Poetry Friday: Thomas Gray’s “Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat”

In case you missed last week’s Poetry Friday post, I’m thrilled to share the news that I’ll be contributing poems to not one, but TWO new children’s poetry anthologies coming out this fall!

Schoolapalooza: A Silly Symphony of Schooltime Rhymes (Moonshower, 2024), edited by my friend Ryan G. Van Cleave, is due out Sept. 3, while Charles Waters and Irene Latham’s The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets (Carolrhoda Books, 2024), will be published one month later, on Oct. 1.

Speaking of Ryan Van Cleave, he asked me earlier this year if I’d be interested in guest-blogging at his home on the web, Only Picture Books, and I said, sure! So I called up my friends Josh Funk Books and Paul Czajak to see if they were busy.

Josh, Paul, and I all began our careers around the same time, having all met at an SCBWI conference in Massachusetts several years ago, and I thought it might be fun to catch up with each other and share with readers some of the things we’ve learned and experienced on our writing journeys.

We found an hour (only one!) in our schedules to all meet via Zoom, and spent time reminiscing, commiserating,and contemplating children’s lit, our career paths, and the craft of writing! I then pulled some of what I felt were “choice cuts” from our chat and used them as the basis for the blog post.

I hope you’ll check out Ryan’s blog and my post that includes the interview – and if you’re REALLY looking to kill some time, there’s a link where you can watch the complete video of our conversation!

Time for the poetry!

I don’t know what, exactly, reminded me of this poem, but it a favorite of mine that I first fell in love with decades ago. It’s based on an actual event of a cat falling into a bathtub where goldfish were being kept – and while it’s sad, it’s actually quite witty in its mock-heroic sort of style.
.

“Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes”

’Twas on a lofty vase’s side,
Where China’s gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima, reclined,
Gazed on the lake below.

Her conscious tail her joy declared;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purred applause.

Still had she gazed; but ’midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide…

(continue reading HERE)

– Thomas Gray

.
Maybe it’s because one of our four cats is a tortoiseshell, perhaps it’s because I love cats in general – but this poem will always hold a place in my heart. “Purring applause,” fish being described as “angel forms”…it’s both brilliant and brilliantly humourous.

Be sure to click the link to read the entire poem though – because when you get to the final line you’ll be surprised to learn where a famous proverb came from! Oh, and congratulations to Max the Cat, who will be receiving an honorary degree in Litter-ature from my alma mater, Vermont State University at Castleton!

Patricia Franz is hosting today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup at her blog Reverie, with an original poem inspired by her work with The Sugar Pine Foundation.

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~~ I am booking author visits
for the 2024-2025 school year! ~~

Not having raised my rates EVER, I regret to say I will need to increase my rates slightly this coming school year; if you think your school might be interested in having me visit, plese contact me before the end of THIS school year and I will lock in my current rate for you! (You don’t need to book me or sign a contract; simply let me know you’d like to lock in the current rate, and that’s it!)

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”

Adult presentations include:

• 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!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: “Poetry Out Loud” & “Poetry Ourselves” national winners – AND two new anthologies!

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!

^{Click to enlarge. Wait, what’s this? My name is on the COVER??}

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.

^{Click to enlarge. All 20 poets are depicted on the cover – can you find me?}

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”

Adult presentations include:

• 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!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: “Bless the Earth, “Bless our Pets,” bless my soul!

What a way to wrap up National Poetry Month!

We’re celebrating not one, but TWO new poetry anthologies published this month – and they are both blessings, in a manner of speaking.

As I’ve mentioned here before, Bless the Earth (Convergent/Penguin, 2024), the newest poetry anthology from Nancy Tupper Ling & June Cotner is officially out, and is absoutely beautiful!

This past weekend, several of the book’s contributors got together to celebrate its official launch at author-illustrator Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA. And what a fantastic time!

• 

• 

• 

• 

Nancy, Charlotte Sheer, Amanda Smith, Keri Biron, Cathy Stenquist, and I all shared the poems we contributed (like my “The Snow Clouds Know,” which I shared here a few weeks ago) as well as some other contributors’ poems including one by my friend, Charles Ghigna.

And a VERY special thanks to Nancy for bringing along book-themed cookies, including one based on my poem, “Honeybee!” What a surprise!

I was going to take a photo of the entire basket with all the different cookies – but alas, I was too late and all that remained were crumbs.

We signed multiple copies, and I even got to sign a few of my own books like Flashlight Night and The Thing to Remember about Stargazing, which were also available.

In other poetry news…

One of the final poetry anthologies from the late, great Lee Bennett Hopkins was also published this month! Bless our Pets: Poems of Gratitude for our Animal Friends (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2024) has been a long time coming – but it’s worth it!

The fact that it was one of a handful of anthologies Lee was working on before he passed in 2019 is bittersweet – but the fact that my friend and fellow New Hampshire-ite Lita Judge was tapped to do the illustrations makes the book EXTRA-sweet.

^{All images © 2024 Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, all rights reserved}

From dogs and cats to gerbils and goldfish, fourteen favorite pets are celebrated by some of our country’s most esteemed children’s poets like Kristine O’Connell George, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Charles Ghigna, and many others.

The poems range from thoughtful longing, such as in Darren Sardelli’s “Guinea Pig,” about a child away at summer camp who misses their pet, to the tender caring of Lois Lowry’s “Mouse Dreams”:

^{(Click to enlarge)}

This particular poem is especially touching for me personally, because I know Lita still misses her own pet mouse, Pan, who passed away last year. He was such a cute little guy, and everyone who knew him loved him.

Lita also appreciated the opportunity to portray her very first bird for the poem written by our fellow New Hampshire creator, Ralph Fletcher:

Bless our Pets is truly one of the most beautiful and beautifully-worded books you will see all year. And I’m not just saying that because so many of the contributors are friends of mine! (Nor am I saying it because Eeerdmans will be publishing MY very first anthology next spring – hint, hint) You can see for yourself right here how much love was poured into this project.

And what a wonderfully perfect poem to end the book, from the man who brought all these poets together:

Lee will be missed, but his spirit lives on in each of us whom he touched. Hard to believe it’s been nearly five years since he passed in Aug. of 2019. He would be so proud of this.

And by the way, Lita’s bird and mouse aren’t her only family members to grace these pages! Prince Redcloud’s “Old Calico” features the cat Lita grew up with as a young girl, and another long-lost pet of hers, Wilbur, is the star of Sarah Grace Tuttle’s “Hamster Hoping.”

You’ll also find her giant fluff-monster of a kitty, Willow (a Maine Coon Cat), on the back cover!

This may be Lee’s poetry anthology, but it’s Lita’s family album – and I couldn’t be happier for either of them.

Hold on! There’s MORE poetry news…!

I’ve just received word that a proposal I submitted with Charles Waters and Laura Purdie Salas for the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of Education) Convention this fall was ACCEPTED – which means I’ll be heading off to Boston, MA in November!

Our panel presentation, “Poems and Picture Books as Writing Prompts and Conversation Starters,” will offer suggestions on how students can use what they read and learn – from any book, poem, or story – to better understand themselves and the world around them. An educator friend of mine, Joanne Tranchemontagne, will then offer her perspective on how teachers can implement these suggestions in a classroom setting.

When I first learned last year that the 2024 NCTE Convention was taking place just two hours from me, I was determined to attend in some way, shape, or form – so I’m thrilled that I’ll be able to do so as a presenter. If you decide to attend, please track me down!

For more poetry, head over to There is no such thing as a God-foresaken town where Ruth – who is living in Uganda now – is hosting today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup with a heartfelt poem about the country in which she used to live, Haiti.

---

~~ 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”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: More students, more poetry!

Last week, I shared a poem I helped a group of students write, based on the Most Boring Object Ever.

This week, we did it again – with different students and completely different MBOE!

Yesterday I visited the students at Sant Bani School in Sanbornton, New Hampshire and discussed writing, picture book creation, and poetry – starting the day off with a poetry workshop for the 6-8 grades.

As I did at the previous school, I shared various forms and styles of poetry and explained why I love the compact, intense nature of the genre. I then worked with students to brainstorm ideas around something I like to call the MBOE: Most Boring Object Ever.

The way I figure it, if you can write a poem about a chewed-up pencil or a rusted paperclip, you can write a poem about nearly anything – and that’s what we did on Thursday with a used hair tie.

The small, black, circular hair tie was perfect because it’s so plain and simple, it lent itself to all sorts of imaginative descriptions and possibilities. I asked students to “re-name it”, wondering what else this seemingly simple object could possibly be.

Students suggested it could be anything from a stretchy weapon to the entrance to a black hole – all great ideas! So I wrote them all down on an easel and then we looked for connections, weeding out the ones that didn’t seem to fit.

Once that was done, piecing together this “Re-Name It” poem, as I call it, wasn’t very hard at all! We came up with one poem – but by simply moving words around, different poems (and images and feelings) emerged:
.

Black Hair Tie

Into the infinite portal:
black hole reflection.
I am the weapon
of universal chaos.

.

Black hole portal
into infinity, looking glass
of chaos.
I am the universal weapon.

.

A weapon of chaos:
reflection, never-ending,
in a black hole universe

.

Another 15-minute poem, complete. It’s amazing how quickly these come together when students start getting into it! (And remember, if you think you might like to have me visit your school – either in person or virtually – please let me know! Details below…)

Speaking of poetry…

^{THIS SUNDAY: I hope you’ll join me, Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and many others as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA from 2-4pm! (Did I mention there will be COOKIES???)}

Speaking of student poetry – Heidi Morhorst is celebrating Earth Day a wee bit early as she shares some wonderful poems by students at today’s Poetry Friday roundup – so head on over to her blog My Juicy Little Universe for all the poetry links and fun! .

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.
ALSO: Author Lydia Lukidis stopped by a couple of weeks ago to chat about her new picture book, Dancing through Space – and we have a giveaway!

The link I shared last week was bad, so I’m extending the giveaway by one more week – if you’d like to enter to win a FREE COPY of the book, be sure to check out her interview and leave a comment!

---

~~ 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”

Adult presentations include:

• The Making of a Picture Book
• The Journey of an Author
• The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
• Free Yourself with Free Verse
• Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

“Dancing through Space” with Dr. Mae Jemison and author Lydia Lukidis (& GIVEAWAY!)

It was just a little over a year ago that author Lydia Lukidis stopped by to visit, and share her book DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023).

Well, I’m very happy to welcome her back again to celebrate the publication of her newest picture book, DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024)!

Lydia is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children including the Cybils Award-nominated THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

Congratulations on the new book, Lydia, and thank you for coming back to visit again! Tell me about DANCING THROUGH SPACE and why you felt it needed to be written.

DANCING THROUGH SPACE features two of Dr. Mae Jemison’s passions: science and dance. It’s written as a dual narrative and as the story unfolds, the two worlds merge, illuminating how art and science are both essential parts of our world.

^{Lydia Lukidis}

The journey to publication was really long and really bumpy. While editing this manuscript, I went through three, yes, that’s right, three agents (and I’m overjoyed to now be represented by Miranda Paul), multiple pitch festivals, and multiple editors expressing interest.

The turning point was finding my hook. I was a newbie when I started out on this path and I naively thought simply writing an interesting, compelling nonfiction book was enough. But it’s not, as I learned. You need a strong hook, among other things.

And an editor who connects with the story, too.

I finally found an editor who loved it and wanted to acquire it but asked for revisions, I took my time and sent her the new draft a few months later. But, oh no! It turns out she left that publishing house. I subbed another editor there but no dice.

Luckily, it finally found its home with Albert Whitman. It took ten years and 42 drafts for the book to come to fruition but it’s worth it!

^{All images ©2024 Albert Whitman, all rights reserved}

I do have to say, the fact that Dr. Jemison’s childhood love of both dancing and science was surprising – but it was also very familiar to me, as I have a young daughter who has very different interests! Was it difficult figuring out how to showcase these two sides of this person?

It flowed organically once the intersection of dance and science became the hook. It was my first time attempting a dual narrative, so yes, it was a bit tricky. But when you finally find the right structure and focus, it’s easier to write. Crafting the hook was the hardest part of this process, it literally took years of research and slews of rejections. In my research, the fact that Mae likes to dance and appreciates the world of the arts fascinated me.

I felt strongly about this book because it mirrors my own perspective, having studied both science and the arts.

I think we’re kindred spirits in that respect, as my favorite subjects were always writing/poetry, astronomy, and microbiology! Now, the last time you were here we were discussing your book DEEP, DEEP DOWN which was about the Mariana Trench. This time we’re talking about outer space! How do you select the topics of your books, or do the topics select you, so to speak?

You nailed it there, I feel like the topics pick me. I do keep a document with various ideas I tend to jot down, but when it comes down to it, I work by intuition and gut. I just “feel” it. It’s a fun but also frustrating process, because I can’t always write on demand. I need to feel inspired and usually, when I get into a good flow, it carries me through (sometimes to the point of obsession where I find myself scrutinizing every word!)

I love writing nonfiction because of my own curiosity. I always learn during my research so it’s a journey for myself too, not only the readers. The deep sea and outer space are topics I love, so you’ll definitely see more on these topics from me in the future. That can be tricky because many authors like to write about those themes, so I need to make sure my work is distinct and sets itself apart.

DANCING THROUGH SPACE is written in prose, more so than the lyrical, poetic sort of style of DEEP, DEEP DOWN. How did you decide upon the style that was right for this book?

I figure out what works best through the writing. As I “dove” into my research, I came to see the Mariana Trench as a poem when I wrote DEEP, DEEP DOWN. A beautiful, mysterious and remote setting with graceful, slow moving and strange creatures. It seemed fitting for the text to mirror that sense of awe and poetry.

For DANCING THROUGH SPACE, it felt like too much to use lyrical language in a dual narrative. It flowed better as prose, to get the story across.

Any surprises along the way, as you were writing? Either about the process or Dr. Jemison herself?

This manuscript was difficult to write, primarily because I started writing it in 2014, when I was newbie. I obviously had no idea what I was doing. But I remained open to learning and bettering my craft, and I used the critiques I got (one was pretty brutal) to improve the book.

Learning how difficult writing was and how challenging the publishing industry can be were hard lessons I learned along the way. This book was a huge stepping stone and introduction into the world of kidlit. I was stubborn and never gave up and eventually, it found its home.

Well, thank you for taking the time to chat, Lydia – and best wishes with this fantastic book!

Thanks for having me!

Find Lydia on Social Media:

Web: http://www.lydialukidis.com/
Presale: https://www.albertwhitman.com/book/dancing-through-space/
Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LydiaLukidis
FB: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis/

~ GIVEAWAY! ~

Want to win a FREE copy of Lydia’s book? Just leave a comment below and I’ll pick one name at random! Winner to be announced here on April 19. Good luck!

REMINDER: If you’re in the Boston area next month, I hope you’ll join me along with Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and several other contributors as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA on April 21!

---

~~ 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 Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
• “I Am Today”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
• “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: A belated “Cereal Day” celebration and TWO new board books!

Hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade since the children’s poetry anthology The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations (Pomelo Books, 2015) was released.

In it, one can find poems about all sorts of celebrations, from Passover and Ramadan to Daylight Savings time and National Pet Week!

National Cereal Day, which I’m sad to say I missed, was on Thursday, March 7 this year – but that’s not going to stop me from sharing my poem about it:
.

Picky Eater

I love my Froot Loops,
love my Trix,
love Cheerios
and even Kix.
I also like
my Apple Jacks –
but please don’t give me
Sugar Smacks,
or stars or squares or flakes
you’ve found –
I only eat, you see,
what’s round.

– © 2015 Matt Forrest Esenwine and Pomelo Books, all rights reserved
.

This was actually one of the poems I shared with the 6th-grade students at Dunbarton Elementary School in New Hampshire this week. I had been invited to do a day-long series of presentations about creating books, the writing process, and why imagination is so flippin’ cool – and I focused on a different book and aspect of writing with each grade.

^{Everyone loved the brilliant artwork of Sonia Possentini in my book THE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT STARGAZING (Tilbury House, 2023)}

For the 6th-graders, it was a poetry workshop!

I showed them different poetic styles and forms, and explained why I love the tight, compact genre of poetry itself. We even wrote a crowd-sourced poem in just 10 minutes, which I hope to share here next week.

By the way, if you think you might be interested in having me visit YOUR school, scroll down a wee bit for more details – or just send me an email!

IN OTHER NEWS…

I have two new board books out!

From Rainstorm Publishing, the publisher of my very first board book, Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog, we present:

• 

• 

• 

• 

Don’t be surprised if you don’t find my name on the covers – that’s ok! These were works-for-hire, and they were so much fun to write. These books will be perfect for First and Second birthdays, so I hope you’ll check them out.

ALSO: If you find yourself in the Boston area next month, I hope you’ll join me along with Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and several other contributors as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA on April 21!

For more poetry, head on over to Imagine the Possibilities, where Rose Capelli is hosting today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup with a blog post devoted to Birds, Birds, Birds!

---

~~ 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 Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
• “I Am Today”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
• “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: Coming soon, “Bless the Earth” anthology!

I’m always excited when new poetry anthologies come out – but it’s extra-exciting when I get to be in them!

Nancy Tupper Ling and June Cotner follow up their beautifully-illustrated poetry anthology For Every Little Thing (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021) with a brand-new book due out this spring!

Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World, to be published April 2, 2024 by Penguin/Convergent, ties together our common humanity with the natural beauty of our world.

Bless the Earth, our faithful friend,
her mountain range and river bend,
her forest green and canopy,
the hidden world of bended trees.

The book includes about 60 poems, both contemporary and classic, divided into five sections:

• Dreams for My World
• Earth and Sky
• All Creatures, Big and Small
• Seasons
• Caring for Our World

I’m very proud to have two poems included in the anthology – but rather than spill the beans and share them here now, I thought I’d share a poem I had submitted that didn’t quite make the cut!

You actually may have seen this waaay back in 2014 when Carol Varsalona featured it in her “Finding Fall Gallery” of poems and artwork on her blog Beyond Literacy Link, but I present it to you today because a week before Thanksgiving is as good a time as any to post an autumn poem:
.

Art of Autumn

When Mother Nature tires of green
she paints each tree without a sound.

In just a few short autumn weeks
each tree, in turn, then paints the ground.

– © 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, if you’re in New Hampshire next weekend, I hope you’ll stop by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, one of our wonderful local bookstores, for Small Business Saturday.

I’ll be sharing my new picture book The Thing to Remember about Stargazing (Tilbury House 2023) and will be joined by my friends Kari Allen and Don’t Ask a Dinosaur co-author Deb Bruss. You get get some holiday shopping done, support a local business, AND help a children’s author afford an extra can of cranberry sauce for the table. It’s a WIN for everyone!

For today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup head on over to Live Your Poem, where my friend Irene Latham is hosting the festivities with a spotlight on our mutual friend Vikram Madan’s new graphic novel, her latest ArrtSpeak poem, and a celebration of “last” poems!

---

~~ SPECIAL OFFER! ~~

I’m booking author visits for the 2023-24 school year, and would like to fill my schedule as soon as possible, so I can plan out the rest of my year. SO…if you book me for a full-day, in-person school visit ($700, which includes up to 5 presentations) BEFORE 12/31/23, I will take $100 off! (Or 20% off a virtual visit!) Email me now 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 origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

• The Making of a Picture Book
• How a Child Saved a Book
• “Once Upon Another Time”
• The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
• “I Am Today”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
• “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: Celebrating the 7th anniversary of ONE MINUTE TILL BEDTIME

It was Nov. 1, 2016 when U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt’s children’s poetry anthology, One Minute Till Bedtime (Little, Brown for Young Readers), hit bookshelves across the country.

Was it really seven years ago?

I was very proud to be one of the more than 130 poets included in the book, not only because it was such a beautiful, well-received book (illustrated by New York Times illustrator Christoph Niemann), but because it was the sixth book of children’s poetry to which I had contributed. Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) would not be published until the following year, so for someone whose career was just beginning to take off, every anthology was a huge step for me.

And what a step it was! I found myself sharing pages with folks like J. Patrick Lewis, Jane Yolen, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nikki Grimes, Charles Ghigna, David Harrison, Marilyn Singer, and many others I now call friends.

Over the years, Pat and Lee invited me to participate in several of their anthologies, I co-wrote Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021) with Charles, co-wrote an animal poetry collection with David (that is still out on submission), and have worked with Jane, Nikki, and Marilyn on a couple of my own projects. This children’s poetry community in which I’ve found myself has been like one big supportive family, and I’m grateful for all the guidance and friendship I’ve received.

^{(c) 2016 Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, all rights reserved}

The premise of the book is that it’s comprised of short, 60-second(ish) poems for kids to add to the end of their day, after the kids have been read to and are tucked in bed. When a child asks, “Can we read one more thing?” you can pull this out! If you have yet to pick up a copy, I hope you’ll consider doing so.

I also hope you’ll stop by Buffy Silverman’s blog, where she is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup with a celebration of snowflakes, maple trees, and her new book, On a Flake-Flying Day!

---

VIRTUAL or IN-PERSON, I’m booking author visits for the 2023-24 shool year!

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 origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

• The Making of a Picture Book
• How a Child Saved a Book
• “Once Upon Another Time”
• The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
• “I Am Today”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
• “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: “I Am Today” up for an award, more reviews for “Stargazing,” and a preview of a “Wonder”-ful interview!

My newest picture book, The Thing to Remember about Stargazing (Tilbury House), illustrated by Sonia Maria Luce Possentini, just arrived in the world a little over a week ago, and I’ve already discovered more incredibly positive reviews!

I came across Net Galley’s listing for the book, and was blown away by all the kind sentiments…

“Gorgeous.”

“Amazing.”

“Engaging.”

“Fun.”

“Magnificent.”

As an author, I cannot begin to tell you what it means to hear people say this about something you’ve created.

I was also pleasantly surprised earlier this week to learn that my picture book I Am Today (POW! Kids Books, 2022) has been nominated for a New Hampshire Literary Award!

The other finalists in the “Children’s” category include:

• Pearl of Portsmouth by Tammi Truax
• Squashed by Megan and Thomas Tosi
• R is for Rainbow by Kim Ferreira

Both Tammi and Tom are friends of mine, so I’m honored that we’re all on the same list!

For today’s poem, I thought I’d offer you a sample of what’s in store for you NEXT Friday, when I welcome two incredibly talented, award-winning, highly-esteemed friends to the ol’ Triple-R: Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard.

Georgia and Rebecca’s new poetry collection, Welcome to the Wonder House (Wordsong, 2023), just came out this summer and I’ve been wanting to have them visit to share the news and celebration – so I’m very happy that they will be joining me next week!

The book is designed as a house full of rooms, and each room is a different subject of “wonder.” One of the things I asked them prior to the interview was to pick a poem they each considered their favorite, written by the other, and Georgia said she loved Rebecca’s poem about paper, specifically the line about “wrinkling out a language of ancient trees.”

And I do have to agree, that’s a beautiful, thought-provoking conceit. So I thought I’d share the “Praise” room spread here today, to give you a sneak-peek, so to speak, of what we’ll be offering next Friday:

^{(c) 2023 Wordsong, all rights reserved (click to enlarge)}

There’s something about Rebecca’s line, “Rain is everything to a worm” that I really love, as well – its simplicity in form belies a strong, deeper observation on life and nature. And the fact that Georgia considers spiders “quiet as air, patient as monks” is just inspiring.

So be sure to stop by next Poetry Friday, Oct. 20, for our interview! For more poetry TODAY, however, head on over to the Poetry Friday roundup at Reading to the Core, where Catherine celebrates Irene Latham’s new book The Museum on the Moon (Bushel & Peck, 2023) with an original poem of her own!

---

AND…I’m booking author visits for the 2023-24 shool year!

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 origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

• The Making of a Picture Book
• How a Child Saved a Book
• “Once Upon Another Time”
• The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
• “I Am Today”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
• “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday Roundup: Celebrating a #BookBirthday by taking a look back at its conception

Welcome to the Poetry Friday roundup! I’m so happy to be hosting the festivities today because I not only get to see the complete, vast, and unadulterated range of poetry blog posts, but I get to celebrate this week’s publication of my eighth children’s book – which is also a poem.

The Thing to Remember about Stargazing (Tilbury House), illustrated by award-winning Italian artist Sonia Maria Luce Possentini, was officially introduced to the world this past Tue., Oct. 3:

^{All images (c) Tilbury House and Sonia Maria Luce Possentini, used with permission.}

Stargazing has been picking up some wonderful reviews, too! In her preview of upcoming titles, Betsy Bird at School Library Journal told readers how much she loved the title: “Ten outta ten. Would recommend. Beautiful.” (Wow!)

BlackRaven at Cannonball Read loved the book, as well, saying, “the poetic, wonder-filled story is contemporary with feeling and emotional.”

I’m also grateful to Instagrammers like Booksource, Just Takes One, and Maria C. Marshall, who called the book “stunning and playful!”

And I can’t thank these four highly-esteemed folks enough for their kind words:

.

Would you believe I can be in two places at once? Well, I can!

In addition to my Poetry Friday roundup hosting duties, I’m very honored to also be guest-blogging at WritersRumpus today with an in-depth look at why it’s so important to rewrite/revise/recycle and be open to change – because Stargazing wouldn’t exist had I not been willing to alter my plans.

^{(Click to enlarge)}

(But wait, there’s more!) I hope you’ll check out some of the following posts as part of Stargazing‘s blog tour:

• KidLit.TV hosted the premiere of the official book trailer for The Thing to Remember about Stargazing.
• Linda Baie featured the book at TeacherDance.
• Maria Marshall shared an interview and review at The Picture Book Buzz.
• Jama Rattigan included a sneak peek at Stargazing on her weekly “9 Cool Things” list at Alphabet Soup.
• Michele Knott shared her thoughts on the book at Reading Through the Ages.
• The very first commercial radio station I ever worked, NH Talk Radio WKXL AM/FM in Concord, NH, was kind enough to invite me to chat about the new book, my writing, and a statewide StoryWalk® event! (details below…)

As with any launch, I’m looking forward to signing books! I’ll be at our local indie bookstore, MainStreetBookEnds.com, this Saturday during our town’s annual Fall Foliage Festival, and next month I’ll be co-signing with my friend and fellow author Deb Bruss at GibsonsBookstore.com in Concord, NH.

The super-big news, however, is a statewide StoryWalk® event coordinated with the Children’s Librarians of New Hampshire. Nearly TWENTY libraries throughout the state are featuring Stargazing on their StoryWalks® this autumn! (some of the local papers have been sharing the news, so please check out my Facebook post for more details on this unusual project!)

.

All right, time for today’s poem!

As I mentioned earlier in this post, Stargazing began as a poem nearly 10 years ago. I wrote “A Beginner’s Guide to Stargazing” for Paul Janeczko’s anthology, The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-to Poems (Candlewick, 2019). Unfortunately, he passed away before I had a chance to learn why the poem never made it into the book.

Thankfully, our mutual friend Rebecca Kai Dotlich loved the poem and suggested I consider fleshing out the poem a bit and turning it into a picture book manuscript. Good thing I did, too, because even though the poem was never published, I got not one, but TWO picture books out of it! (How is this possible? Check out my WritersRumpus guest blog today and find out how four books and a poem can be all interconnected!)

Here is the first part of the poem that started it all:
.

A Beginner’s Guide to Stargazing

It’s important the conditions be just right.

Wait for a cloudless, moonless night
or one with just a silver sliver
or even a full moon,
……….round and glowing.
Come to think of it,
even a few clouds aren’t a problem.

So let’s say any evening that features at least a few stars
is perfect.

Go outside with someone special
……….or a pet
………………..or no one at all
and find a patch of grass
to lie upon
……….or bring a blanket
………………..or chair
or you can even stand there with your head
craning toward the sky,
and begin counting the stars…
…..

– © 2014 Matt Forrest Esenwine
…..

I hope you like the poem enough to consider checking out the book – it’s been a long time coming, and the fact that the book is a poem unto itself is very comforting and reassuring to me; after all, I got into children’s writing through poetry, so it’s gratifying to know my poetry is being published and enjoyed by readers of all ages.

The book is available everywhere, but if you want a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy be sure to order through Main Street Book Ends, our local indie store.
(details below)

And since it’s Poetry Friday, drop your links in the comments and I’ll round them up, old-school style! Thanks for visiting, and enjoy the poetry…

.

• Irene at Live Your Poem has constellations on her mind, too – but not exactly the same kind!
• Jone Rush MacCulloch is “playing with pantoums” and helped her 4th grade class to write one.
• Meanwhile, Catherine at Reading to the Core is playing with the “laws of motion” with the Inklings and shares a touching original draft.
• Linda Mitchell also tackles the Inklings’ challenge by putting her “gears” in motion to create a sonnet at A Word Edgwise.
• At Nix the Comfort Zone, Molly Hogan came up with two poems for the challenge and chose the road “more” travelled!
• Mary Lee, who gave the Inklings their challenge, comes up with three poems – a haiku, a type of found poetry, and free verse – that you can read at A(nother) Year of Reading.
• And at Reflections on the Teche Margaret Simon responds to the Inklings challenge by showing how she has been “juggling” life.
• There is beauty even in the images we may at first think are dull or bland, and Alan J. Wright shares an ekphrastic landscape poem that is anything but dull or bland!
• At Alphabet Soup, Jama shows us what happens when you write a tale about an English garden with language that is very decidely British English!
• Have you ever heard of “poison books?” Tabatha Yeatts will fill you in at The Opposite of Indifference.
• At Teaching Authors, Carmela starts off by talking about endings (brilliant!) and wraps up with a beautiful draft of a hummingbird poem.
• As Denise Krebs awaits the arrival of her copy of Fly: An Anthology of Poetry, she decided to write a poem inspired by the book’s art.
• It’s Bird-tober over at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town, where Ruth is writing poems about a different species each day of the month!
• Linda Kulp Trout has a new book out (I did NOT mean to rhyme that, ha!), and today she shares one of its poems.
• I might have been inspired by the stars, but Michelle Kogan was inspired by the October moon and offers an original poem at More Art 4 All!
• Linda Baie, who posted a wonderful review of Stargazing earlier this week, has had stars on her mind at Teacher Dance and shares a beautiful poem.
• Friends, beauty, darkness – these sound like elements from my book, but they are actually elements of a new poem from Kat Apel at Kat’s Whiskers!
• Sally Murphy wrote a poem to one of her verse novel characters – and he wrote back!
• Libraries can be full of inspiration, and at Wee Words for Wee Ones, Bridget Magee shares a poem that was inspired by a doll and a scooter – in a library!
• Mary Cronin is feeling the beat – and the love – as a local school’s music teacher used one of her poems as part of a project on percussion.
• At The Poem Farm, Amy has a new poem about foxes and fire and all the colors and images of autumn!
• It’s a tale of sunflowers (and a haiku!) that Marcie Flinchum Atkins shares today.
• My poem was inspired by the nighttime, and that – along with a poem by Kate Baer – is also the inspiration behind an original poem by Rose at Imagine the Possibilities.
• At BookSeedStudio, Jan shares a portion of a new YA novel by Han Nolan that, through the use of creative enjambment, reads beautifully as a poem!
• “Diminishing verse” is a fun – if not challenging – form of poetry, and Laura Purdie Salas shares a draft she’s working on, along with her process of writing it.
• Patricia Franz is “painting with words” by creating a concrete poem about something that was “hanging around!”
• Tracey at Tangles & Tails has October on her mind and shares an original poem as well as one from Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first African American poets to become popular nationally.
• Also for October, Anastasia Suen kicks off a “small poem challenge” for the month.
• And October is on Donna JT Smith’s mind, too, as she shares an original autumn poem at Mainely Write.
• Carol at The Apples in My Orchard is on a 15-day river cruise through Europe (how cool!) and decided that a castle poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would be very apropos for a Poetry Friday post.
• At Chicken Spaghetti, Susan Thomsen has swimming on her mind and shares a wonderful poem from Susan Browne.
• Last but not least, our ‘other’ Carol (Varsalona) is celebrating autumn at Beyond Literacy Link with a Golden Shovel that praises those wonderful autumnal moments that mean so much to us as the seasons change.

---

AND…I’m booking author visits for the 2023-24 shool year!

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 origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

• The Making of a Picture Book
• How a Child Saved a Book
• “Once Upon Another Time”
• The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
• “I Am Today”
• “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
• “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

• 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

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

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?)

======================================================

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

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and SoundCloud!