First of all, I would like to again thank my friends at KidLit TV for hosting the official cover reveal of my next picture book, A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human (Beaming Books, 2022), which arrives everywhere this October!
The cover made its debut at precisely 7am EST at KidLit.TV this past Tuesday, and I also need to thank illustrator André Ceolin for creating a cover so vibrant and full of life!
Hang on…another “thank you” coming…
This one, to all the teachers and librarians who invited me to visit their classes and schools this past Wednesday for World Read Aloud Day. What a blast!
From the International School of Phnom Penh in Cambodia to North Street School in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, I travelled to a dozen different locations around the world (virtually, of course) sharing my books and some of the stories behind them.
It was a lot of fun for me, so I hope the students enjoyed the visits, as well – it certainly seems like they did!

When I read Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (POW! Kids Books, 2018), I told them how paleontologists are still making new, important discoveries about some very common dinos. When I read Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021), I asked the kids to ponder the fact that we are breathing the same air the dinosaurs breathed, 100 million years ago.
And when I read Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017), I explained that illustrator Fred Koehler took a two-week tip to the United Kingdom to take photos and draw sketches prior to starting work on the book, and then drew all the pictures by hand, in pencil! (And if you’d be interested in haing me visit YOUR school for a longer, more involved presentation, please contact me and let me know!)
One of the other books I shared was my new baby…

After five delays – yes, FIVE! – my newest picture book, I Am Today (POW! Kids Books) is scheduled to be published soon! Children are always being told they are “the Future”….but what if a child doesn’t want to wait, to make a difference?
The “I Am Today” Blog Tour:
- Nov. 14: Unleashing Readers
- Nov. 29: You May Contribute a Verse
- Nov. 30: Picture Book Spotlight
- Dec. 2: Celebrate Picture Books
- Dec. 3: Beyond Literacy Link
- Dec. 4: Vivian Kirkfield’s “Will Write for Cookies”
- Dec. 7: Writer’s Rumpus
- Dec. 20: Maria C. Marshall’s “Picture Book Buzz”
- Dec. 24: Maria C. Marshall’s “Perfect Picture Book Friday”
- Jan. 4: Future Bookworms (Instagram) / The Momma Spot (blog)
- Jan. 19: PB22Peekaboo
By the way, if you’d be interested in having me join YOUR school or library next month for a brief, 20-minute readaloud and chat, send me an email at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com. I’ll be visiting schools all day long on Wednesday, March 2, to celebrate Read Across America Day! But contact me soon, as spaces fill up quickly.

Now, then…as for today’s poem, it’s a little something different. It actually began as a poem, turned into a picture book, morphed into a board book, and now it’s a poem again.
It’s written in two voices: the first is a child in a forward-facing carseat, looking ahead, while the second is the child’s younger sibling in a rear-facing carseat, watching the traffic behind them.
The scene is at night…
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Not sure what will ever come of this, but I like the two perspectives, so I’ll keep tweaking for a while. For all of today’s poetry links and fun, I hope you’ll visit Elisabeth at Unexpected Intersections where she is hosting the complete Poetry Friday roundup with a February acrostic!
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I’m now a part of the BOOKROO family!

Create an account to add books to wishlists and be notified of special deals and dates…create custom collections…and discover and follow your favorite authors & illustrators!
Find out more about BOOKROO here!
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I continue adding to my “Wit & Wordplay” videos ! These videos were created for parents and educators (along with their kids) to learn how to write poetry, appreciate it, and have fun with it. From alliteration and iambs to free verse and spine poetry, I’m pretty sure there’s something in these videos you’ll find surprising! You can view them all on my YouTube channel, and if you have young kids looking for something to keep busy with, I also have several downloadable activity sheets at my website.
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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 any of the covers below 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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