) squeeze (action word) a little toothpaste on the bristles (detail).  If you don’t follow the S.A.D. formula, your reader will be SAD because they won’t know what to do!

While it is important to learn how to write realistic “how to’s”, I also love to invite students to add a little creativity and imagination to their instructional writing.  The following are books to inspire creative “How To” writing.

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog – Paul B. Janeczko

This delightful collection of “How To” poems, from practical (how to mix a pancake or how to bird-watch) or fanciful (how to scare monsters or how to be a snowflake) are written by a collection of amazing writers including Kwame Alexander, Ralph Fletcher, Karla Kushkin, and Douglas Florian.   There is creativity, gratitude, and joy in these poems and the soft, watercolor illustrations make it delightful to look at.  Love this brand new book!

How to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps – Nicola Winstanley

Laugh out loud, hilarious new “how to” book features a little girl, a know-it-all narrator, and a cat who refuses to take a bath.  This book will have your students cracking up and would inspire a lot of funny “how to’s” in your class!

How To Be – Lisa Brown

I LOVE this charming book and have used it as an anchor book for many writing lessons.  Simple instructions on how to be various animals, written in a clear “how to” format.  Added clever bonus is that it doubles as instructions on how to be a person – brave, clever, friendly, curious, and charming.  Delightful illustrations.

Writing Idea – students write about an animal they researched in a “how to” instructions format.  Include diet, habitat, behavior, special skills, enemies and a human character trait.

Live___________,  Eat____________,  Catch _________________,  Fly______________, Swim_______________, Beware___________, Be _________________  and _______________________

How To Lose All Your Friends – Nancy Carlson

Hilarious tongue-in-cheek “how to” guide to loosing your friends.  Lots of connections to the child-like behaviors Carlson describes:”Be a bad sport – When someone touches you playing tag, lie and say they missed” (LOL!)  This is a great book to use at the beginning of the year.  I like to have the class ‘re-write” the instructions, focusing on positive behaviors –  “How to Keep Your Friends”.

How to Read a Story – Kate Messner

Step One: Find a story. (A good one.)
Step Two: Find a reading buddy. (Someone nice.)
Step Three: Find a reading spot. (Couches are cozy.)
Now: Begin.

Delightful book to encourage reading and sharing, with the steps on how to read a book to a friend.  Simple but effective reminders to use expression, make predictions and read with feeling.

Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle – Chris Raschka

A young girl provides step by step instructions to learn to ride a bicycle…complete with some falls and lots of practice and determination…but ultimately with success!
Could be used to discuss determination or to discuss growth mindset.  Signature Chris Raschka watercolor illustrations.

The Astronaut Handbook – Meghan McCarthy

Delightful guide to becoming an astronaut.  Interesting and entertaining, full of fascinating facts and adorable illustrations. (Kids are particularly fascinated by bathroom instructions!)  Back notes provide more detailed information about space life.  Fun read-aloud and great anchor for writing “How To Become” with different occupations.

Things to Do – Elaine Magliaro

 Things to Do If You Are A Honeybee

    Flit among flowers

    Sip nectar for hours

    Be yellow and fuzzy.

    Stay busy.  Be buzzy. 

I remember being surprised by how much I loved this book when I first read it.  Whimsical  illustrations and gorgeous, rhyming text.  This book is really a collection of poems focusing on the small moments and secret joys of a child’s day, including animals and insects they encounter.  This book is delightful invitation to write!

Eddie Gets Ready for School – David Milgrim

Morning routines are different for everyone, including Eddie!  While Eddie’s check-list says one thing, the illustrations tell a different story!  Fun read aloud and perfect anchor book for younger writers to write their own “How to Get Ready for School” (or hockey practice, swimming lessons, soccer game) instructions.

How to Teach a Slug to Read – Susan Pearson

Clever, witty, delightful, useful and engaging – full of practical advice for teaching slugs (and human kids) to read.  Adorable illustrations and hilarious “sluggish” titles and slug-related stories (think Little Miss Muffet with a slug instead of a spider!)

How to Make Friends with a Ghost – Rebecca Green

A great book to share at Halloween but with a universal story of friendship and kindness, it could be read anytime.  A whimsical story about ghost care, this story is a perfect combination of offbeat humor, quirky and sweet illustrations, and written in lovely “how to” format.

How to Read a Book – Kwame Alexander

This book will not be released until June, but I’m so excited about it, I just had to include it!  Created by the dream team of extraordinary poet Kwame Alexander and collage-style illustrations of Melissa Sweet –  this ode to reading is a must have for me!  “Once you’re comfy, peel its gentle skin, like you would a clementine…Next, put your thumb at the bottom of each juicy section and POP the words out.”   Squeeeee, can you stand it?

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you found a book that caught your eye!

Top Ten Tuesday! Top 10 Nonfiction Poetry Collections

 

In honour of National Poetry Month, I have decided to do a TOP 10 post that features poetry, in particular, nonfiction poetry!  Poetry can bring science to life for young children and any one of these books can be linked up to a unit you are studying.  From Space, to Bees, to the Arctic and the Savannah, here is my collection of favorite poetry books that combine fascinating facts, delightful language and gorgeous illustrations.

1. Winter Bees and Other Poems of the Cold – Joyce Sidman

If you have never read a Joyce Sidman book, you have been missing out!   In my opinion she is the true Queen of Nonfiction Poetry so I have included two of her books on this list.  Winter Bees provides insight and information on how plants and animals cope with the cold, winter months told through lyrical poetry and gorgeous lino-cut illustrations.

2. Song of the Water Boatman and other Pond Poems – Joyce Sidman

From algae to a nymph to a frog to a turtle,  Joyce Sidman examines the living things in and around a pond through poetry.  This would be a perfect book to compliment a unit of study on ponds or habitats.

3. Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars – Douglas Florian

This collection of whimsical, factual poetry about astronomy is by my #1 information poet – Douglas Florian.   The book includes poems about each planet, as well as the moon, the sun, black holes, constellations, and other space topics.  Includes die-cut pages and a glossary of space terms, making this a perfect anchor book for your study of space and planets.

4. Out of This World:  Poems and Facts about Space – Amy E. Sklansky

Love the variety of different poetic forms, combined with fascinating space facts and gorgeous illustrations.  A perfect addition to your Space book collection and great anchor to start your study of space!

5. Un-BEE-lievables – Douglas Florian

In fourteen funny, fact-filled poems about honeybees, Douglas Florian (major poet crush on this man!) explores the fascinating and often unexpected wonders of these insects’ lifestyles, families, communities and their importance on our ecosystems.  Delightful paintings that will inspire some bee-autiful paintings from your students!

6. Seeds, Bees, Butterflies and More! Poems for Two Voices – Carole Gerber

Kids will have a blast performing these child-friendly poems.  These funny, rhyming poems offer a close-up view of the plant and insect worlds, with an amazing amount of information about them. The art is bright, colorful and fabulous!  A great book for teaching and performing!

7. A Strange Place to Call Home – the World’s Most Dangerous Habitats and the Animals that Call Them Home – Marilyn Singer

Marilyn Singer’s fascinating poems, accompanied by Ed Young’s collage illustrations, feature unusual creatures whose adaptations allow them to live in challenging and often unappealing habitats.  There are helpful end notes which provide more information about each animal. I love how Singer uses a variety of poetic forms from free verse to haiku and sonnets (all defined at the back of the book).

8. When the Sun Shines on Antarctica and Other Poems about the Frozen Continent – Irene Latham

Brand new collection with poems about Antarctic life in the summer, including poems about plants, animals and landscape of this frigid climate.  Each page is accompanied by a paragraph of facts and an illustration that captures the frozen landscape.

9. Polar Bear, Arctic Hare: Poems of the Frozen North – Eileen Spinelli

Eileen Spinelli’s delightful collection of factual poems  about the Arctic can serve as an anchor for a more in-depth study of Arctic Animals (my favorite topic for nonfiction research writing!)  This collection is perfect for reading aloud to and with early primary students.  Spinelli’s playful writing style will tickle your tongue!    In the back of the book is a helpful list of Arctic facts about each animal.

10.  Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Watering Hole – Irene Latham

This collection of creative poems introduces a variety of grassland creatures who frequent this life-sustaining water source over the course of one day.  An accurate and vivid account of survival on the Savannah that  also includes a brief description of each animal on each double page spread.  Entertaining and fascinating!  I love the folk-art illustrations.

11. Silver Seeds – Paul Paolilli

While some may think acrostic poetry is easy to write, if done correctly, each new line is not necessarily a new sentence or word.  This collection of acrostic poems celebrating nature is my “go to” anchor book for teaching students how to write acrostic poems properly.  Simple, but profound poems and gorgeous illustrations.

MOON
Marvelous melon, whole,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Or sliced,
Offering sweet flavor to the
Night.

12. Now You See Them, Now You Don’t: Poems About Creatures That Hide – David L. Harrison

This amazing book features nineteen different creatures organized into five categories, each poem highlights interesting facts about the behavior and habitat of a sea creature, reptile, amphibian, mammal, insect or bird. Laroche’s fascinating cut-paper illustrations bring the habitats to life.  A perfect book for introducing animal classification and adaptation to environment.

Thanks for stopping by!  Which book or books caught your eye?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Midsummer Magic

It’s Monday and I’m happy to be participating in a weekly event with a community of bloggers who post reviews of books that they have read the previous week. Check out more IMWAYR posts here: Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers

I have not posted for many weeks so am happy to be back to share some of the amazing new books that I have discovered.  Summer days are passing by and I find myself deep in the bliss of stress-free days with time to enjoy my family and to read and to occasionally glance at my “summer to do list”!   Here are the books I have recently enjoyed…

Wait – Antoinette Portis

A busy mom and a curious child, both interested in different things.  This gentle, quiet book reminds us to stop,  notice and appreciate.  A great companion to Sidewalk Flowers and Last Stop on Market Street. 

Even Super Heroes Sleep – David Katz  (board book)

My two boys LOVED super heroes and would have LOVED this book when they were younger!  A perfect bedtime book for young Super Hero lovers with a nice balance between male and female super heroes.  Time to rest your super powers and go to sleep!

Rufus the Writer – Elizabeth Bram

Instead of a lemonade stand, Rufus runs a story stand!  He writes personalized stories (included as “mini stories”)  for his friends and accepts whatever item of value they offer as payment.  Writing joy fills every page!  LOVE this book!  I’m already visualizing a Story Stand in my classroom! 

In My Heart: A book of feelings – Jo Witek

A nice addition to books about Feelings.  This one has the added feature of a cut out heart in the center of the book which grows smaller as you turn the pages.  Different feelings are associated with a different color.  The bonus is that there are also  great examples of similes! 

Night Animals – Gianna Marino

Charming, funny, engaging!  This is an adorable story about frightened nocturnal critters who are afraid of each other.  Sparse text and wonderful illustrations.  Love the opossum who plays dead every time it is scared!  Would make a great read-aloud. 

Look!  – Jeff Mack

I LOVE books that use very few words – perfect for teaching and practicing inferring!  This adorable book of friendship between a boy and a gorilla uses only two words to share an important message: Turn off the TV and LOOK at a book!

Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse – Leslie Bulion

Clever, interesting, funny and gross!  This collection of poems about different body parts would make a great read-aloud to introduce your human body unit.  I love the wacky illustrations, the funny sidebars and the variety of different kinds of poems.  There’s even a nod to Shakespeare! Great!

Anna, Banana and the Friendship Split – Anica Mrose Rissi

Wonderful new early chapter series about the joys and challenges of 3rd grade “besties”.  (BTW – Banana is the dog’s name!)Anna is my favorite kind of character–kind and thoughtful and has a deep strength. Very impressed with the depth of this little book and look forward to more in the series.

Thanks for stopping by!  Leave me a message and let me now which book(s) caught your eye!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Look What’s New for Spring!

It’s Monday and I’m happy to be participating in a weekly event with a community of bloggers who post reviews of books that they have read the previous week. Check out more IMWAYR posts here: Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers.

It’s been a busy few weeks and I have not had a chance to do a post in a while!  I have, however, been discovering a lot of wonderful new picture books that I am excited to share this week!

Swimming, Swimming – Gary Clement

“Swimming, swimming, in a swimming pool.  When days are hot, when days are cold, in a swimming pool”.  I love this almost wordless picture book by National Post’s political cartoonist Gary Clement as he shares his childhood memories of summer days swimming in the neighborhood pool with his friends. Delightful illustrations and a perfect book for making connections and inferring.

I Don’t Like Koala – Sean Ferrell

What do you do when your stuffed animal creeps you out and won’t stop staring at you?  Adam does not like his cute, cuddly Koala.  No matter how many times he tries to get rid of it, Koala just keeps showing up!  A little scary, a little funny – and a great book about facing your fears.  Illustrations are hilarious – a little Tim Burton-ish!

Look! – Jeff Mack

This clever book uses only two words but tells a great story – the perfect combination for practicing inferring!   A gorilla tries desperately to get the attention of a little boy,  who is transfixed by his TV, because he wants the boy to read to him.  Whoops!  Clumsy gorilla has broken the TV!  Now what will the little boy do?  Great messages in this one! 

You Nest Here With Me – Jane Yolen

This book has soothing and rhythmic rhymes and the repeating phrase “You nest here with me”. A sweet introduction to different birds and different nests to young children. Gorgeous mixed media collage style of Melissa Sweet (The Right Word) add to the loveliness.  There are so many recent books about birds and nests that I think I shall do a special post just about birds soon!

The Skunk – Mac Barnett

A skunk starts following a man around the city, resulting in a bizarre chase!  This book is a little weird, a little random but great fun to read.  The best part is that you have no idea what is going on until the end of the story!  Great for predicting and inferring!  Love Patrick McDonnell’s illustrations!

Yard Sale – Eve Bunting

I loved this book before I even read it. Eve Bunting and Lauren Castillo?  Together?  In one book?  Then I read it and I loved it around the block and back again.  I think this just might be my favorite book of the year so far.  Beautiful, tender, heart-breaking, up-lifting story about a family who is down-sizing to a smaller apartment, due to economic circumstances.   The little girl is sad to see so many of their possessions for sale, but learns that what matters most is having each other.  This is a definite Kleenex book.  Love.

Red – Jan De Kinder

An innocent playground incident grows into a full-blown bullying incident.  This book focuses on the pain of the victim and the victim’s friend who does nothing to help.  In the end, we see and feel the courage of a girl who makes a difficult choice and stands up to put a stop to it.  Beautiful black, white and red illustrations.  This book would be a good one for classroom discussion.

Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry – Vern Kousky

If you are looking for a book to launch your poetry unit – here it is!  This adorable book that introduces poetry to younger students includes great lines from Dickinson, Eliot, Keats, and Rossetti.  I especially like the message it portrays that sharing poetry can be a joyful experience.  “Otto now knows that poetry should be shared with more than just the moon and the stars. Poetry should be shared with everyone.”

Enormous Smallness – A Story of E. E. Cummings – Matthew Burgess

Sigh.  Sigh again.  I love this book so much.  I know I say that a lot but ever since I memorized “Maggie and Millie and Mollie and May” in grade 6, I have loved e.e. cummings’ poetry.  This is a gorgeous, illustrated biography of E. E. Cummings. (I loved the different type-set shown  as well!)  Interesting, engaging story of his life, woven together with some of his most wonderful poems. A quiet, sensitive introduction to his life and his poetry.  This book is simple, yet very engaging and I felt his spirit when I read it. 

So those are the treasures I discovered this week!  Would love to hear which ones caught your eye!  Thanks for stopping by!