Thank you for flying
by our front stoop this morning.
You fluttered joy into my heart
when I was feeling sad.
Dear Crazy Socks,
Thank you for not caring
if you match or not.
You hug my feet.
You make my mouth smile."
You are off ... with another wonderful idea for a fun writing project for your students, or your own schooling-at-home children! Think of all the people, places, and things you can thank, if you set your mind to feeling grateful.
There are 21 poems written for this fine collection. It all begins with the alphabet and the 26 letters that we use in this game of writing poetry. Each following entry is an homage to making poetry a part of the day. Writing it, reading it, and then writing more.
The subjects are endless, the place you write needs to be well-chosen and comfortable. At times, a writer suffers from writer's block; Ms.VanDerwater has a suggestion.
"Did you ever open up your fridge
hungry for a snack
staring
seeking something good -
but nothing good stares back?
Did you ever look at all your clothes
uncertain what to wear
searching
for a favorite shirt -
one that is not there?
If you did, you recognize
how writer's block can paralyze.
But unlike a snack or shirt
one idea multiplies.
Ideas spread like wildflowers
when you move your hand."
Certainly, good advice - just get writing!
This is a companion book to Read! Read! Read! (Wordsong, 2017) and a worthy one. The poems differ in subject, meter, rhyme scheme, and type. Kids interested in poetry will find much to think about, and ideas to try. The writing process itself is described in a number of the poems, including revision, editing, and even getting started.
Lovely artwork, done in oil paints and then colored digitally, provide accompaniment to the poetic words. There is comfort, humor and quiet thought in the images created. The art matches the animated text and it all works well as a mentor text when wanting to encourage writing at home or in the classroom.
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