Some Things Worth Sharing

Here are a few things I've heard and/or read this week that warrant passing along.

Have you taken time to participate in Operation Teen Book Drop yet? You can help expand the school libraries serving Apache and Navajo teens. These schools are in desperate need of books, so if you can help, please do. I bought my books today and you know what? It feels great!

Neil Gaiman shares the trailer for the picture book of his poem Instructions. The book will be released at the end of the month.

Speaking of book trailers, have you seen this one for SVT? It's fabulous! (If you haven't seen the book, Shark Vs. Train is awesome!) If you teach writing, this is a mentor text you MUST HAVE. I can just imagine the scenarios kids will come up with to extend the competition.

Check out Poetry Story at Write Now in Room 204. Annie Campbell is a gifted writer and an amazing teacher. In this post she asks readers to share their poetry stories--those moments that define our relationships with poetry (love it or hate it).

With Good Reason, Virginia's statewide public radio program devoted yesterday's episode to poetry. There is a particularly good segment on nonsense poetry (near the end), but the entire episode is worth a listen.

At the beginning of National Poetry Month, SLJ posted a fabulous article by Marilyn Singer entitled Knock Poetry Off the Pedestal: It's time to make poems a part of children's everyday lives.

Bruce Black of wordswimmer shares the thoughts of the Cybils first round poetry judges in a post entitled Music and Magic: A Conversation About Poetry. (Okay, this last one is a tad bit self-indulgent, but it IS an interesting conversation!)

Happy reading!