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Poems About Books and Reading

Welcome to Smashwords! Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform for ebook authors, publishers, agents and readers. We offer multi-format, DRM-free ebooks, ready for immediate sampling and purchase, and readable on any e-reading device. For readers, Smashwords provides an opportunity to discover new voices in all categories and genres of the written word. Once you register, the site offers useful tools for search, discovery and personal library-building. Each week we add new features based on feedback from members.

In first grade we are learning about poetry by playing the paper bag game. I don't tell the students what we are going to be studying for the next few library lessons. Instead I  introduce poetry with a game - The Bulldog Paperbag Game!

Might be a good resource to follow: The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

is a unique and vital gathering place for books, ideas, and expertise in the field of children's
and young adult literature. The CCBC is a noncirculating examination, study, and research library
for Wisconsin school and public librarians, teachers, early childhood care providers, university
students, and others interested in children's and young adult literature. The CCBC is part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) School of Education (SoE), and receives additional support from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

Evernote ideas.

8 Tips for Creating a Grant Proposal Budget In an eSchool News article, author Deborah Ward presents eight tips for creating an accurate budget for grant proposals. To read the article, go to

Great ideas for publishing books- especially for children (and children's book writers)

Techno Poetry ideas, some great ones...

That's what led me to declaring April a month when It's A-OK to Reread! I give myself permission. I give you permission. (I feel the need to have my own permission so I'm sharing it with you in case you need someone to give you permission, too.)

  The fact of the matter is that, now and then, we need a bit of a reignition, a kick start, a battery jump.  So, the next time you find yourself in that slump, try a few of these tactics (and they work well with our students, too).

The online anthology for young authors and readers

Flying Words Project is an American Sign Language (ASL) poetry troupe comprised of Deaf Poet Peter Cook and hearing coauthor Kenny Lerner.  The goal of Flying Words is probably the same as all other poets, to play with language.  As luck would have it, ASL is a language of moving pictures.  So Kenny and Peter
juxtapose imagery you can see in creating their work.

Introduction to Poetry

Billy Collins Poem- beautiful

Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.

Since "Maybe Dats Your Pwoblem Too" a poem I wrote about Spiderman, shows up in a lot of anthologies and text books and therefore becomes assignment material for students of many ages, I frequently get emails requesting more information on the poem. So I've prepared the following to answer some basic questions about that poem.

Magnet Poetry fun!

So a few weeks ago, I had this idea.  What if my 7th grade English students staged a flash mob poetry event at the food court of our local mall?  I kind of fell in love with this idea, even though I had no idea how to plan such a thing.  I was pretty sure the school and mall would never approve it anyway, so I figured, "Why not ask?"

he National Council of Teachers of English wishes to recognize and foster excellence in children's poetry by encouraging its publication and by exploring ways to acquaint teachers and children with poetry through such means as publications, programs, and displays.

Grab a newspaper, marker, black out the words you don't need- create a Newspaper Blackout Poem!