A Blast with Stephanie Calmenson

I took my handy dandy FlipCam with me to the 8th annual ALSC Poetry Blast and made short one minute (more or less) movies of the poets reading from their works to share with you. First up, Stephanie Calmenson.

Here's the short, lovely intro written and presented by host and poet Marilyn Singer and used with permission.

Stephanie Calmenson says: “I began my professional life as an early childhood teacher and had the pleasure of reading to children and discovering which books captivate them... Though I now spend my days at home in front of a computer instead of in a classroom, I still think of myself as a teacher, speaking to children through my books. Before beginning a book, I always ask the same question: What will this book give to a child? Will it be a love of language? A feeling of being valued? A trip to a new place? An introduction to numbers or letters? A belly laugh to ease a difficult growing-up day? When I'm satisfied with the answer, I begin to write.”



Former teacher, editor, and Director of the Parent Magazine Book Club, Stephanie Calmenson grew up in Brooklyn, NY, never imagining that she’d become a writer. Today, she’s the author of over 100 books for young children, ranging from concept books to poetry to nonfiction works about canines. Some of her popular titles are Dinner at the Panda Palace, a PBS Storytime book; The Principal’s New Clothes, a Read-Aloud Handbook favorite; Good for You!, a Texas Library Association 2002 2x2 Reading List selection; and Rosie—A Visiting Dog’s Story, about her late, great therapy dog, which has been featured in the New York Times and Sesame Street and CTW Magazines, as well as on Fox TV.


She currently lives in NYC with her husband and their adorable long-haired dachshund, Harry, the star of his own book, May I Pet Your Dog?



Here's a clip of Stephanie reading about "Rosie," her beloved therapy dog.
[There was actually a baby in the audience who cooed and hollered at all the right places throughout the evening! Baby loved Stephanie's playful and rhythmic poems, in particular!]

Image credit: 

Sylvia Vardell

Posting by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2011. All rights reserved.

LIVE Poetry readings

I'm launching something new today-- video clips of poetry readings (by the poets themselves and shared with their permission). I have a new, easy-to-use Flip video camera and I took it with me to the recent NCTE conference and filmed the four poets on my panel reading from their works. I'm very excited to feature (in order below) new poet Jame Richards, reading an excerpt from her new novel-in-verse, Three Rivers Rising, Lee Bennett Hopkins, reading from his moving poem memoir, Been to Yesterdays, Marilyn Singer, reading the forward-backward reverso poem, "In My Hood" from Mirror, Mirror, and Pat Mora, reading "Sisters" from her 2010 poetry collection, Dizzy in Your Eyes.


Jame Richards


Lee Bennett Hopkins


Marilyn Singer



Pat Mora

There is nothing quite like hearing a poem read by its creator, don't you agree? Since I'm such an advocate for the oral sharing of poetry, I am tickled pink to add this new feature to my blog-- and I hope to include many more clips in the future.

P.S. Congrats to Laura Purdie Salas and Jeannine Atkins-- commenters on previous postings about the NCTE conference prep. They are winners of free autographed copies of books by Pat Mora and Jame Richards. Just contact me with your mailing addresses and I'll send your books your way!