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Tuesday, April 30, 2024

NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 30

For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems. Since someone pointed out I'd written poems about spring, summer, and fall, I knew I couldn't leave out winter.


Zero is the leaves on the tree
How do you know it's winter?
Animals
snack, snooze, skedaddle
snowflakes fall
Old bear
time to sleep
wait, rest, pause
Footprints in the snow
bear snores on
Time flies
On a snow-melting day
snowman - cold = puddle
Wake up world!
Spring is here

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

Sources
  • Zero Is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco, illustrations by Sino Arihara
  • How Do You Know It's Winter? by Ruth Owen
  • Picture This: Animals by Margaret Hynes, illustrations by Andy Crisp
  • Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Animals Get Ready For Winter by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrations by Claudine Gévry
  • Snowflakes Fall by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrations by Steven Kellogg
  • Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
  • Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
  • Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
  • Footprints in the Snow by Mei Matsuoka
  • Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, illustrations by Jane Chapman
  • Time Flies by Eric Rohmann
  • On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring by Buffy Silverman
  • Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrations by Micha Archer
  • Wake Up, World!: A Day In the Life of Children Around the World by Beatrice Hollyer
  • Spring is Here: A Bear and Mole Story by Will Hillenbrand

It's hard to believe this is the last day of April and the last book spine poem for a while. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page. I can't thank you enough for joining me on this journey.

Monday, April 29, 2024

NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 29

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


Stichin' and Pullin' a Gee's Bend Quilt

Eight hands round
growing patterns
inch by inch
stitch by stitch
the seasons sewn

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

Sources
  • Stitchin' and Pullin' A Gee's Bend Quilt by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrations by Cozbi A. Cabrera
  • Eight Hands Round: A Patchwork Alphabet by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrations by Jeanette Winter
  • Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell, photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell
  • Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
  • Stitch by Stitch: Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly Sews Her Way to Freedom by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrations by Elizabeth Zunon
  • The Seasons Sewn: A Year in Patchwork by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrations by Michael McCurdy
I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

Sunday, April 28, 2024

NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 28

   For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


Climb into my lap
here’s a little poem
you read to me, I’ll read to you
books day by day
love in the library

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

Sources
  • Climb Into My Lap: First Poems to Read Together, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrations by Kathryn Brown
  • Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry, collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrations by Polly Dunbar
  • You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrations by Michael Emberley
  • Books Day By Day: Anniversaries, Anecdotes, and Activities by Susan Ohanian
  • Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrations by Yas Imamura
I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

Saturday, April 27, 2024

NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 27

For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


Count Down to Fall

Shrinking days, frosty nights
summer green to autumn gold
goodbye summer, hello autumn
leaf by leaf
leaves fall down
in November
a chill in the air
every autumn comes the bear

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

Sources
  • Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk, illustrations by Sherry Neidigh
  • Shrinking Days, Frosty Nights: Poems About Fall by Laura Purdie Salas
  • Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves' Hidden Colors by Mia Posada
  • Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
  • Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems, selected by Barbara Rogasky, photographs by Marc Tauss
  • Leaves Fall Down: Learning About Autumn Leaves by Lisa Bullard, illustrations by Nadine Takvorian
  • In November by Cynthia Rylant, illustrations by Jill Kastner
  • A Chill in the Air: Nature Poems for Fall and Winter by John Frank, illustrations by Mike Reed
  • Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky
I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

Friday, April 26, 2024

Poetry Sisters Write Poems to Unanswerable Questions

This month the Poetry Sisters' challenge was to dream up an unanswerable question and answer it in a poem. For example, in the poem "How Many How Much," Shel Silverstein asked, "How many slams in an old screen door?" 

On our Zoom call Sunday, we spent 5 minutes generating questions on our own, and then we shared them. It gave us a lot of ideas to work with! I tried writing to a couple of different prompts but found that every poem I started wound its way to an answer, which was not the point. Ultimately, I ended up with lots of questions and no answers. 

Ode to Wonder

How many ticks in a grandfather clock?
How many rings in a bell?
How many days in a rotating Earth?
How many pails from a well?

How many songs in 88 keys?
How many drops in the rain?
How many spins on a merry-go-round
How many thoughts in a brain?

Who made the stars?
What makes them shine?
Is there life beyond Earth in space?
Where are lost souls?
When are they found?
Why have they fallen from grace?

The why of the world
is a curious thing
with so many questions to ponder.
Sit down for a bit
and think big things
there's so much for us to wonder.

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

You can find the poems shared by my Poetry Sisters at the links below. 

    Would you like to try the next challenge? In May we’re writing in the style of Lucille Clifton and are writing poem about body parts ala "Homage to My Hips." Are you in? Good! You have a month to craft your creation and share it on May 31st in a post and/or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals. We look forward to reading your poems!  

    In addition to this poem, I have been building a book spine poem each day to celebrate National Poetry Month. I hope you'll pop over to my April 26 post to check it out and explore some of the other poems I've written. If you've been following the Progressive Poem, you might like my April 25 poem, which was inspired by the unfolding plight of the poem's characters.

    This week, Poetry Friday is hosted by Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town. I hope you'll take some time to check out all the poetic things being shared today. Happy poetry Friday, friends!

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 26

    Happy Poetry Friday! For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Up in the garden and down in the dirt
    a seed is the start
    When green becomes tomatoes
    my father’s hands
    Pick! Pull! Snap!
    Tops and bottoms
    first, peas to the table
    corn
    rah, rah, radishes
    fresh, delicious
    Let’s eat!

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Up In the Garden and Down In the Dirt by Kate Messner, art by Christopher Silas Neal
    • A Seed Is the Start by Melissa Stewart
    • When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano, pictures by Julie Morstad
    • My Father's Hands by Joanne Ryder, illustrations by Mark Graham
    • Pick, Pull, Snap!: Where Once a Flower Bloomed by Lola Schaefer, illustrations by Lindsay Barrett George
    • Tops & Bottoms, adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens
    • First Peas to the Table by Susan Grigsby, illustrations by Nicole Tadgell
    • Corn by Gail Gibbons
    • Rah, Rah, Radishes!: A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre
    • Fresh Delicious: Poems From the Farmer's Market by Irene Latham, illustrations by Mique Moriuchi
    • Let's Eat!: What Children Eat Around the World by Beatrice Hollyer
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    This week, Poetry Friday is hosted by Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town. I hope you'll take some time to check out all the poetic things being shared today.

    Thursday, April 25, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 25

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems. Today's poem was inspired by this year's Progressive Poem. (See the list of participants to follow the poem. It began with Patricia Franze at Reverie.)


    The journey
    out of the dust
    dreamers
    the undefeated
    illegal
    chasing freedom
    unspoken
    unsettling truths
    This child, every child
    now and then
    an American story

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • The Journey by Sarah Stewart, illustrations by David Small
    • Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
    • Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
    • The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrations by Kadir Nelson
    • Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrations by Giovanni Rigano
    • Chasing Freedom: The Life Journeys of Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, Inspired by Historical Facts by Nikki Grimes, illustrations by Michele Wood
    • Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole
    • Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery by Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah
    • This Child, Every Child: A Book About the World's Children by David J. Smith, illustrations by Shelagh Armstrong
    • Now and Then by Claire Philip, illustrations by Greg Paprocki
    • An American Story by Kwame Alexander, art by Dare Coulter
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Wednesday, April 24, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 24

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    We 
    wonder
    the shape of the world
    gravity
    spiders and their webs
    dinosaur bones
    bubble homes and fish farts
    how the sea came to be
    the stunning science of everything

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • We by Alice Schertle, illustrations by Kenneth Addison
    • Wonder by R.J. Palacio
    • The Shape of the World by K.L. Going, illustrated Lauren Stringer
    • Gravity by Jason Chin
    • Spiders and Their Webs by Darlyne A. Murawski
    • Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner
    • Bubble Homes and Fish Farts by Fiona Bayrock, illustrations by Carolyn Conahan
    • How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures In It by Jennifer Berne, illustrations by Amanda Hall
    • The Stunning Science of Everything: Science With the Squishy Bits Left In! by Nick Arnold, illustrations by Tony De Saulles
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Tuesday, April 23, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 23

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Poem-Making

    Look to the stars
    listen to the wind
    How do you feel?
    Reflect and write
    a river of words
    Fearless writing
    the arrow finds its mark

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Poem-Making: Ways to Begin Writing Poetry by Myra Cohn Livingston
    • Look to the Stars by Buzz Aldrin, paintings by Wendell Minor
    • Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth, collages by Susan L. Roth
    • How Do You Feel? by Anthony Browne
    • Reflect and Write: 300 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing, compiled by Elizabeth Guy and Hank Kellner
    • A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant, illustrations by Melissa Sweet
    • Fearless Writing: Multigenre to Motivate and Inspire by Tom Romano
    • The Arrow Finds Its Mark: A Book of Found Poems, edited by Georgia Heard, illustrations by Antoine Guilloppé
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Monday, April 22, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 22

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Ten flashing fireflies
    light up the night
    counting the stars
    dark on light
    Small wonders
    flip, float, fly
    a sky full of poems
    signals in the sky

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Ten Flashing Fireflies by Philemon Sturges, illustrations by Anna Vojtech
    • Light Up the Night by Jean Reidy, illustrations by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
    • Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrations by Raúl Colón
    • Dark on Light by Dianne White, illustrations by Felicita Sala
    • Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects by Matthew Clark Smith, illustrations by Giuliano Ferri
    • Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move by JoAnn Early Macken, illustrations by Pam Paparone
    • A Sky Full of Poems by Eve Merriam, illustrations by Walter Gaffney-Kessell
    • Signals in the Sky by Candice Ransom
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Sunday, April 21, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 21

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Firefly July

    Marshmallow clouds
    enchanted air
    Yellow umbrella
    one white sail
    Ice cream summer
    lemonade sun
    Summer beat
    see me run!

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems, selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
    • Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play Among Figures of Speech by Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek, illustrations by Richard Jones
    • Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle
    • Yellow Umbrella by Jae Soo Liu
    • One White Sail by S.T. Garne, pictures by Lisa Etre
    • Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sís
    • Lemonade Sun and Other Poems by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
    • Summer Beat by Besty Franco, illustrations by Charlotte Middleton
    • See Me Run by Paul Meisel
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Saturday, April 20, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 20

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    A Writing Kind of Day

    When rain falls
    Splish! Splash!
    The sky stirs up trouble
    Tap, tap! Boom, boom!
    When thunder comes
    Flash! Crash! Rumble and Roll!
    This is the rain
    Drip! Drop!
    What’s the weather inside?
    Cloudy, with a chance of meatballs.

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • A Writing Kind of Day: Poems For Young Poets by Ralph Fletcher, illustrations by April Ward
    • When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart, illustrations by Constance Rummel Bergum
    • Splish Splash by Joan Bransfield Graham, illustrations by Steve Scott
    • The Sky Stirs Up Trouble: Tornadoes by Belinda Jensen, illustrations by Renée Kurilla 
    • Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle, illustrations by G. Brian Karas
    • When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrations by Jim Burke, R. Gregory Christie, Tonya Engel, John Parra, Meilo So
    • Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll by Franklyn Branley, illustrations by True Kelley
    • This Is the Rain by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrations by Jane Wattenberg 
    • Drip! Drop!: How Water Gets to Your Tap by Barbara Seuling, illustrations by Nancy Tobin 
    • What's the Weather Inside?: Poems by Karma Wilson, illustrations by Barry Blitt 
    • Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, drawn by Ron Barrett
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Progressive Poem is Here!

    Have you been following the progressive poem progress? I hope so! I'm happy to be number 20 in line for this growing tale. My couplet is at the boom and in bold.

    cradled in stars, our planet sleeps,
    clinging to tender dreams of peace
    sister moon watches from afar,
    singing lunar lullabies of hope.

    almost dawn, I walk with others,
    keeping close, my little brother.
    hand in hand, we carry courage
    escaping closer to the border

    My feet are lightning;
    My heart is thunder.
    Our pace draws us closer
    to a new land of wonder.

    I bristle against rough brush—
    poppies ahead brighten the browns.
    Morning light won’t stay away—
    hearts jump at every sound.

    I hum my own little song
    like ripples in a stream
    Humming Mami’s lullaby
    reminds me I have her letter

    My fingers linger on well-worn creases,
    shielding an address, a name, a promise–
    Sister Moon will find always us
    surrounding us with beams of kindness

    But last night as we rested in the dusty field,
    worries crept in about matters back home.
    I huddled close to my brother. Tears revealed
    the no-choice need to escape. I feel grown.

    Leaving all I’ve ever known
    the tender, heavy, harsh of home.
    On to maybes, on to dreams,
    on to whispers we hope could be.

    But I don't want to whisper! I squeeze Manu's hand.
    "¡Más cerca ahora!" Our feet pound the sand.
    We race, we pant, we lean on each other
    I open my canteen and drink gratefully

    Thirst is slaked, but I know we’ll need
    more than water to achieve our dreams.
    Nights pass slowly, but days call for speed
    through the highs and the lows, we live with extremes


    Janet, hosted at Reflections on the Teche has the next couplet!
    For the full schedule of participants, see the list below.

    April 1 Patricia Franz at Reverie
    April 2 Jone MacCulloch
    April 3 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
    April 4 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
    April 5 Irene at Live Your Poem
    April 6 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
    April 7 Marcie Atkins
    April 8 Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town
    April 9 Karen Eastlund
    April 10 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
    April 11 Buffy Silverman
    April 12 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
    April 13 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
    April 14 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
    April 15 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
    April 16 Sarah Grace Tuttle
    April 17 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
    April 18 Tabatha at Opposite of Indifference
    April 19 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
    April 20 Tricia Stohr-Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
    April 21 Janet, hosted here at Reflections on the Teche
    April 22 Mary Lee Hahn at A(nother) Year of Reading
    April 23 Tanita Davis at (fiction, instead of lies)
    April 24 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
    April 25 Joanne Emery at Word Dancer
    April 26 Karin Fisher-Golton at Still in Awe
    April 27 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
    April 28 Dave at Leap of Dave
    April 29 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
    April 30 Michelle Kogan at More Art for All

    Friday, April 19, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 19

    Happy Poetry Friday! For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    This is just to say
    poetry matters
    Today and today
    just people and paper, pen, poem
    tiny dreams sprouting tall
    Wonderful words
    falling down the page
    A lucky thing

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • This is Just to Say by Joyce Sidman, illustrations by Pamela Zagarenski
    • Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem From the Inside Out by Ralph Fletcher 
    • Today and Today, haiku by Issa, pictures by G. Brian Karas
    • Just People and Other Poems for Young Readers & Paper/Pen/Poem: A Young Writer's Way to Begin, poems by Kathi Appelt, photographs by Kenneth Appelt
    • Tiny Dreams Sprounting Tall: Poems About the United States by Laura Purdie Salas
    • Wonderful Words: Poems About Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrations by Karen Barbour
    • Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems, edited by Georgia Heard
    • A Lucky Thing by Alice Schertle, paintings by Wendell Minor
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    This week, Poetry Friday is hosted by Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe. I hope you'll take some time to check out all things poetic being shared today.

    Thursday, April 18, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 18

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Subway sparrow
    city hawk
    honk, honk, goose
    bird talk

    Chatter, sing, roar, buzz
    song of the wild
    where I live 

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Subway Sparrow by Leyla Torres
    • City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male by Meghan McCarthy
    • Honk, Honk, Goose!: Canada Geese Start a Family by April Pulley Sayre, illustrations by Huy Voun Lee
    • Bird Talk: What Birds Are Saying and Why by Lita Judge
    • Chatter, Sing, Roar, Buzz: Poems About the Rain Forest by Laura Purdie Salas
    • Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies, illustrations by Petr Horacek 
    • Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli, illustrations by Matt Phelan
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Wednesday, April 17, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 17

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    I’m trying to love math
    Marvelous math
      the numbers
       millions, billions, and trillions
        this plus that
    Mesmerizing math
      when a line bends, a shape begins
       shapes, shapes, shapes
        seeing symmetry
    Mystery math
      How many?
       Why Pi?
        Which one doesn’t belong?
    Grasping mysteries
    in the moment
    learning to love math

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • I'm Trying to Love Math by Bethany Barton
    • Marvelous Math: A Book of Poems, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrations by Karen Barbour
    • The Numbers (Mouse Books) by Monique Felix 
    • Millions, Billions, & Trillions: Understanding Big Numbers by David A. Adler, illustrations by Edward Miller
    • This Plus That: Life's Little Equations by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrations by Jen Corace
    • Mesmerizing Math by Jonathan Litton, illustrations by Thomas Flintham 
    • When a Line Bends . . . A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene, illustrations by James Kaczman 
    • Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban
    • Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy
    • Mystery Math: A First Book of Algebra by David A. Adler, illustrations by Edward Miller 
    • How Many? (Talking Math) by Christopher Danielson
    • Why Pi? by Johnny Ball
    • Which One Doesn't Belong?: A Shapes Book by Christopher Danielson
    • Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math by Jeannine Atkins
    • In the Moment: Conferring in the Elementary Math Classroom by Jen Munson
    • Learning to Love Math: Teaching Strategies That Change Student Attitudes and Get Results by Judy Willis
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Tuesday, April 16, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 16

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    The year comes round
    a new school year
    Let's go!
    The song shoots out of my mouth
    O Frabjous day!
    Hello school!

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons by Sid Farrar, illustrations by Ilse Plume
    • A New School Year: Stories in Six Voices by Sally Derby, illustrations by Mika Song
    • Let's Go!: The Story of Getting from There to Here by Lizann Flatt, illustrations by Scot Ritchie 
    • The Song Shoots Out of My Mouth by Jaime Adoff, illustrations by Martin French
    • O Frabjous Day!: Poetry for Holidays and Special Occasions, edited by Myra Cohn Livingston
    • Hello School! by Dee Lillegard, illustrations by Don Carter
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Monday, April 15, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 15

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Leaf by leaf
    swirl by swirl
    down ... down ... down
    Wonder fall
    Roots and blues
    Forest has a song

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems selected by Barbara Rogasky, photographs by Marc Tauss
    • Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman, pictures by Beth Krommes
    • Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins
    • Wonderfall by Michael Hall
    • Roots and Blues: A Celebration by Arnold Adoff, paintings by R. Gregory Christie
    • Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illustrations by Robbin Gourley
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Sunday, April 14, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 14

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Sky scrape, city scape
    come with me
    A city is
    home to me
    New York
    Hello, hello!
    Here I am 
    home, sweet home

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Sky Scrape/City Scape: Poems of City Life by Jane Yolen, illustrations by Ken Condon 
    • Come With Me: Poems For a Journey by Naomi Shihab Nye, images by Dan Yaccarino
    • A City Is by Norman Rosten, illustrations by Melanie Hope Greenberg
    • Home to Me: Poems Across America, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrations by Stephen Alcorn
    • New York (State Shapes) by Erik Bruun, illustrations by Rick Peterson
    • Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel
    • Here I Am by Patti Kim, pictures by Sonia Sánchez
    • Home, Sweet Home: What Makes a House a Home? by Moira Butterfield, illustrations by Clair Rossiter
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Saturday, April 13, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 13

     For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    Looking down
    the microscope
    Can you see what I see?
    A drop of water
    strange creatures
    least things
    ten times better

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Looking Down by Steve Jenkins
    • The Microscope by Maxine Kumin, pictures by Arnold Lobel
    • Can You See What I See?: On the Road by Walter Wick
    • A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder by Walter Wick
    • Strange Creatures: The Story of Walter Rothschild and His Museum by Lita Judge
    • Least Things: Poems About Small Natures by Jane Yolen, photographs by Jason Stemple
    • Ten Times Better by Richard Michelson, paintings by Leonard Baskin
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Friday, April 12, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 12

    Happy Poetry Friday! For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Fireflies at midnight
    flicker flash
    light up the night
    sky magic

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Fireflies at Midnight by Marilyn Singer, pictures by Ken Robbins 
    • Flicker Flash by Joan Bransfield Graham, illustrations by Nancy Davis
    • Light Up the Night by Jean Reidy, pictures by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
    • Sky Magic, compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrations by Mariusz Stawarski
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    This week, Poetry Friday is hosted by Jone Rush MacCulloch. I hope you'll take the time to check out all things poetic being shared today.

    Thursday, April 11, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 11

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Today's poem is a little different. This is my attempt at using book titles to fashion a "Where I'm From" poem in the style of George Ella Lyons. You will see it is created in a series of book stack stanzas, using the same title to begin each one. I hope you learn a little about me, as this is an autobiographical poem. 





    I'm from
    Children of the Great Depression
    the button box
    the hard-times jar
    earn it
    save it
    waiting is not easy

    I'm from
    chalk
    kitchen science
    handsprings
    summersaults
    messing around on the monkey bars

    I'm from
    gone fishing
    toasting marshmallows
    a walk in the woods
    follow the moon home
    finding wonders
    the pebble in my pocket

    I'm from
    four seasons make a year
    love that dog
    let me fix you a plate
    museum trip
    there's a map on my lap
    are we there yet?

    I’m from
    that’s a possibility
    count on me
    we all play
    ALL are welcome
    friends beyond measure

    Where are you from?

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.


    Sources
    • I'm From by Gary R. Gray, Jr., pictures by Oge Mora
    • Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman
    • The Button Box by Margarette S. Reid, illustrations by Sarah Chamberlain
    • The Hard-Times Jar by Ethel Footman Smothers, illustrations by John Holyfield
    • Earn It!: A Moneybunny Book by Cinders McLeod 
    • Save It!: A Moneybunny Book by Cinders McLeod 
    • Waiting Is Not Easy!-An Elephant and Piggie Book by Mo Willems
    • Chalk by Bill Thomson
    • Kitchen Science by Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone 
    • Handsprings by Douglas Florian
    • Summersaults by Douglas Florian
    • Messing Around on the Monkey Bars: and Other School Poems for Two Voices by Betsy Franco, illustrations by Jessie Hartland 
    • Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger, illustrations by Matthew Cordell 
    • Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems by Kristine O'Connell George, illustrations by Kate Kiesler 
    • A Walk in the Woods by Nikki Grimes, illustrations by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney 
    • Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson, illustrations by Meilo So
    • Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science by Jeannine Atkins
    • The Pebble in My Pocket: A History of Our Earth by Meredith Hooper, illustrations by Chris Coady 
    • Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell, illustrations by Megan Halsey 
    • Love That Dog by Sharon Creech 
    • Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens by Elizabeth Lilly
    • Museum Trip by Barbara Lehman
    • There's a Map on My Lap! All About Maps (The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library) by Tish Rabe, illustrations by Aristides Ruiz 
    • Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat
    • That's a Possibility!: A Book About What Might Happen by Bruce Goldstone
    • Count on Me by Miguel Tanco
    • We All Play by Julie Flett 
    • All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, illustrations by Suzanne Kaufman
    • Friends Beyond Measure by Lalena Fisher
    • Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez, illustrations by Jaime Kim
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Wednesday, April 10, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 10

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Blooming beneath the sun
    the Earth is painted green
    Redwoods
    grow
    up tall and high
    no two alike
    between earth and sky

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Blooming Beneath the Sun, poems by Christina Rosetti, art by Ashley Bryan
    • The Earth Is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems About Our Planet, edited by Barbara Brenner, illustrations by S.D. Schindler
    • Redwoods by Jason Chin
    • Grow: A Novel in Verse by Juanita Havill, illustrations by Stanislawa Kodman
    • Up! Tall! And High! by Ethan Long
    • No Two Alike by Keith Baker
    • Between Earth & Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places by Joseph Bruchac, illustrations by Thomas Locker
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Tuesday, April 09, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 9

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    In the middle of the night
    a crack in the clouds
    one big rain
    tap dancing on the roof

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • In the Middle of the Night: Poems from a Wide-Awake House by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrations by Angela Matteson
    • A Crack In the Clouds and Other Poems by Constance Levy, illustrations by Robin Bell Corfield
    • One Big Rain: Poems for Rainy Days compiled by Rita Gray, illustrations by Bryan O'Rourke
    • Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (Poems) by Linda Sue Park, pictures by Istvan Banyai
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Monday, April 08, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 8

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    All the world
    Is ... was ...
    oodles of animals
    green on green
    All different now
    where once there was a wood
    hard hat area
    To change a planet
    THINK BIG
    Handle with care
    Let it begin here

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrations by Marla Frazee
    • Is  was by Deborah Freedman
    • Oodles of Animals by Lois Ehlert
    • Green on Green by Dianne White, illustrations by Felicita Sala
    • All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson, illustrations by E.B. Lewis
    • Where Once There Was a Wood by Denise Fleming
    • Hard Hat Area by Susan L. Roth
    • To Change a Planet by Christina Soontornvat, illustrations by Rachele Jomepour Bell
    • Think Big by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
    • Handle With Care: An Unusual Butterfly Journey by Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz
    • Let It Begin Here! by Don Brown
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Sunday, April 07, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 7

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Near one cattail
    frogs sing songs
    Hidden in the grass
    a nest full of eggs
    A celebration of bees
    flip, float, fly
    Red sings from treetops
    and then it’s spring

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs, and Leaping Frogs by Anthony D. Fredericks, illustrations by Jennifer DiRabbio
    • Frogs Sing Songs by Yvonne Winer, illustrations by Tony Oliver
    • Hidden in the Grass by Barbara Taylor
    • A Nest Full of Eggs by Priscilla Belz Jenkins, illustrations by Lizzy Rockwell
    • A Celebration of Bees: Helping Children to Write Poetry by Barbara Juster Esbensen
    • Red Sings From Treetops: A Year In Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrations by Pamela Zagarenski
    • And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrations by Erin E. Stead
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Saturday, April 06, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 6

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Hidden
    underground
    seeds
    listen to the wind
    twist
    jump at the sun
    planting the wild garden

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Hidden by Loic Dauvillier, illustrations by Marc Lizano, ink by Greg Salsedo
    • Underground by Shane Evans
    • Seeds by Ken Robbins
    • Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Gred & Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth, collages by Susan L. Roth
    • Twist: Yoga Poems by Janet S. Wong, artwork by Julie Paschkis
    • Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston by Alicia D. Williams, illustrations by Jacqueline Alcántara
    • Planting the Wild Garden by Kathryn O. Galbraith, illustrations by Wendy Anderson Halperin
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Friday, April 05, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 5

    Happy Poetry Friday! For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.


    How To Be a Butterfly

    Step gently out
    flutter and hum
    you can fly!

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • How To Be a Butterfly by Laura Knowles, pictures by Catell Ronca
    • Step Gently Out by Helen Frost, illustrations by Rick Lieder
    • Flutter & Hum: Animal Poems = Aleteo y zumbido: Poemas de Animales by Julie Paschkis
    • You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Jeffery Boston Weatherford
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    This week, Poetry Friday is hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. I hope you'll take the time to check out all things poetry being shared today.

    Thursday, April 04, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 4

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Outside your window
    a nest is noisy
    the company of crows
    talk, talk, squawk!
    Joyful noise

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies, illustrations by Mark Hearld
    • A Nest is Noisy by Diana Hutts Aston, illustrations by Sylvia Long
    • The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems by Marilyn Singer, illustrations by Linda Saport
    • Talk, Talk, Squawk!: A Human's Guide to Animal Communication by Nicola Davies, illustrations by Neal Clayton
    • Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman, illustrations by Eric Beddows
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Wednesday, April 03, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 3

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems.

    Waiting for high tide
    sand
    skin of a fish, bones of a bird
    a suitcase of seaweed
    an old shell
    rare treasure
    a world of wonders

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Waiting for High Tide by Nikki McClure
    • Sand by Ellen Prager, illustrations by Nancy Woodman
    • Skin of a Fish, Bones of a Bird by Helen Frost
    • A Suitcase of Seaweed and Other Poems by Janet S. Wong 
    • An Old Shell: Poems of the Galapagos by Tony Johnston, pictures by Tom Pohrt
    • Rare Treasure: Mary Anning and Her Remarkable Discoveries by Don Brown
    • A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme by J. Patrick Lewis, pictures by Alison Jay
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page

    Tuesday, April 02, 2024

    NPM 2024 - Book Spine Poem 2

    For National Poetry Month this year, I am perusing my bookshelves and building book spine poems. This poem was inspired by Cole Brauer, the first American woman to race solo nonstop around the world.

    Over and under the waves
    water sings blue
    trailblazers
    sail away
    reaching for the moon
    The sky's the limit

    Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2024. All rights reserved.

    Sources
    • Over and Under the Waves by Kate Messner, art by Christopher Silas Neal
    • Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs, illustrations by Meilo So
    • Trailblazers: Poems of Exploration by Bobbi Katz, art by Carin Berger
    • Sail Away: Poems by Langston Hughes, art by Ashley Bryan
    • Reaching for the Moon by Buzz Aldrin, paintings by Wendell Minor
    • The Sky's the Limit: Stories of Discoveries by Women and Girls by Catherine Thimmesh, illustrations by Melissa Sweet
    I hope you'll come back again to see what new poem I've cobbled together. You can find all the poems I've written this month on the Book Spine Poems page