PoemCity, Madness!Poetry and More for Poetry Month ~ by Christy Mihaly

Happy National Poetry Month! 

It's April! Time to celebrate poetry. 

Are you looking for Poetry Month ideas? I've surveyed some poets and rounded up a few suggestions (with many links for more resources). 

Feel free to share other ideas in the comments. And be poetic! ❤

PoemCity Reading 2023

PoemCity 

I am feeling very fortunate that Vermont's state capital, Montpelier, is hosting its annual "PoemCity." It's an April-long shindig organized and run by volunteers and the hard-working staff of Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Poets from around Vermont are invited to submit poems. Selected works are printed and posted in shops, restaurants, and other establishments around town. These poems will also be compiled into a PoemCity anthology. (I'm happy that my poem, "Who Cooks for You?" -- about a barred owl -- appears in the Capital Kitchen cooking supply store.)

Shop window poetry

Second grade haiku -- can't beat it!
"Brazil nuts irk me.
All they do is take up space,
and they taste like dirt."
 

Work by local students appears in a special display, always a highlight. (Check out that Brazil nut haiku!) 

PoemCity also offers free events, including readings, lectures, workshops, craft projects, ekphrasis (using artworks to inspire poetry in an improvisational collaboration), and  parties. 

Poetic paradise!

Montpelier's beloved Kellogg-Hubbard Library

Madness! Poetry

If you can't make it to Montpelier, you can still join in the fun at Madness! Poetry. This online poetry tournament, created by poet Ed DeCaria, is a wild competition modeled after March Madness. "Kids' poetry under pressure!"

Brackets begin with 64 poets ... er ... "authletes." Each pair of competitors is assigned a word, and each individual must write and post an original poem for children, using the word, by a posted deadline in 48 hours or so. When the poems are posted, readers review them and cast their votes to determine which poet will move to the next bracket and repeat the process with a new word. See this year's schedule, here. Special programs encourage teachers and classes to participate. Sign up, as an authlete, a class, or a voter, here.

I can attest from experience that being an authlete is a bit of a sleepless ordeal, but, in the end, a great deal of fun. Anyone who appreciates poetry can sign up to read, vote, and cheer the competitors to greatness. This year, the application deadline is April 16, so there's still time. 

Poets Doing Madness! and Other Things

I asked a few compatriots at the Poets' Garage how they plan to celebrate this month. I'm happy to introduce them here (look out for their poems and books!), and share their thoughts:

Children's poet Kelly Conroy says she is going for the Madness! -- "I'll be consumed with all things Madness! Poetry: reading, critiquing, encouraging, commenting, voting, and possibly competing...eek! It's fast paced, it's for kids, and it is so much fun!" Mad good luck to you, Kelly!

Kelly's poems have appeared in two wonderful anthologies published by Wee Words for Wee Ones, 10.10 and Two Truths and a Fib; three anthologies --Things We Eat, Things We Feel, and What is a Friend? -- by Pomelo Books; and in online publications Better Than Starbucks and Poetry As Promised. We'll be watching for Kelly's poems, this month and beyond!

Poet and novelist Helen Kemp Zax, who recently completed writing a YA novel in verse, says: "I found the experience of writing in this form so satisfying, I’m planning to rewrite another of my novels during April in verse form. My writing days will look like NaNoWriMo but filled with poetry. Of course, I’ll be writing shorter poems to submit to blogs, magazines, and anthologies." Best wishes with the new novel, Helen!

Her poem “Wish” will be published this month in the Sylvia Vardell/Janet Wong anthology What Is a Family? Helen says, "I plan to support this anthology in April by taking part in Rochelle Melander’s 'Play with Poetry' blog posts. As always, I’ll share copies of this anthology with Reading is Fundamental." 

"Basant Panchami" by Helen Zax,
art by Nayantara Surendranath
CRICKET Magazine, April 2020
 

Helen is co-winner of the 2021 YorkMix International Children’s Poetry Prize, 2018 MG Katherine Paterson Prize winner, and 2019 Finalist. Her poetry appears in anthologies including Imperfect II, chasing clouds, and What is a Friend? and in magazines including Cricket, Hello, High Five, Launchpad, Touchdown, Hunger Mountain, The Caterpillar, and The Dirigible Balloon. She is particularly proud that her poem “Belly Butterflies” was chosen for a Poetry Teaching Programme anthology to be published by Oxford University Press. Helen lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, and Aussiedoodle Huckleberry Finn. 

Children’s author and award-winning poet B.J. Lee say she plans to "celebrate National Poetry Month by doing a blog post(s) with one or more of my poems to [Sylvia Vardell's] Poetry Friday, and sharing to social media." Thanks, B.J.-- and all the Poetry Friday poets! 

B.J. has published poems with Macmillan, National Geographic, Little Brown, Bloomsbury, Penguin, Wordsong, Otter-Barry, Pomelo, Cricket, Highlights, and others. Her latest poem to be included in an anthology is “Box Turtle: Pet for a Day,” in Blessings for Pets, edited by the late Lee Bennett Hopkins and due out from Eerdmans next spring. 

B.J. has also published a picture book,There Was an Old Gator Who Swallowed a Moth (Pelican Publishing, 2019). She is now hard at work on a YA verse novel. View B.J.'s poetry performances at her website here.

And finally, for Suzy Levinson, a talented New York-based children's author and poet, April means welcoming spring. She says, "One of my favorite things about Poetry Month is it coincides with Awesome Weather Month (aka April), when trees are blossoming, birds are chirping, and New York City looks halfway decent. I like to go on a lot of walks around my neighborhood and take it all in, finding inspiration for new poems wherever I look." Yay for Springtime strolls!

Also this April: Suzy is celebrating her debut picture book, Animals in Pants (Cameron Kids/Abrams, illus. by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell). It is a collection of silly poems about -- you guessed it -- animals wearing pants! It hits shelves April 11 -- check out this amazing cover.

Suzy's poems have appeared in such magazines as Highlights, Cricket, and the School Magazine, and poetry anthologies A World Full of Poems (DK Children), I Am a Jigsaw (Bloomsbury), and Shaping the World (Macmillan). 

A very Happy Poetry Month, Suzy!

And Happy Poetry Month to all! May you find poetry all around you, this month and always.

Yes, I Can! ~ by Christy Mihaly

You've probably been told that it's good to say "yes." (Not the kind of "yes" when someone tries to bully you into doing something that is not good for you. Rather the "yes, I can" that Shonda Rhimes pursued during her Year of Yes -- accepting invitations to do things that scare you.) 

Why should a writer say "yes"? The first reason is because that's how we grow. When I started writing, my fantasy of the writerly life involved sitting in glorious solitude and letting the deathless prose pour forth spontaneously, with no need to interact with actual people. 

This notion was, shall we say, incomplete. If you're writing for kids, interacting with young people helps bring your writing to life. And being a "real writer" requires interacting with adults. It means working with editors. It may mean agreeing to write something that you didn't expect to write, or providing critiques to colleagues, or promoting yourself to sell your darn book, or giving presentations to kids and adults. (It may even mean, ahem, writing a last-minute blog post despite worrying that you have nothing original or worthwhile to share.) 

Many of these things are scary. But I've learned that saying "yes" to scary things--things that weren't in my initial vision of "writing"--has made me feel more like a "real writer."

In addition, recently, I've experienced one of the best reasons to say "yes:" it's that a single "yes" can catapult you into whole new oceans of possibilities. "Yes" makes good things happen -- and offers more chances for more "yeses." Here's the story of my chain of yeses.

A Chain of YESes: The power of a "yes"

In early 2020 I received an email asking if I would like to write a book about water. Well, that was not on my to-do list. (A book about water??) But I soon realized it was an interesting idea, and that I had some relevant background. The more I considered it, the more I realized my answer should be "yes."

My "yes" led to a happy, year-long collaboration with Barefoot Books editor Emma Parkin and an amazing team of editorial and book design staff, along with super-talented illustrator Mariona Cabassa. Despite various setbacks, supply chain issues, and a ship blocking the Suez Canal, Barefoot Books WATER: A Deep Dive of Discovery came out in the fall of 2021.

Serendipitously, around the same time as publication, the national 2022 library summer reading program theme was  announced by CLSP: "Oceans of Possibilities." So in early 2022, because of Barefoot Books Water, the Vermont Department of Libraries contacted me with an invitation: Would I deliver the keynote to kick off their "Oceans of Possibilities" summer reading training program for state librarians? Yikes. That was definitely outside my comfort zone, and my introvert brain screamed "no!" But it would be a virtual presentation, and I knew I should say "yes." So, my mouth said "yes," and my introvert brain went into panic mode to write (and practice!) the keynote.

Creating the slideshow for the Department of Libraries was a ton of work. And it was worth it. It made me delve deeply into Water and revisit what I'd learned in writing it. It helped me think anew about how librarians and educators could use the book to engage kids in discussing Earth's water, the almost magical properties of this element, how we use it, and how we can protect it. 

When it came time to deliver the talk, I was pleasantly surprised. It was fun! I love librarians, they appreciated hearing about the book, and I enjoyed sharing ideas for activities with them. We had some lively Q and A and I think we all came away feeling inspired.

But wait, there's more! Several librarians who saw the keynote contacted me afterward. Some invited me to do author visits at their schools. Others asked me to participate in their summer library programs. I don't consider myself a natural performer and I have no background in education. My brain said "no!" But these folks thought I could present an entertaining program, and I knew I had just developed a bunch of good program ideas. So I said "yes!" 

From the talk that I'd written for the Department of Libraries, I created a series of school visits. Then I adjusted it for library visits. I experimented with different activities from the book. Each new group of kids reacted differently, and I figured out more about how to get them engaged. I was learning and having fun. 

That wasn't the end of it. Last month at one of my summer library visits, a representative of the school district attended (because the local district had funded the program). A couple days later, the woman directing the district's after-school program asked if I'd do after-school workshops during the school year. Clearly outside my comfort zone, right? Brain says "no," right? She and I brainstormed some possibilities, and I said "yes." I'll be visiting each of the seven schools in the district to present poetry workshops. I'm excited! It's a chance to talk with kids about poetry, guide them in writing their own, learn more about what kinds of poems they love, and do some deep thinking about how to write better poems myself. 

(And ... it's about something other than water!) 

So ...

Lessons learned: 

👉 Say "yes" to get out of your comfort zone and learn. It can be a lot of work and make you nervous. But it's also energizing and fun.

👉 Say "yes" to expand your writing life and engage in different ways with kids, readers, educators, and librarians. It's inspiring! 

AND

👉 Say "yes" to create new opportunities for yourself and your writing. And when one "yes" leads to another, say "yes" again! 

As we head into a new school year, where can "yes" take you?

I'd love to see your comments: Do you have a good story about saying "yes"?

What's New at the Library

by Leslie Colin Tribble

We recently got a big order for two of our children's libraries so I'm going to share a few titles with you. There were so many to choose from I had a hard time narrowing the selections. I still haven't had time to read all the new picture books yet  - oh, what a problem to have!

 

The Rabbit Listened - Cori Doerrfeld
This tender title will be just the right book to reach for when a little person in your life has something unpleasant happen to them. Taylor, our main character, worked hard to build something amazing but it got knocked down. Various animals come along trying to help Taylor deal with his feelings - the chicken wants to talk and cluck about it, the bear wants Taylor to growl and get angry, the elephant wants to remember and the kangaroo just wants to clean it all up, but Taylor just wants to be left alone. Finally the rabbit gently and quietly hops to Taylor's side to sit and wait. Taylor finally begins to open up and talk, and then he growls, and remembers and instead of cleaning up he decides to build something even more amazing.

The sparse text and sharp illustrations really help keep the book moving right along. The back cover states, "Sometimes hugs say more than words."

I'm a Duck - Eve Bunting and Will Hillenbrand
If you've been around the kid lit world awhile, you've likely read one of Eve Bunting's books. This prolific author (250 titles) has come out with a brand new book about a little duck and it's a keeper. As an egg, Baby Duck rolled into the pond and nearly didn't make it to the pages of his story. After hatching, Baby Duck was completely afraid to swim because something terrible might happen. Baby Duck's pond friends are encouraging so Baby Duck practices swimming in a puddle. Finally he confesses to Frog that he's really, really, really, really scared to swim. But with help and love, he overcomes his fear.

This is a great book for helping children work on conquering their own fears - like swimming. The rhyming text is smooth and the illustrations by Will Hillenbrand have us rooting for Baby Duck from the first page.

Vincent Comes Home - Jessixa Bagley and Aaron Bagley
Vincent, a fluffy orange cat, lives on a cargo ship. His paws have never touched land. He overhears the crew talking about a magical place called "home," so when the ship docks in its home port, Vincent sets off to find it. After seeking and searching, Vincent finally realizes home isn't a place, "It's where the people who love you are." Vincent suddenly feels he doesn't have one of these magical places. But soon he realizes he's mistaken and he definitely does have a home.

There's just enough text to keep the reader engaged, and the illustrations are lovely with lots of nice details. This book could spark a discussion that home means different things to different people and not all homes look the same. A useful book for building empathy and beginning to understand diversity.

Bird Builds a Nest - Martin Jenkins and Richard Jones
This title is part of Candlewick's A First Science Storybook series. There is a little blurb in the front about how you can use the science concepts in this book, as well as some science related questions in the back.

The book follows Mother Bird as she builds her nest. The size and weight of the sticks is important because some sticks are so big and heavy Mother Bird can't carry them. But smaller sticks are just right and she can even carry more than one very small stick. Mother Bird carefully pushes and pulls the sticks to form the nest itself and then she gathers very light and fluffy items to line it.

The illustrations are colorful, but in subdued earthy tones to match the theme of the book. They are done in a collage-like manner so it would be easy to talk about the distinct parts of the illustrations such as the tree leaves or the bird's feathers. The science concepts include light/heavy, push/pull and even gravity.

Warbler Wave - April Pulley Sayre and Jeff Sayre
I always save my favorite book for last and this is it. Being a 'bird nerd' I fell in love with this book. Warbler Wave is written in verse and teaches readers about bird migration. The text is lyrical and the photographs luscious. I love how the text draws the readers in makes them feel like a bird, using words like flit, preen, flap and drop. "They call in the night. Keep in touch while in flight. Surfing rivers of wind way up high . . . Calling zeep, zeep, zeep in the sky."

Even if your child doesn't particularly love birds, they will love this book. The photographs bring these tiny flying flowers up close and little ones will be drawn to their beauty. Warbler Wave would make a great introduction to the living world for all ages.

The other distinction Warbler Wave has is four full pages (two spreads) of very detailed backmatter. The backmatter is much, much longer than the text itself which adds so much to this book. The text pulls us in to the lives of these tiny migrants, but the backmatter answers many questions about the birds themselves and migration as a concept. This book would make a wonderful gift for a science teacher or anyone interested in birds.

What's New at the Library

By Leslie Colin Tribble

It's time for another installment of What's New at the Library. I ran over to our Children's Library and grabbed a few new books off the shelves. I hope you find some great reads here, and maybe even a Christmas present or two to a lucky little person. Enjoy!

 

Me and You and the Red Canoe - Jean E Pendziwol, illustrator Phil (no last name)
This is one of those quiet picture books that a wonderful editor took a chance on and brought to the world. Thank goodness! If you have someone in your family that loves fishing, this is a beautiful book. I love the pictures - they are detailed and realistic, but look old, thanks to the talents of Phil. The text is poetic and flowing. Here's the description of reeling in a trout:

                                            "Then silver leapt from
                                             water to sky,
                                             soared from sky to water . . . "

You only see the backs of the two who are fishing and there is no reference to gender. They look a bit like boys, an older and younger brother, but they could just as well be girls, making this book appropriate for anyone who loves to fish.

Pup and Bear - Kate Banks; illustrator Naoko Stoop
This book is about the circle of life and how we can be kind and caring to those who are not like us. Wolf pup gets separated from his pack and is found by a polar bear. Polar bears generally eat wolf pups, 'but not this one.' Bear tells the pup that he is not the pup's mother, but he can teach him to fish and keep him safe and warm. Pup eventually grows up and finds a wolf pack of his own, but then he comes across a lost polar bear cub. There are many lessons to be learned from this book with its simple, yet engaging illustrations. This sweet book is bound to be a favorite with children of all ages.

Shelter - Celine Claire; illustrator Qin Leng
Shelter is another book about kindness to strangers. The animals of the forest are preparing for a winter storm when two strangers arrive in the neighborhood seeking shelter and food. They knock at each forest family's door but are turned away, but little Fox provides them with a lantern. The strangers end up building their own warm shelter in a snow bank, but at the home of the Fox family disaster strikes. The Foxes are taken in by the strangers though, proving that generosity and kindness are better than fear. This would be a good book to spark a discussion about how our actions impact others and how even small acts of kindness are important.

Tea with Oliver - Mika Song
I really enjoyed this book, partly because I thought Oliver the cat was really cute but also because he just wants someone, anyone to have tea with him. For me, a tea party is the best kind of party, so I could really relate to Oliver. Although Oliver doesn't know it, there is someone who wants to have tea with him - it's Philbert the mouse who lives under the couch. Philbert, who is shy, tries several different ways to tell Oliver he'd love to have tea, but each attempt fails. Finally Philbert finds his voice and the two new friends enjoy a wonderful tea party, complete with cookies. I love how Philbert finds courage and strength to go after what he wants - a good lesson for each of us. Mika's illustrations are simple but with just enough detail to keep children entertained. Let's all go have a tea party!

Read the Book, Lemmings! - Ame Dyckman; illustrator Zachariah OHora
Foxy and Captain PB are aboard the S.S. Cliff when Foxy decides to finally read his book about lemmings. Reading aloud, Foxy is surprised to discover lemmings don't usually jump off cliffs, but the lemming crew misunderstand and off they go, overboard. The story goes on with the lemmings continually jumping overboard and having to be rescued by Foxy and Captain PB. this is all because the lemmings haven't read the book. This is a fun book by the same duo that brought us Wolfie, the Bunny. Kids will love this book - the lemmings are adorable and so full of life you just want to join them in their misadventures. Reading, it turns out, is really important, even to lemmings!

What's New at the Library?

By Leslie Colin Tribble

We order new books every month at our public library and since I'm in the cataloging department, I get to see all the new titles as they come in. Here are a few picture books that have hit the shelves recently. This is a mixed bag of stories - hopefully there's something in here for everyone.

Rhino in the House - Daniel Kirk (author of the Library Mouse series)
Because I can't pass up a great animal story, this was the first book I picked up in our children's library. It's a true story with a great ending so it's a win-win for me. In his author notes, Daniel Kirk explains he wrote the story because he found a photo of a woman, Anna Merz, sitting next to a black rhinoceros, Samia. In his research, he discovered that Anna founded a rhino sanctuary in Nairobi, Kenya to protect the animals from poachers. Samia was a calf born on the sanctuary, but wasn't being cared for by her mother.  Anna took the baby to her house and successfully raised her.

First off, what a great story! As a child, I asked my parents for all sorts of animals (we did have dogs, so I wasn't totally pet-deprived) including a giraffe, penguins (thanks to Mr. Popper's Penguins) and a baby musk ox. A baby rhino would have been right up my alley. I loved that Anna Merz brought tiny (a relative term when speaking of rhino's) Samia to her home and even snuggled with her in bed - this is my kind of woman.

Daniel Kirk did a wonderful job with the illustrations - Anna looks like a nice, loving grandmotherly-type and Samia is adorable. He brings in other African wildlife and gives readers an understanding of what Samia's native habitat looks like. I also love that he included pictures that illustrate Samia's communication with Anna - "Hoo hoo hoo" means "I'm coming!" followed by a picture of a charging baby rhino.

This is a wonderful book for children who love animals. It beautifully illustrates a true conservation idea along with the work of a woman who was determined to see it happen. Rhino in the House is a great starting place to introduce the idea of "passion" to children and how we can all find something we're passionate about.

The Giant of Jum - Elli Woollard; Illustrated by Benji Davis
This fun book is a take off on Jack and the Beanstalk. If you have a child that knows the refrain, "Fee, fi, fo, fum ..." this will be a rollicking read. The Giant of Jum is a rhyming picture book about a grumpy old grouch of a giant who pines to eat a child on a dish. He stomps off in search of a child, especially the boy Jack which his brother told him about. The children out-smart the giant by convincing him he really is quite nice and he couldn't possibly eat Jack or any other child. Instead, what giants prefer is . . . cake.

The illustrations are perfectly child-friendly and give an adorable sense of size and proportion. Everyone is excited when the giant cake appears, because seriously, who isn't excited by cake? The rhyme is fun to read and the rhythm accentuates the story. This is a great read-aloud because you can use lots of different voices, especially your grouchy giant voice.

Someone Like Me - Patricia McLachlan; Illustrated by Chris Sheban
The soft edges and subtle colors of the illustrations in this picture book enhance the dreamy quality of the story of a young girl who is a gatherer of stories. When she's not reading, she's listening to people telling stories and trying to teach her dog and chicken to talk. She climbs into trees to watch the sky and like her great-grandmother loves the dark prairie earth. When she grows up she might be someone like the author - a writer.

I really enjoyed this book. The illustrator gave the girl's face a pensive expression - she's thinking deep thoughts about everything, something writers are known to do. There's an ethereal feel to the book, giving weight and importance to words and books and stories without coming out and telling us they're important. Children wonder deeply about their worlds and here's a book that says it's ok to do so.

Blue Sky, White Stars - Sarvinder Naberhaus; Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
I saved the best for last. This book will find a home in the hearts of everyone. Using only 68 words (most of them the same on each spread), this book defines America and what it means to be an American. The author takes the symbols on the United States' flag - its red rows, blue sky and white stars - and uses those same words to describe America.

This is a stunningly beautiful book in both words and illustrations. It's a tear-inducing read and kids will wonder why you're all choked up by the end of the story. It's guaranteed to stoke patriotism even in the heart of complete cynics. This is the perfect book to read on holidays like Independence Day, Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Day, and President's Day.

Blue Sky, White Stars showcases history, the beauty of the land, immigration, and civil rights, as well as the concepts of achievement and freedom. If you're looking for a picture book to give children a crash course in Civics, this is it. It would also be a helpful reminder for most adults. This book deservedly received four, starred reviews and I hope it continues to win favor and acclaim.

What's New at the Library

By Leslie Colin Tribble

Ok, I'll admit it. I kind of cheat when I write these posts about new books. I work in the cataloging department of our county library so I get to see all the BRAND NEW kids books when they come in. Best day of the month is when the new shipment of kid lit comes in. I hope you enjoy this little selection - I know I loved all these books!

I Will Love You Anyway by Mick Inkpen, Illustrated by Chloe Inkpen
I've been a Mick Inkpen fan for a long time - I read his book to my children ages ago. What's not to love about this author? First, he has the perfect writer name, second he generally writes about animals. Win-win for me right there,

Inkpen's latest book is a collaboration with his daughter Chloe. It's about a puppy who is a handful, wreaking havoc upon his family, This particular puppy has a tendency to Run Away (an ongoing issue in the book). I loved these lines, "I steal your glove. I steal your shoe. I steal your socks. They smell of you." That is still my life with my now four year old puppy! Plus my dog still runs away (now he comes home though. . .  when he's hungry.) Mick Inkpen completely understands a puppy's character and anyone, adult or child, who has owned a dog will appreciate this quick, rhythmic read.

I Am (Not) Scared by Anna Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant

This book features two bear-like fuzzy creatures who first appeared in Kang's, You Are (Not) Small. The friends talk about the many things that might be scary, ending with snakes and roller coasters. And where do they find themselves? At the amusement park, watching a snake ride a roller coaster. On they hop and soon discover that sometimes scary things can be fun. This is just a fun lap-time read, but could be a great help for children facing a potentially scary situation or event. Sometimes things aren't as bad as we make them out to be.

Rain by Sam Usher
What I first noticed about this book were the raised rain drops on the cover. That give a tactile foreshadowing of all the rain-filled adventures to come. The book opens with a boy and his grandfather waiting out a rain storm. But the rain doesn't stop, which is reflected in the double page spreads of what's happening outside their home. The boy reads books of sea dragons, and ships, and floating cities with boatmen to pass the time. He can't wait to get outside for an adventure! Grandfather is busy writing, but suddenly needs to post a very important letter. Luckily the rain has stopped. The two step out into a magical world, all thanks to the rain. Waiting is sometimes a good thing.

Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro, Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Anyone who loves libraries will love this book. The first hint of the story line is on the cover spread with an illustration of a wonderful old library check out card and pocket. Patrons who have checked out this book include Bunny, Bear, Porcupine and Raccoon. I'm hooked! Our hero is Bunny, who loves books. He spends all summer listening in during story hour in the garden. But fall comes and story time moves inside the library. Bunny is convinced he can't live without books so one night, he searches and searches until he discovers the book drop, and inside the library he falls. Night after night, book after book Bunny raids the library, filling his burrow with his treasures. Soon his friends drop by and catch the reading bug. But what happens when they all visit the library and are discovered by the librarian? Bunny's Book Club is a sweet read filled with the love of books and the all important carrot muffins.

Watersong by Tim McCanna, Illustrated by Richard Smythe
This was my favorite of all these books. The lyrical language and simple but poignant pictures won my heart. It helped that it was raining when I read this book - the lovely words caught the emotion and energy of the rainstorm perfectly. This is a book that begs to be read out loud - "Drip, drop, plip, plop," with every page a perfection of rhyme and rhythm. The main character, a fox, runs through the storm as it builds until he is forced to seek shelter. The danger passes and fox comes out to find a rainbow and the safety of family. Children will love reading along, quietly at first then louder and louder as the storm builds. This book has 53 words, all of them descriptors of water action - spitter, spatter, slosh, babble, bubble, wham, crash. A final page of back matter with a smattering of information about foxes, watersheds, ecosystems and the water cycle round out this wonderful book. Simple, sweet, emotion-laden, and informative - this is the book we all wish we'd written.

Library to Libratory: Reflections on Presenting Your Passions

I recently was invited to present at TechCon 15; a gathering of educators at Northern Illinois University.  

I pitched, in early June, the idea of sharing the transformation that was taking place in my library.  We were growing from a traditional library to one that included a 'makerspace' and more.  

The pre-publicity touted the six presentations given in the morning as 'TED-Like' talks that would lead to six break out sessions in the afternoon.  Now, I'm sure you are familiar with HUGELY popular TED talks.  I was intrigued, terrified and excited to be invited and sought about thinking about how I could best share the journey that my school and district have begun with developing STEAM workshops.

Because I'm a huge nerd, I started with books.  I knew there had to be books out there about how to deliver a 'TED-Like" talk.  I came up with two and immediately ordered them both.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071831592?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1507503008?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

True to form, I started reading these incredibly short books and petered out about three quarters of the way through.  What I did take away from them, however, was that you need to speak to your passions and tell a compelling story.  That was the easy part.  Figuring out how to make 'my' story compelling to others, however, was not so easy.  

My next step was to collect and study the photographs of my library before I began as the director.  Thankfully I had the forethought to take photos of the entire place before began to overhaul it.  My desire to begin was so strong that I nearly forgot this critical step.

After gathering all of my photos, I pulled together the presentations I had made to the Parent Teacher Organization and School Board.  I put them all in a folder and did what I usually do when I have something really important:  I procrastinated.  Well, on the outside it probably looked like that, but to me it was me letting my thoughts and ideas marinate.  Turns out that's how I do my best thinking.  In fact, I tend to do that sort of thinking subconsciously.  It happens when I drive to work (an hour each way) and when I sleep. 

After a month or so of marinating, I needed to put the presentation together.  Much like drafting a manuscript, I dug in and started with the one sentence I wanted people to walk away with:  "Libraries are changing to meet the needs of their patrons: we are becoming Libratories!"  

From there I let my images speak to me.  I laid out the images in a logical order and started thinking about how to pair my ideas down to the ten minute time limit we were given.

After dozens of drafts, I printed it all out and started reading it aloud.  I tweaked and teased the text.  Finally, I cut and pasted it all onto notecards and practice reading aloud many more times.  I was as ready as I could be.  

After so much focus on the ten minute presentation, I had a minor panic attack  when I remembered I had to also create an hour long break out session on the same topic.  I decided on an active workshop using design thinking.  I would have each participant 're-imagine' their spaces to meet the needs of the 21st Century learners.

When the day arrived, I learned that I was going to be the first presentation.  I think I was relieved.  I would be able to get it over with and then begin thinking about my breakout session.  

Curious as to how it went?  I hope you may find it useful:

EdTechCon15 Presentation 480p from Todd Burleson on Vimeo.

The organizers of the conference did something really cool in between each presentations, they set up a 'back channel' that allowed everyone to contribute to key questions the presenters posed.  Mine was:  "How does the evolution of a library to a 'libratory' impact teachers in their classrooms?"  Folks responded in 'Tweet-like' responses that all of us were able to view and react to.  I thought it was a neat way to interact with a large group; especially for those, like me,  who tend to be rather quiet in this setting.  The best feedback tweet I got:  "It's like HGTV for libraries!"

I have several more presentations coming up in the next few months.  All of them on a similar theme.  I'm sure to use what I learned in this talk and breakout session to tweak how I deliver the message next time.  It's always humbling and exciting to speak from your heart.  I hope folks took something valuable away from my sessions because I sure did!