Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Teacher Dance.

For Poetry Friday -- "Your Skeleton Is Showing: rhymes of blunder from six feet under" written by Kurt Cyrus with illustrations by Crab Scrambly.

 

A search through a cemetery for a ghost-dog's owner leads a boy on an adventure of discovery as each passing headstone reveals a cautionary tale or a history of the deceased. Who knew nose-picking could be fatal?

The verses vary from silly to grim providing just enough of the "ick" factor to make them appealing for readers delighted by the morbid and ridiculous.  There's even a touch of mystery as the reader is challenged by a verse to answer the question "Who is laid below? / Mysterious letters mark the stone: / EIEIO."

Scrambly's art puts me in mind of Tim Burton, but with a softer and more humorous sensibility. Other reviewers have likened Scrambly's art to the work of Edward Gorey.

Writers Wednesday

If you've ever considered submitting to a literary magazine, but weren't sure how to start, this was written for you.

Check out this post: Three Tips for Submitting Your Work, Written by Emily Harstone At Autors Publish.

Nonfiction Monday

For other Nonfiction Monday posts click HERE. 

 

For Nonfiction Monday  --  "Katherine Stinson Otero: high flyer" by Neila Skinner Petrick; illustrated by Daggi Wallace.

 

 

 

From the publisher: Katherine wants to fly, but all the instructors say that she is too young and too small. When finally given a chance, she excels as a solo flyer and becomes the fourth American woman licensed to fly.

Petrick's book focuses on Otero's early years: her life as a stunt pilot  flying exhibitions across the United States, in Japan and China and teaching at the flying school that was opened by her mother. Katherine was denied the opportunity to fly in World War 1 so she drove an ambulance and flew exhibitions to raise money for the war effort. A brief summary of her later years mentions her battle with tuberculosis, her marriage and her career as an architect.

 

 

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Jama's Alphabet Soup.

For Poetry Friday -- "Poetrees" by Douglas Florian

 

 

 

Florian's book was the perfect choice for this time of year with Autumn colors blazing and leaves falling. Clever wordplay celebrates trees from the oldest (the Bristlecone Pine) to the tallest (the giant Sequoia), from the familiar Oak to the exotic Dragon Tree.

 

Florian neatly weaves a snippet of information about each type of tree along with their parts -- roots, bark, leaves, etc. into the verses. A Glossatree at the end provides additional details on the subjects of his poems.  

 

The imaginative artwork is playfully rendered in various media on brown paper bags which gives the pages an organic feel that suits the subject. Both the poems and artwork could serve as inspiration for student projects.