Reading Road Trip: Amusement Park

Welcome to stop number 7 on our Reading Road Trip! The journey is nearing an end, and we’ve had a great time driving through open country and construction zones, seeing the sights at overlooks and mountaintops, taking a breather at a rest stop, and learning something new at a museum. This week is all about having fun! If this is your first week with us, you can still grab  our map  and join us in the adventure. You can also find the weekly coloring pages and other  printable resources here . For today’s stop, we’re heading to an Amusement Park! The idea this week is to read books that are just plain fun! This can be books that make you laugh, books with fun language or wordplay, or any book that is just plain fun to read. Read:  Any book that makes you laugh or is just plain fun to read aloud! Featured Book:   The Forgetful Knight  by Michele Robinson, illustrated by Fred Blunt. A hilarious story about a knight who has a score to settle with a…what was it again? Oh yes, a dragon! The r

A Read, Discuss, Do! National Poetry Month Celebration

 

by Rebecca J. Gomez

Will you celebrate National Poetry Month with us? Each Friday during April we will be highlighting a different form of poetry, sharing book recommendations and example poems, and encouraging people young and old to try their hand at writing different kinds of poetry. 

To get started, we are celebrating poetry in general. There are so many wonderful anthologies of poetry for children and children at heart. Here are a couple of recommendations for you to share with the young readers (and budding poets) in your life:

The Hutchinson Treasury of Children's Poetry, edited by Alison Sage

This book is full of a rich variety of poems, from classic nursery rhymes to more modern poems. There is truly something for everyone to love in this book! A couple my family's favorites from this book are "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes, "Do Not Disturb the Dinosaur" by Gina Douthwaite, and "Missing Persons" by Colin Thiele.

The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry, compiled by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson. This is another fabulous collection of poetry that you shouldn't miss! Every poem is accompanied by vibrant illustrations by various artists. A favorite from this book is "The Wolf" by Georgia Roberts Durston.

Be sure to discuss your favorites from these books or any you have at home or find at the library. And then, have your kiddos try writing their own. Perhaps they could pick a favorite from the book and write a poem in a similar style or about a similar topic. 


Here's the schedule for the rest of April: 

Friday, April 8: Haiku

Friday, April 15: List poems

Friday, April 22: Concrete poetry

Friday, April 29: A special post for Poem in Your Pocket Day

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