April is National Poetry Month in the United States! And no matter where you are, I hope you’ll find time to read and enjoy poetry – this month and every month. And if you’re a young poet or you know any young poets, here’s a link to this year’s call for poetry from DiverseVerse.Org. The theme: Poems For Action!
Poetry month is extra-special for me this year, because SAFE HARBOR is a novel in verse. In celebration of poetry month, this post is filled with poetry-related resources.
- On DiverseVerse.Org you will find lesson plan starters related to SAFE HARBOR
- I’m part of the lineup on Sarah J Donovan’s VerseLove EthicalELA blog
- Michelle Schaub kicked off her poetry boost poetry share celebration with a video of me reading the poem Safe Spaces from SAFE HARBOR
- Dr. Steven Bickmore featured a guest post with recommended further reading suggestions for other books like SAFE HARBOR that are about celebrating our green earth or saving our blue oceans that feature BIPOC protagonists
- On Jennifer LaGarde and Aliza Werner’s Bookelicious podcast, you’ll find links to (free downloadable) SAFE HARBOR resources: a chatterbox, coloring sheet, connections puzzle and you can even go on a virtual adventure around the world based on SAFE HARBOR! All these resources were created by the one and only LibraryGirl!
My poetry month got off to an amazing start. I was at the Texas Library Association conference – and what a wonderful Safe Harbor it was! Met Rose Brock again, and many other marvelous and kind and stellar librarians. And my brilliant friend Traci Sorell shared with me that (wow) BORN BEHIND BARS is on Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of the 21st Century (so far) list – and SAFE HARBOR is on School Library Journal’s list of exemplary verse novels!
Tomorrow, I’ll be speaking at the Maury Lootjens Memorial Library! Maybe I’ll see you there? Here’s the link to register.
Next week, I’m off to speak to students in Maine – cannot wait! Author events are the most wonderful way to make my heart fill with joy. Here below are some pictures from a marvelous recent visit to Gaudet Learning Academy in RI.
I’m still receiving fan mail from the young readers I met there – which makes my heart fill with joy. Hope your poetry month is wonderful, too!