Explore Poetry with SINCE THE BABY CAME by Kathleen Long Bostrom

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  We are excited to have guest post by Kathleen Long Bostrom, author of Since the Baby Came: A Sibling’s Learning-to-Love Story in 16 Poems , talking about the process of writing the book and sharing some ideas for discussing and poetry writing! Read : Since the Baby Came: A Sibling’s Learning-to-Love Story in 16 Poems by Kathleen Long Bostrom, illustrated by Janet Samuel I love poetry and rhyme, and always have. I grew up with a mother who often recited poetry and I learned to read with Dr. Seuss books. It’s no wonder I turned to poetry when I began writing picture books for children.  At a children’s book conference one day about 12 years ago, I asked my friend, an editor for an educational publishing house, “What are the areas in early education where more good books are needed?”  Without hesitation, she replied, “Poetry.”  Many of my published books were written in poetry, but what could I write that was unique? Aha! I thought. What if I wrote a story using a variety of styles of
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NORTH WOODS GIRL Review and Nature Collage

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North Woods Girl by Aimée M. Bissonette, illustrated by Claudia McGehee, is a story about a young girl, her relationship with her unconventional grandmother, and their adventures trekking through the north woods together. This book, with its simple but engaging text and stunning illustrations, is as lovely as it is charming. I personally related to this book because the grandmother in the story is so much like my own grandmother, who enjoyed treks through the woods around her home in Minnesota. But even readers without unconventional, woods-trekking grandmothers will appreciate this heartwarming story, and may be inspired to explore the natural world with someone they love.

Read: North Woods Girl 

Discuss: 

  • How is the grandmother in the story different from many other grandmothers?
  • Do you live in or near the woods? If not, what kind of natural areas are near your home?
  • How many woodland critters do you recognize from the book's illustrations?
  • In the story, the grandmother loves winter. Do you enjoy winter? What is your favorite season?

Do: Take a walk through a nearby forest, park, or other nature area. While you're there, collect items to use in a nature collage. Some items you might find are:

  • small sticks and twigs
  • leaves of various shapes (avoid poison ivy and stinging nettles)
  • pebbles
  • flowers
  • snail shells 
  • bits of bark
  • acorns or other nuts
Once you've gathered your items, arrange them in a collage! A collage can be any kind of design you want, such as a repeating pattern, an animal, a plant, even a building. Arrange your collage where it will be visible to others and maybe bring a smile to their face. A sidewalk is a good spot. Even better is a grassy area near a sidewalk where your collage won't be disturbed as much by footsteps or a breeze. Be sure to take a picture of your creation when you're finished!

Collage I made from plants in my yard and garden.

Don't be sad when nature takes over and your collage gets "ruined." That's just another reason to go exploring again.

Comments

Mindy Baker said…
Fun outdoor activity! I’m going to look for this book!
July 20, 2022 at 8:20 PM
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