The Poet X

One last poetry video to close out our digital celebration of National Poetry Month, but this time it's highlighting a novel in verse, rather than the text of a single poem. This one was also created by one of my graduate students, Rose B., and also used with her permission. I think she captures the spirit of Elizabeth Acevedo's powerful and award-winning book, The Poet X (Harper, 2018). Check it out!

Freedom Over Me

National Poetry Month is coming to a close, but it's not too late to highlight one more powerful poetry video. This one was created by Itunu S. and is a trailer for a picture book, rather than featuring a single poem. It's a powerful introduction to Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan (Atheneum, 2016), told through narrative poetry and amazing art. Check it out!

Summer Reading

Spring is in full swing and we're thinking about the end of the school year and the summer ahead. Here's the perfect poem video to send the students into the summer. 
It's "Summer Reading" by Janet Wong from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). This video was created by Michele H. and is so fun and engaging!

Field Day Fun

April means National Poetry Month, but for many children it also brings field day fun outdoors. 

Here's a poem that captures that special event, "Field Day Fun" by Elizabeth Steinglass from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Amy W. has created a fun digital poem video for Liz's poem complete with authentic photos of kids having fun at a real field day!

Click this link to watch.

Gym Teachers

Ready to get up and stretch?
Watch this video of the poem, "Gym Teachers" by Darren Sardelli from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Tiffany W. has created a fun poem video full of active kids and with a lovely nod to the gym teachers who guide them. 

What Does a Reading Specialist Do? (2.0)

Double your fun with this second interpretation of the poem, "What Does a Reading Specialist Do?" by Linda Kulp Trout from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Here, Kelsea R. uses a clever dog to show the way! 

Disappointed

Time for one more pet-themed poem!

This time, poet Helen Frost's poem, "Disappointed" is brought to life in this video created by Amy T. and cleverly narrated by kids! You'll find this poem in Pet Crazy: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017). 

Please, Mommy, Please

Ready for something fun and playful? 

Check out this poem video for the poem, "Please, Mommy, Please" by Janice Harrington from the book Pet Crazy: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017). 

Sally S. created this appealing video featuring that poem. 

Fake News

Janet Wong tackled a tough topic in her poem, "Fake News" from Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017). 

Then Adrianna S. turned it into an engaging poetry video. Check it out!

In the Life of a Substitute

For all the teachers--and substitute teachers-- here's a poem just for you!

Janequeal S. created this poem video for the poem, "In the Life of a Substitute" by Lydia Breiseth from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Enjoy!

TLA Poetry Round Up

Look at this wonderful group of poets with me! (L-R: Janet Wong, Leslie Bulion, Alan Katz, Laura Purdie Salas, David Elliott, David Bowles, Kip Wilson, and Marilyn Singer) We had a fantastic time at the 15th annual Poetry Round Up at the annual Texas Library Association annual conference in Austin, TX. Each poet shared excerpts from a current book and the audience was enthralled to hear each poem read aloud by the poet who authored it. We heard serious, silly, moving, and fascinating poems from picture book collections, novels in verse, and anthologies. It was an amazing and magical morning! 

Featured Poets:

David Bowles

Leslie Bulion

David Elliott

Alan Katz

Laura Purdie Salas

Marilyn Singer

Kip Wilson

Janet Wong

Select Bibliography of Books by Poetry Round Up Poets

Bowles, David. 2018. They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.

Bulion, Leslie. 2019. Superlative Birds. Atlanta: Peachtree. 

Elliott, David. 2019. Voices. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

Katz, Alan. 2008. Oops: Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking. Ill. by Ed Koren. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Salas, Laura Purdie. 2019. In the Middle of the Night: Poems from a Wide-Awake House. Ill. by Angela Matteson. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills/Wordsong.

Salas, Laura Purdie. 2019. Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons. Ill. by Mercé López. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press.

Salas, Laura Purdie. 2019. Snowman – Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations. Ill. by Micha Archer. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Singer, Marilyn. 2018. Have You Heard About Lady Bird: Poems about Our First Ladies.New York: Disney-Hyperion.

Singer, Marilyn. 2019. I’m the Big One Now!: Poems about Growing Up. Ill. by Jana Christy. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills/Wordsong.

Singer, Marilyn. 2019. Who Named Their Pony Macaroni? Ill. by Ryan McAmis. New York: Disney-Hyperion.

Vardell, Sylvia and Wong, Janet. 2018. Great Morning!: Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud. Pomelo Books.

Wilson, Kip. 2019. White Rose. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Wong, Janet S. 2019. A Suitcase of Seaweed & More. Princeton: NJ: Yuzu Books.

Now, be sure and visit the Poem Farm where the lovely Amy LV is hosting our Poetry Friday gathering.

A Weekend Away

Here's a poem video with a camping theme just in time for summer preparations!

Enjoy the poem "A Weekend Away" by Janet Wong from Pet Crazy: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017). Michelle O. created this special video based on Janet's poem. 

Lost and Found

And here are still more wonderful poem videos for celebrating National Poetry Month! 

Here, Nicole G. created a poem video for "Lost and Found" by Laura Shovan from Pet Crazy: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017).

You'll find it by clicking on this link. 

Questions, Questions

Happy National Poetry Month! 

The fun continues with this poem video created by Megan L. for "Questions, Questions" by Janet Wong from Pet Crazy: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017.) 

School Bake Sale

Ready for more?

Here's a poem video created by Dacari L. for the poem, "School Bake Sale" by Elaine Magliaro from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Enjoy!

Report Cards

Watch another wonderful one-minute poem video to celebrate National Poetry Month. Leane K. created this video for Janet Wong's poem, "Report Cards" from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). 

Secret Worlds

More fun for National Poetry Month! 

Kristen J. created this poem video for Margarita Engle's poem, "Secret Worlds" from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). 

Click this link to watch this digital poem video.

Enjoy!

TLA Sneak Preview

If you're going to be in Austin, Texas, for the Texas Library Association conference, be sure and come to our 15th annual Poetry Round Up next Tuesday, April 15! It will be fabulous and I'll share highlights from it later in the month. Meanwhile, happy Poetry Friday, everybody! Now head on over to Live Your Poem where the wonderful Irene Latham is hosting our Poetry Friday celebration! 

Thankful

Thanks to Joy H., here is a poem video for the poem "Thankful" by Traci Sorell from from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Happy National Poetry Month!

What Does a Reading Specialist Do?

In my continuing series of poem videos to celebrate National Poetry Month, here is one for "What Does a Reading Specialist Do? by Linda Kulp Trout from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018).  Amber W. created this digital poem video. 

The Language of Healing

Ready for more digital resources for National Poetry Month?

Amy K. made this poem video for "The Language of Healing" by Janet Wong from Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2017).

Art Class

Ready for some more digital poetry resources?

Here is a poem video that Angela M. created for the poem "Art Class" by Carol Varsalona from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). 

Angela used Animoto, so you'll need to click this link to view her video. 

What If

 More amazingness for National Poetry Month! 

Meagan F. created this poem video for "What If" by Janet Wong from Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2016).  

Border Kid

Still more for National Poetry Month! 

Emily D. created this video for the poem, “Border Kid" by David Bowles from Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2016). 

All Kinds of Kids

More for National Poetry Month! 

Here is a poem video for "All Kinds of Kids" by Elizabeth Steinglass from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). This video was created by Carrie B. Enjoy! 

Scary Territory

Let's keep the momentum going for National Poetry Month! 

Here's another poem video created using Animoto for the poem, “Scary Territory” by Janet Wong from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). 

This one is by Melanie C. and you can see it by clicking this link.

The House of This Minute

The celebration of National Poetry Month continues! 

Next, Casey B. created this video for "The House of This Minute" by Kate Coombs from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). Enjoy!

Here We Go

Our celebration of National Poetry Month continues!

Here is a poem video for "Here We Go" by Janet Wong from Here We Go: A Poetry Friday Power Book (Pomelo Books, 2016). This video was created by Erin B. and it's pretty inspiring. 

Poetry Fridays

Happy National Poetry Month! 

This year, the students in my “Poetry for Children and YA” course have created videos for a single poem, helping us savor it, line by line. I’ll be posting a poem video each day for Poetry Month. Generally, I'll feature the video here (via YouTube), but this first one was created by David M. using Animoto for the poem, “Poetry Fridays” by Janet Wong from GREAT Morning! Poems for School Leaders to Read Aloud (Pomelo Books, 2018). 

Here's the link.

Enjoy!