As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I have been a long-time supporter (and state judge) for Poetry Out Loud, a national recitation competition for high school students.
Well, I just realized that the National Finals were held last week, so I wanted to share the winners with you!
But first – a couple of quick, personal tidbits:
I’m very excited to announce that one of my poems will be included in an upcoming children’s poetry anthology entitled Schoolapalooza: A Silly Symphony of Schooltime Rhymes (Moonshower, 2024) is due out Sept. 3!
From synonyms to school buses, from recess to detention, this fun, humourous collection of 26 poems also includes back matter to help readers better understand some of the poetry forms and devices used. But the best part of the book?
My name on the cover! Right there, in-between Jane & Marilyn and Charles & Irene! Ha, just kidding – the best part is always the reaction from readers, whom I hope will get a kick out of some of the funny things in the book.
The book is edited by another friend, Ryan G. Van Cleave, whom you were introduced to about a year ago when he visited the ol’ Triple-R for an interview about his poetry, in general, and his book The Witness Trees, specifically.
Speaking of Charles Waters and Irene Latham, there’s ANOTHER children’s poetry anthology coming out to which I will also be contributing, The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets (Carolrhoda Books, 2024), which will be published one month later, on Oct. 1!
This collection of poems from Charles and Irene is rather unique in that all the poems are autobiographical – and the poets even include a short paragraph explaining how their “mistakes” (from cheating in class to falling off a bike) helped shape who they are today and how they view the world around them.
Hard to believe the coincidence, but I am on THIS cover, as well! Each of the kids pictured is one of the poets – can you tell which is Yours Truly?
Now then…Poetry Out Loud!
As I mentioned, the national finals were held earlier this month on May 2 and the grand price winner was Niveah Glover, a 12th-grader from Florida who won $20,000! A companion competition called Poetry Ourselves took place the same day, which gives Poetry Out Loud state winners who participated in Poetry Out Loud the opportunity to share original poems.
South Carolina State Champ Jessie Leitzel won first place in the “Written” category for “We Must Be in the Harvest Again”:
“We Must Be in the Harvest Again”
The end of summer
and our jalapeño plant
is wilting, its stem brittle
as the heat peels
away from us,
though we swore,
like every august,
that we would die
from it—
(continue reading HERE)
.
In the “Spoken” category, Jennifer Shon of Rhode Island took home the top honors for “My Hanbando.”
It’s so wonderful seeing young people not only enjoying poetry, but embracing it, learning it, creating it! Congratulations to the winners and all the folks participating each year.
For today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup – and a free clunker line – head over to A Word Edgewise where Linda Mitchell is offering “clunkers” (lines from poems that didn’t work and went nowhere) that you can use as poetry prompts, and she’d love to see YOUR clunkers, as well!
~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~
I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!
I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!
Student presentations include:
- The Making of a Picture Book
- How a Child Saved a Book
- “Once Upon Another Time”
- The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
- “I Am Today”
- “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
- “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
- The Making of a Picture Book
- The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
- Free Yourself with Free Verse
- Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
- The Journey of a Children’s Author
Learn more at MattForrest.com!
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Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!
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I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!
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Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!
You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!
Click here to view all my books and to order!
Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)
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Thank you to everyone for your support!
FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:
- NY Public Library’s “100 Best Book for Kids 2017” AND “Staff Pick!”
- KIRKUS Starred review!
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Books!
- “Best Reads of 2017,” Unleashing Readers
- Finalist, 2019 New Hampshire Literary Awards
- Positive reviews from Horn Book, School Library Connection, School Library Connection, Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, and Shelf-Awareness!
DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:
- “Rollicking rhyme!” – Booklist
- “A wild romp!” – Parenting NH Magazine
- “Cute…intriguing…4 out of 5 stars” – Tulsa Book Review
- “Rhythmic…funny and informative” – Unleashing Readers
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nailed down, and we’ll be sharing the results soon (Shortlisted titles move on the 2nd Round judges, who will decide the winners in February). For more poetry, head on over to 
The following poem was first published in the anthology Trigger Warning: Poetry Saved My Life (Swimming with Elephants Publications, 2014), and following its publication I shared it here on this blog. Even though I rarely re-post poems, I felt this would be appropriate in this case, in recognition of President Obama’s recent proclamation of June being 
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme 