Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday Roundup

is hosted today at

The Writer's Armchair with Toby Speed.

The last Friday in October is Frankenstein Friday.

With that thought in mind, I had to select the following book by Adam Rex: Frankenstein makes a sandwich: and other stories you're sure to like, because they're all about monsters, and some of them are also about food, you like food, don't you? Well, all right then.

There is plenty of spooky fun in this collection of poems about monsters facing their fears and dealing with everyday situations that become weirdly complicated. The Invisible Man gets a haircut, the Phantom of the Opera has the song, "It's a Small World," stuck in his head, The Creature from the Black Lagoon forgets to wait an hour before swimming. Wolfman, Bigfoot, Dracula...they're all here and demanding to be read aloud.

Rex followed this 2006 success with more monster inspired fun in the 2008 Frankenstein Takes the Cake, detailing Frankenstein's wacky Wedding. The monster cast includes Dracula, the Sphinx, The Headless Horseman and even an alien encounter to produce plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Write About Now.

My selection is Snail Trail written and illustrated by Jo Saxton. A colorful snail leads the readers through an assortment of paintings by well-known masters in search of the one like himself.

The rhyming text makes a brief observation of each work beginning with Jackson Pollock and ending with Henri Matisse's collage, The Snail. The book is an enjoyable introduction to looking at art for readers in K-3.

Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted today by Great Kid Books.

My selection is Shrinking Days, Frosty Nights: Poems about Fall by Laura Purdie Salas. Written for K-3, this collection is a lovely introduction to many different poetry forms. Colorful photographs, a reading list and glossary complete the book.

Writer's Wednesday

FYI

Get ready for NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month -- coming in November: catch the post at Pen and Ink.

Check out Writing the Perfect Query Letter @ Write for Kids.

For plotting read, Plot First, Please! @ Through the Toll Booth.

On the subject of Making Mistakes, the post at Adventures in Children's Publishing is well worth the read.

National Day On Writing inspires Teaching Authors to ask the question -- Why do We Write?

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by MotherReader.

My selection is The Halloween Book of Facts and Fun, written by Wendie C. Old and illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye. This enjoyable and informative book includes Halloween history, traditions, party ideas and safety tips. There is a chapter on El Dia de los Muertos and another on the Irish folktale "The Tale of Jack-o-lantern." The bibliography lists related books and Internet sites. Riddles are sprinkled throughout the colorful illustrations.

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Picture Book of the Day.

My selection is Celebrate Halloween by Deborah Heiligman. This book provides background on the origin and customs of Halloween in an engaging and informative text that is well-illustrated with photographs. A bibliography is included.

Here is the answer to Friday's Famous First: "I started out no more'n a bunch of rags on a Virginia plantation," is from the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book -- Almost to Freedom written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Colin Bootman.

Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted today by Carol's Corner.

My selection is Pumpkin Butterfly: poems from the other side of nature, written by Heidi Mordhorst and illustrated by Jenny Reynish. This collection of 23 poems takes a surreal look at a natural world where butterflies are the spirits of newly picked pumpkins. The language is vivid and active and the illustrations are a carefully conceived counterpoint to the poetry.

Friday's Famous First: Can you identify the title and author of this first line? "I started out no more'n a bunch of rags on a Virginia plantation."

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Madigan Reads.

My selection is Paper Crafts for Halloween by Randel McGee. Instructions and patterns for the paper projects are paired with information about the history of Halloween and a bibliography of related books and Internet sites.

Here is the answer to Friday's Famous First: "Rose was the first child born free and easy to Jackson and Millicent MacGruder." is from the Coretta Scott King Award Winning book: Thunder Rose, written by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Poetry Friday

Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Biblio File.

Now that October has arrived, Halloween-themed books are a major request from our young patrons. I thought I'd get a head start with: Hallowilloween: nefarious silliness -- written and illustrated by Calef Brown. Brown is clearly enjoying the opportunity to play with sound in these fanciful nonsense verses inspired by the season's spooky holiday.

Here is Friday's Famous First: "Rose was the first child born free and easy to Jackson and Millicent MacGruder."