Purple Plums

Earlier in the week, I posted pictures of my grandchildren on Facebook with a promise to share Evie’s poem today.  I've been under the weather today, but I want to get this written before the meds kick in.

I was very excited to share Lee Bennett Hopkins’ latest anthology Lullaby and Kisses Sweet with Evie and Victor because one of my poems is included. It was so much fun to read the poems to them. Evie was especially intrigued, and enthusiastically interjected comments about her own experiences. For example, after reading “Spaghetti” by Laura Purdie Salas, she said, “Yeah, Victor is messy like that too!” To Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s  “My Tricycle” she said, “My bike has two wheels, but it has training wheels too. One, two, three, four.”  I loved hearing her make connections to these adorable poems.

 

 

 

Then, holding the book in her little hands, she piped up, “Hey, I have a poem too, listen to this:

Purple plum, purple plum—

Squish, squish, squish

Purple plum, purple plum                                     

I love them in my
Dish, dish, dish!

                    -Evie

 

As soon as she was finished reciting her poem, she gave a little giggle and ran off to play with her brother and Grandpa.  Simple as that!

 

 

 Of course, I was tickled she modeled her poem from mine, but even more important is how she made it her own!  She wasn’t all that impressed to find Grandma’s poem in a book; she’s seen that before. Instead, she was inspired by poems that touched her heart. This little book spoke to her, and she wanted to be part of it. Isn’t that the reason we write poetry?  No review by a publisher or editor is more meaningful than the reactions of a child who sees herself in words we wrote.

 

I wish I had thought to have her illustrate her poem.  I can just imagine a whole page full of squished up plums!  I don’t want to miss that opportunity again so the other day I bought a little blank book. Now Evie and I can start our own poetry collection!  I think it will make a perfect keepsake.

 

Evie lives in a language-rich environment where her Grandma reads her poetry, and Daddy reads her picture books.  She and my son have been creating their own stories together since she was an infant. Evie delights in telling her stories to Mommy and anyone else who will listen! In her mind, making stories and poems is just part of her day.

 

Playing with words comes natural to young children, but not all children have the good fortunate to have quality books like LULLABY.   I want to change that, at least in my own small way.  I have decided to donate copies of LULLABY  and a few other favorite titles to a local charity that helps low income mothers in Evie and Victor’s honor. I’ll share more after I’ve gotten more information. I want other children to experience the joy of words the way my grandchildren do.

Whew!  I hope I didn't make too many typos, my head is pretty stuffy and my throat feels like sandpaper!   I'm off to take those meds!

For more poetry,  head on over to this week's host, Author Amok,  say hello to Laura and see what everyone is wearing for National Poetry Month.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

 



Dr. Seuss' birthday is coming up this Monday, March 2.  How will you celebrate?  Many schools celebrate by participating in Read Across America. If you are planning a to participate, this NEA site has some great resources including booklists and the Read Across America poem which begins:

Read Across America
  -Anita Merina

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild,
To pick up a book and read with a child.
You're never too busy, too cool, or too hot,
To pick up a book and share what you've got.

In schools and communities,
Let's gather around,
Let's pick up a book,
Let's pass it around.

You can read the rest of the poem here.

Did you know that Seuss was Theodor Geisel's middle name, and he appeared on the show To Tell the Truth in 1958?   I didn't know either of those facts until I watched the documentary Dr. Seuss' -Rhymes and Reasons.  I enjoyed learning more about his journey to become one of our most loved authors.  (Some content might not be appropriate for children, so please preview it first.)

Last weekend, I bought a few more titles to add to my Dr. Seuss collection. I plan to bring those to school next week to share with my students.  Due to testing, my school is postponing our Read Across America until March 9th. We're celebrating by having classes decorate their door to represent a favorite Dr. Seuss book/character, a period with the entire school will drop everything and read, and we're encouraging students and staff to come dressed as their favorite book character. 

We all have a favorite Dr. Seuss book.  Mine is HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS. I used to read it to my sons (and I still read it to my students) every Christmas. Now my son reads it to his children.  I love the message that no matter who we are or what we've done, we can change.  Recently, my granddaughter and I read GREEN EGGS AND HAM.  What fun to hear her giggle, "I do not like green eggs and ham!" Then of course, we made green eggs and ham for breakfast, and she liked them!  Oh, the power of Dr. Seuss!

Finally, I couldn't end this post without sharing a few of my favorite Seuss-isms!  Come join in the celebration! Share your favorite Dr. Seuss book and Seuss-isms in the comments! 
 
The lovely Heidi is rounding up today's Poetry Friday at  My Juicy Little Universe.

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
 -Oh , the Places You'll Go!

     The more that you read,

                  the more things you will know.

       The more that you learn,

         the more places you'll go.

                       -I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!

 

 

                                            A person's a person, no matter how small.

                                                        -Horton Hears a Who!                                   

 And what happened then...?

 Well...in Whoville they say
 That the Grinch's small heart

 Grew three sizes that day!

     -How the Grinch Stole Christmas!






 

 

We love you, Dr. Seuss!

 

      The lovely Heidi is rounding up today's Poetry Friday at  My Juicy Little Universe.

A Change in Perspective

Like many of you,  I subscribe to Your Daily Poem and The Writer's Almanac. I look forward to receiving a poem in my email every day.  I've gotten to read many amazing poems that I might not have discovered otherwise.  I especially love it when I read a poem that connects to my life.  Today's poem was so touching, I wanted to share it.

The poem "17 Sounds of a Boy with Autism" by Anjie Kokan could have been written about my two-year old grandson.  Recently, we found out that Victor is showing signs of autism. As a teacher, I've worked with many autistic children and know their struggles. So, it has been heartbreaking to think of the challenges my grandson might face. 

Victor is mostly non-verbal, but through therapy, that is beginning to improve.  His vocabulary is quickly growing!  He is a very loving, smart, and happy little boy. He sings and dances and makes us smile.  My son and daughter-in-law are extraordinary parents who are patient, supportive, and provide him with every possible opportunity to enhance his development, and it's working!  The future is bright for our little guy!

What I especially love about this poem is that it gives us a different perspective on autism. Just like the boy in the poem, my grandson has a need for sensory stimulation and Anjie describes that need so beautifully. So, I'm sharing it in honor of my precious grandson who brings joy into the lives of everyone who gets to know him.

    

                                                                      Victor


17 Sounds of a Boy with Autism
           -Anjie Kokan

Lego pieces sliding on the wood floor
with Mr. Potato Head eyes
sandwiched in the middle
The shaking of a house
with the bouncy applause
for Toy Story at 4:32 a.m.
A quiet sigh of awe while the train
whistles beyond the bay window
The unnecessary gush of tap water delight
Eggshells cracking open on the linoleum floor,
scrambling feet sliding through that yolky goo
Quick scribbles on the Magna-Doodle
His bedroom door opening and closing,
opening and closing.

Read the rest of the poem here.

Be sure to stop by and say hello to Linda who is hosting today's Poetry Friday at Teacher Dance .

LET IT GO!

I’ve been thinking about the One Little Word I want to guide me in 2015. I tried out a lot of words, but couldn’t seem to find THE ONE that felt right. 

Last Friday was my sixtieth birthday.  I had spent much of 2014 anticipating how turning 60 would change my life. It felt like the beginning of old age and the end of possibilities. I could have easily allowed myself to sink into a murky pool of despair, but I decided to celebrate my age instead. So, I reinvented my birthday and threw a party in honor of my friends and family to thank them for being an important part of my life.

 

We had a DJ , played trivia, sang karaoke, and laughed a lot.  What a fantastic time!
During the party, my four year old granddaughter, Evie, sang “Let it Go” from FROZEN. 

 

 

 

Every little girl seems to know the words to the song, and I’ve heard Evie sing it before but never really listened to these words. 

Let it go, let it go!
Can't hold it back any more.
Let it go, let it go!
Turn away and slam the door.
I don't care what they're going to say.
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway.

It's funny how some distance,
makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me.
I'm free!

-from Disney’s FROZEN

Read the rest of the lyrics here.

 

They were the right words at the right time, and suddenly it hit me. Turning sixty is the perfect time to let go of some of my notions about growing older. (My generation is fortunate to have many wonderful role models much older than me who are doing amazing things.) Sixty is the perfect time to release the fears and self-doubt that have held me back and kept me from moving forward.  Sixty is the perfect time to take some risks, try new things, and bravely become my own true me.

My One Little Word is RELEASE. I’m going to spend 2015 learning to let go and allow myself to flow freely in the direction of my dreams while enjoying every precious moment!

Have you chosen your One Little Word?  I'd love to hear about it!


 Tabatha is hosting today's Poetry Friday. 

 

Holiday Reading Fun

What do you get when you mix poetic picture books, holiday music, a few snacks, and kids?  Our Picture Book Holiday Read-In!  On Monday, I filled several tables in our media center with picture books. My middle school students were allowed to choose which books they wanted to read.

I loved hearing their excitement as they recommended a book to a classmate, bragged about the number of books they read during our Read-In, and told me their favorite details from their books.   The students are in my six reading intervention classes. They don't usually list reading as their favorite activity.  Yet, there they were enjoying books!  

Many of the kids commented about how relaxing the time the read-in was. It was like they suddenly discovered READING!  I encouraged them to find a book and have their very own read-in at home. 

I thought I'd share a few photos. You might recognize some of these books! 

Another fun holiday activity this week was watching my granddaughter, Evie,  decorate her Christmas tree.  All the decorations ended up on one side, but it was the most beautiful tree I've ever seen.  Then we baked cookies!

Happy Holidays!

Head on over to Buffy's Blog for more poetry fun!

Poetry Friday: The Meaning of Christmas

I had a wonderful time at NCTE, and the highlight was meeting some of my favorite poets. It was a magical three days, and I wanted to share my excitement. I planned a blog post, but time slipped away from me. From the minute I got home, I hit the ground running and before I knew it, I was knee-deep back in the daily rush!   Maybe that's why it's been so hard for me to get into the holiday mood this year.

I love Christmas. I love baking, addressing cards, wrapping presents, and putting up the tree.   Yet, this year, the joy wasn't  there.  It felt like I was just going through the motions to get things done. 

Then while rushing home from work today, "Away in a Manger" came on the radio.  Outside my car window, snow was falling, and  the world seemed to slow down.  As I listened, I could feel my spirit lifting. I could feel Christmas.

"Away in a Manger" is the first Christmas carol I learned as a child. I don't know how I learned it(maybe from my mother), and I love singing it every year.  It so simply, yet so perfectly reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. It was the song I needed to hear.

It's amazing how a song can change your mood.  So, what song gets you in the holiday spirit?  I hope you'll share it in the comments. I'll be taking a break from posting for a few weeks so I'll see you again in the new year!

Have a blessed and joyous holiday, and remember to take a little time for yourself! 

Paul, one of my new friends I met at NCTE, is our host for Poetry Friday at These 4 Corners.

Lunch with Jacqueline Woodson!

Ok, so Jacqueline Woodson won't actually know I'm in the room, but I am going to hear her speak at a luncheon next week at NCTE, and I'm so excited!  I've been a fan or her books for many years. She writes with such heart, and warmth that reading her books feels like she's sitting next to me telling the story.



I first came to know her work when I read Locomotion, a novel written in verse written in the voice of eleven year old Lonnie.  Every poem is so touching that I couldn't stop thinking about Lonnie and all the sadness he experienced at such a young age. I love how a fifth grade poetry assignment helped him find his voice and gave him a way to tell his story.



A few years ago, I used Miracle's Boys in my reading class with a group of eighth grade boys.  They told me it was the best book we read all year. Like many of Jacqueline Woodson's books, this story of three brothers is heartbreaking yet hopeful.



 I just finished reading her memoir-in-verse, Brown Girl Dreaming.  I loved reading about her childhood and discovering her voice as a writer.   She and I are from the same generation so the songs and events mentioned in the poems brought back memories of my own childhood.  You can read an excerpt from Brown Girl Dreaming on the NPR blog, and learn more about how Jacqueline came to poetry.  Another connection I share with Jacqueline is that Langston Hughes is the poet who led her to love poetry. I believe readers of all ages will identify with her story.



In addition to novels, Jacqueline Woodson also writes picture books. My favorite is  Each Kindness, the story of a young girl who is unkind to the new girl in her class. .  I see this scenario play out all the time at school, and it's heartbreaking.  I read it to my sixth grade students, and many of them shared their own experiences of being treated unkind.  A few of them even shared their regrets over treating someone or something unkind.

There are still a few of Jacqueline Woodson's books I haven't read, but I plan on changing that!  If you're looking for realistic fiction with characters so believable, you'll worry about them, Jacqueline is the author for you!  Just be sure to have a box of tissue nearby.   :  )

This is just a brief overview for a few of Jacqueline Woodson's titles. Check out her website to learn more.

Keri at Keri Recommends is hosting Poetry Friday this week.