November evokes warm good feelings and smiles. It’s my anniversary month with my hubby who made my heart melt because he was game enough to put on a silly wig and dress up with me for Halloween with friends who also did the favor of dressing up & reciting original scary tales or poems or … Continue reading 
First Peoples Month If you are around young readers who could benefit from some myth-busting about the heritage & culture of North America’s first peoples – and isn’t that every kiddo? – I’ve found some accessible, expert resources. The four resources here deserve hero status for more than one reason. Notably, in their forging ahead … Continue reading 
Owl Bee Thinking of Owl-o-ween Whole universes of poets and their poems from countries afar, and originating from our own states just up the road, who I don’t yet know, became an obvious missing part of my education when I sat in a graduate poetry seminar that I devoured at a green little place tucked into … Continue reading 
POETREES is an arbor picture book illustrated & written by Douglas Florian. It cascades with leaves, trunks, roots and tree canopies. As is delightfully typical with this poet, invented words are seeded to be found among the pages. One is “glossatree,” in the handy reference section. POETRESS brings me to some exciting non-native woody towers … Continue reading 
Originally posted on Jama's Alphabet Soup:
It’s here, it’s here! My favorite season of the year! Happy Autumn, Cutie Pies! To celebrate, I’m sharing four haiku from that delectable harvest of foodie goodness, Yum! ¡MmMm! ¡Qué Rico!: Americas’ Sproutings by Pat Mora and Rafael López (Lee & Low, 2007). This mouth-watering collection features fourteen…
Anyone in Florida or other coastal spaces, or inlanders yearning to return to summer beaches, may enjoy lending their ears to the punny poems by gifted artist & creative, Shel Silverstein, in Underwater Land. Warning: “He sole it to a loan shark” & other silliness stirs the sand. And I’m already planning our Halloween Meal, … Continue reading 
A storm that rolled in the day our daughter recently winged back home, made me think of poet JoAnn Early Macken’s WAITING OUT THE STORM. This gentle prose poem is an appreciation of finding shelter in a storm, to then watch it in wonder. A mother and daughter consider the small creatures who live … Continue reading 
A storm that rolled in the day our daughter recently winged back home, made me think of poet JoAnn Early Macken’s WAITING OUT THE STORM. This gentle prose poem is an appreciation of finding shelter in a storm, to then watch it in wonder. A mother and daughter consider the small creatures who live … Continue reading 
Poetry Friday is hosted this week at AUTHOR AMOK! For the high school, or even advanced middle grade poet, today’s PF post here at Bookseedstudio suggests that lines from some of Diane Ackerman’s poems, which speak to doubts about creative ability, can rock their world. Part of ORIGAMI BRIDGES, a Diane Ackerman poetry … Continue reading 
Poetry Friday is hosted this week at AUTHOR AMOK! For the high school, or even advanced middle grade poet, today’s PF post here at Bookseedstudio suggests that lines from some of Diane Ackerman’s poems, which speak to doubts about creative ability, can rock their world. Part of ORIGAMI BRIDGES, a Diane Ackerman poetry … Continue reading 
Gladiola. Caramel. Spiral. Of the words and terms that evoke a relaxed feeling for me, many can’t mean the same thing to you. For example, the names of my husband and daughter, my first childhood kitty, Wacky, my mother’s sister, Lily, and the places on Earth where I felt one with the universe. But … Continue reading 
Gladiola. Caramel. Spiral. Of the words and terms that evoke a relaxed feeling for me, many can’t mean the same thing to you. For example, the names of my husband and daughter, my first childhood kitty, Wacky, my mother’s sister, Lily, and the places on Earth where I felt one with the universe. But … Continue reading 
If you know children’s mystery series, especially ones that riff on the BBC-loved Sherlock Holmes canon, you know Enola Holmes. She is Sherlock’s younger, brilliant sister. And she is the creation of an American writer, Nancy Springer. Enola loves to ride bikes, uncode secret messages & fool her much-older brother, who she admires … Continue reading 
If you know children’s mystery series, especially ones that riff on the BBC-loved Sherlock Holmes canon, you know Enola Holmes. She is Sherlock’s younger, brilliant sister. And she is the creation of an American writer, Nancy Springer. Enola loves to ride bikes, uncode secret messages & fool her much-older brother, who she admires … Continue reading 
Originally posted on Kathyerskine's Blog:
? August 26 is a bittersweet day. My fifth book will publish (sweet) but 18 years ago to the day I lost my mother. She was warm and wise, witty and fun, brave and beautiful. And she’s the one who inspired me to pursue a writing career although she never…
Originally posted on Kathyerskine's Blog:
? August 26 is a bittersweet day. My fifth book will publish (sweet) but 18 years ago to the day I lost my mother. She was warm and wise, witty and fun, brave and beautiful. And she’s the one who inspired me to pursue a writing career although she never…
Summer by Jan Godown Annino more time immersed in water meals made without cooking them less care with my looks pared schedules serendipity daydreams writing reading c. Jan Godown Annino Water! This summer I’m in the water more than usual, but also, working with deadlines I didn’t expect. Below, I’m sharing lines from a poem that feels … Continue reading 
Summer by Jan Godown Annino more time immersed in water meals made without cooking them less care with my looks pared schedules serendipity daydreams writing reading c. Jan Godown Annino Water! This summer I’m in the water more than usual, but also, working with deadlines I didn’t expect. Below, I’m sharing lines from a poem that feels … Continue reading 
July 18th is a day for Mr. Nelson Mandela, who said, “It is within your hands to make of our world, a better world for all.” Thank you, Anastasia Suen & POETRY FRIDAY & J. Patrick Lewis. The J. Patrick Lewis poem gives me goose bumps, especially at one line: Nelson Mandela … Continue reading 
July 18th is a day for Mr. Nelson Mandela, who said, “It is within your hands to make of our world, a better world for all.” Thank you, Anastasia Suen & POETRY FRIDAY & J. Patrick Lewis. The J. Patrick Lewis poem gives me goose bumps, especially at one line: Nelson Mandela … Continue reading 
Collecting poems & poets: William Jay Smith I’ve known one person with a hat box of printed poems she collected from here & there. Magazines, mainly, but also plucked from church bulletins, found on post cards, and in newspapers, back when newspapers printed poems. The collector was my amazing mother, a secretary at Rockefeller … Continue reading 
Collecting poems & poets: William Jay Smith I’ve known one person with a hat box of printed poems she collected from here & there. Magazines, mainly, but also plucked from church bulletins, found on post cards, and in newspapers, back when newspapers printed poems. The collector was my amazing mother, a secretary at Rockefeller … Continue reading 
Advice shared by my father - Live as close to your work as possible Never go to bed angry at anybody Think pleasant thoughts Grow vegetables & flowers Look up at the night sky Stand at the shore & think about who & what are on the other shore Doubt what leaders, including preachers, say … Continue reading 
Advice shared by my father - Live as close to your work as possible Never go to bed angry at anybody Think pleasant thoughts Grow vegetables & flowers Look up at the night sky Stand at the shore & think about who & what are on the other shore Doubt what leaders, including preachers, say … Continue reading 
ZURI Jackson is a junior poet character who writes: Danitra’s scared of pigeons. I promised not to tell. Then I opened my big mouth and out the secret fell. I tried to shove it right back in, though it was much too late. I told her I was sorry, but Danitra didn’t wait. lines from “The … Continue reading 
Thank you so much for sharing these gorgeous words. I’m especially taken by your sentence that ends with the idea of “the living night.” How wonderful that your daughter will be with you for Thanksgiving!
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Nice post, Jan! Sometimes we are so far removed from what is important that it is grounding (and humbling) to read the words of Native Americans.
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Thank you, Sheri!
And I too, felt a lift when I read “the living night” description of Joseph Bruchac his authors note within THE EARTH UNDER SKY BEAR’S FEET.
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Appreciating your thoughts.
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