All Signs Point To...

... a return to the blog by the wandering host! It's been a couple months since I was last here, though it's good to see things remain just as I left them.

It was a summer of travel and work and play for me during which I encountered many others signs, some of which I felt offered good advice and showed a theme:

Others of which I couldn't abide by for long or which just plain old took all the fun out of things:

Writing was done. Work was performed on getting The Homework Strike ready for its January launch. Poetry was created. Presentations have been thought through and brought to life. And I may have had a few desserts along the way. All in all, it was a refreshing time, though I've missed it here and am happy to be back. The pace should pick up around here yet as I learned again this summer, sometimes you need to go slow and let things play out as they must....

I hope you've all been well, and I look forward to reconnecting here at GottaBook!

Cover! New Book! YAY! (The Homework Strike, Coming Soon)

Not that I'm excited or anything, but MY NEW BOOK IS COMING OUT SOOOOOOOON! The Homework Strike will be coming your way January 3, 2017, once again from Arthur A. Levine Books (and once again with a stellar cover by Linzie Hunter).

So many of you have been here from the time this was just a glimmer (yeah, I'm talking 2006, folks), and I'm thrilled to be able to share the cover here with you all. I'll be talking more about the content and story behind the book later. Today, though, I just want to scream happily a little if you don't mind. (Yay!!!!!! Thanks. Hope that wasn't too loud....)

It's Disney Channel Movie Time!

Need something to do this weekend? Good news - the Disney Channel is having a marathon of their Original Movies all weekend long. So you can watch Alley Cats Strike (every word of which is mine, for better or worse), Quints (on which I share credit), and The Other Me (on which I did the final draft from fine work before mine)... plus a whole lot more, of course.

You should set those DVRs and enjoy some classics!

Blog Flashback #7 - 30 Poets/30 Days

Back in 2009, I had this kinda nutty, out of the blue idea for Gottabook - what if I could share a never-before-published poem by a different children's poet every day during National Poetry Month? I had no real plan on how to get the poems, exactly, nor any inkling of whether people would be interested in me throwing this big event.

It turns out that everyone I asked said yes, with many poets writing brand new poems for the occasion. Thousands upon thousands of people visited the blog during April or subscribed to the poetry email list, and notes came from teachers around the world who shared these new poems every day with their students. There was coverage in School Library Journal and elsewhere. It was such a success that I turned it from a one-off idea into a series, continuing with new poems until 2013 and new poets every year but one.

From Jack Prelutsky, whose poem opened the whole thing, to Naomi Shihab Nye, whose poem closed out 2013's event, to everyone in between, the work that was sent in was incredible and a huge privilege to be able to share with you all. If you visit the blog, you can find all the poets for each year's 30 Poets/30 Days listed along the left hand side... with a click of a poet's name leading to their contribution.

You can also click on the logos below and arrive at a recap post for each year with links to all the poems. I truly can't say enough good things about the work you'll read, or about how amazing the people who write poetry for kids are.  I do hope you'll check all the links out.

Logo by Carter Higgins

Logo by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Logo by Mary Peterson

Logo by Bonnie Adamson

Once again I say thanks to the poets, the logo creators, and the folks who read daily. Without y'all 30 Poets/30 Days wouldn't have been a success and wouldn't have made it into my flashing back on 10 years worth of memories!

And if all the above isn't enough, I have good news: it's Poetry Friday, and you can find the roundup of this weeks' links at Buffy's Blog. I hope your Poetry Month finishes strong. Around these parts, every month is Poetry Month... so I look forward to seeing you back here in May, too.

J. Patrick Lewis - Questions To Ask The World

It's Earth Day. It's Poetry Friday. And I'm the lucky guy who gets a guest poem from J. Patrick Lewis!

                        Questions To Ask The World

                                                    (Earth Day, April 22)
                        

                  
                        Earth, if you get bumped by Moon,

                        Will it burst our blue balloon?

                        Sun, if you and Moon collide,

                        Who will turn the evening tide?

                        Moon, when you eclipse the Sun,

                        How can Noon have any fun?

                        Sky, if Rainbow paints the air . . .,

                        Multi-colored Thunderwear?

                        Rain, when showers thin to mist,

                        How will Thunder shake his fist?

                        Ocean, if you turn to salt,

                        Will you say the Sun’s at fault?

                        Ocean, will you ever roar,

                        What was all this beauty for?

                        Sky, when you unbucket Snow,

                        Is it time for mistletoe?

        

                        Snow, when you are falling hard,

                        May I angel-wing the yard?

                        Dark, when you turn off the Day,

                        I am sleepy anyway.

                        Night, if you cry, Go ahead,

                        Will Moon tuck me into bed?

                        Cloud, if you begin to weep,

                        Will Night rock me back to sleep?

© J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.

I may be off by one or two, but I think this is the eighth poem I've had the opportunity to share here from former Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis. It brings me joy, I gotta say. I've also written poems inspired by new forms he's played with (careerhymes and zenos come to mind) so he's truly all over this blog, and it's a wonderful thing. He's truly a remarkable wordsmith, and while I could never pick only one of his books to recommend... today I'll just give you the cover of World Rat Day, a collection of poems of his about holidays you didn't even know about. Hey, it ties into Earth Day a little, yes? Yes!

Today is also Poetry Friday, and Jama has the roundup available over at Jama's Alphabet Soup. Check it out for all sorts of Poetry Month joy. And desserts! It's a win-win, I tell you. And as always, thanks for hanging out here, too....

Blog Flashback #6 - A Rhyming Interview!

I've never tried to figure out my single favorite post in my 10 years here at Gottabook, but if I was making a short list, I'm sure my rhyming interview with Leslie Muir would be on it.

Leslie, who I've known since well before either of us was published, was celebrating the launch of her picture book, The Little Bitty Bakery (illustrated by Betsy Lewin). She was on a blog tour, and I basically said "Hey, stop by Gottabook, and I'll interview you. And oh yeah, my questions and your answers will be in rhyme! C'mon. It'll be fun!" Gamer that she is, she said yes... then hit it out of the park.

Here's a sample:

As authors we don’t get to choose
Our artists, so we wait for news.

Can you recall what you were doin'
When you heard "It's Betsy Lewin"?

The phone had rung, the light was blinkin’,
Can’t recall what I was thinkin’.

The ID name sure caught my eye,
said: D-I-S-N-E and Y!

But why would Walt give me a call?
Especially since he’s dead and all?


You can see the whole interview by clicking here.

There have been other fun posts over the years, and many books and many friends celebrated here. Sometimes it feels hard to do something fresh or worthy of the books/people involved. But this? This was a blast for me from start to finish (and proved again that if you surround yourself with talented, smart, funny people... you'll look good in the process!).

On Going to Bed Without Dessert - a food poem

On Going to Bed Without Dessert
by
Greg Pincus

My brain's full of sundaes and thick, creamy shakes.
My thoughts drift to cookies and pastries and cakes.
I'm thinking of donuts. My head swims with pies.
I see piles of candy when I close my eyes.
And pudding! There's pudding in bowls ten feet deep.
I guess Mom was right - sugar's why I can't sleep.


Happy Poetry Friday once again. This week's roundup is over at Today's Little Ditty thanks to Michelle. There's always great stuff every week... and it's National Poetry Month so you really have no excuses not to visit. (Cake image, by the way, courtesy of the generator at RedKid.Net)

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A Summary and a Review of My Recent School Vacation - a school poem/a vacation poem

A Summary and a Review of My Recent School Vacation
by
Greg Pincus

Flu.
Boo.


It's Poetry Friday yet again here in the blogosphere, so head on over to Laura Purdie Salas's Writing the World for Kids and check out this week's roundup of poetry goodies.

(P.S. Honestly, Mom, that's not really what happened to me, I'm grateful to say. It's just a poem!)

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No Fooling - an April Fools' Day Poem

No Fooling
by
Greg Pincus

I hate to be tricked. I hate to be schooled.
I hate to be pranked. I hate to be fooled.
You do the fooling? I'll say you're the worst
(If the date on the calendar's not April 1st).


Yes, it's the one day of the year when maybe, just maybe, you can get away with fooling people without getting an emotional reaction. Just don't push your luck beyond 40 or 50 bits of foolishness, I figure.... And by the way, happy start of National Poetry Month as well as April Fools' Day!

For some utterly non-foolish fun, check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Amy's Poem Farm. Great stuff there (including the kickoff of Amy's own Poetry Month project).

And if you want to get all my poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Blog Flashback #5 - Ballonstof!

I realize that most of you who know me personally associate me with hot air ballooning very deeply, but if one reads the blog only, well, you wouldn't get that. (OK, fine. You don't get that in person, either). And yet one of my favorite blog-thangs is that a poem of mine initially shared here (and re-shared below) ended up in Ballonstof, the hot air ballooning magazine of the Netherlands.

It's a gorgeous, gorgeous magazine - and I know this because I got a year's subscription when my poem was acquired. I actually can't currently get to my copy of the magazine with my poem in it, sorry to say, but it was placed over an amazing shot of a balloon flying away. Beautiful.

The poem was found via a web search, by the way. And I'd always envisioned the poem about a kid who looses the string of their helium balloon. But it all worked perfectly in the magazine, and the whole experience showed me yet again how international blogging can be... and how happy accidents can come just by putting stuff out into the flow of the world. 

MY BALLOON
By
Greg Pincus

“Why, oh why, oh why, oh why????
Oh, please come back!” I moan and sigh.
I jumped but you had gone too high.
Now you’re flying in the sky.
I think I’m really gonna cry….
Goodbye, my poor balloon. Goodbye.

Blog Flashback #4 - Kidlitcon!

Long before there was even the above logo or the loose, overseeing Kidlitosphere Central, a group of us who blogged about children's literature gathered in Chicago for what was the first every Kidlitosphere Conference (aka Kidlitcon!). That was back in 2007 (and blogged about here).

It was a blast. I mean, a total blast.

For most of us, it was the first time we got to meet all these other people who we'd gotten to know online only. It wasn't really a gathering of 60 strangers - so many of us "knew" each other already, so it felt like a gathering of friends.

It was, as Clay Shirky discusses in Here Comes Everyone, the shared desire to go from a virtual space to a real world meetup... and thanks to Robin Brande and a few others, a tradition began that's still going strong (2016 Kidlitcon in Wichita, KS!)

I've been to multiple Kidlitcons, and I wish I could be there every year. They're informative, fun, and you meet remarkable people who can become offline friends in the same way they are your online friends. It's pretty fantastic.

The meeting of fellow bloggers is definitely one of my 10 years of blogging highlights. And so "hi!!!!!" all my Kidlitcon friends past, present, and future - it's great knowing you.

Poetry Re-issue: Thoughts During My Spelling Test

Thoughts During My Spelling Test
by
Greg Pincus

Yacht, February, aisle, cologne?
I've got to think. Leave me alogne.
Isthmus, Wednesday, queue, colonel?
I give up. This test's infolonel!

It's Poetry Friday, and I'm continuing my look back at 10 years of blogging by revisiting a nearly five year old poem. To be honest, I'd totally forgotten about this one until I re-stumbled into it (one of my favorite things about having my own blog, I must admit!). Here's something unforgettable, though -  this week's Poetry Friday Roundup over at TeacherDance. Check it out! You'll be glad you did, I tell ya!

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Blog Flashback #3 - Visitors and Guests

Continuing to think about my 10 years of blogging here, one of my favorite, unexpected experiences has to be the guests and visitors who've come traipsing through these parts. And I'm not really talking about guest posts or things like that. I'm talking the more surprising.

For example, if you spin through the comments on GottaBook, you'll end up finding a veritable who's who of children's literature. This is true on many other blogs as well, by the way, and speaks to the fact that we're a community in the best sense of the term. But it was certainly unexpected when I started here. (You'll also find a who's who of my relatives! But I expected that cuz they rock.)

You'll also find an amazing array of voices who have supported children's literature through blogs and Twitter and online and offline publications - librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, editors, reviewers, historians, you name it. I had started blogging in part because I also wanted a seat at the table - a voice in conversations about a subject I care about. From my blog, I went out and talked elsewhere... but sometimes that conversation took place here!

And I also always flash back to this post from the 2006 SCBWI Conference. I live-blogged the conference that year, and at the Golden Kite Luncheon (the SCBWI awards show), I passed my laptop around and had everyone at the table I was at say something. Looking back now I see Don Tate and Jay Asher and Robin Mellom and Leslie Muir and Eve Porinchak - all now (or very soon to be) published, but at the time, I think only Don among us all had anything out in the children's book world. Now, 10 years later....

This topic will come up again, in a couple different ways, as I talk more about my 10 years here. So I'll end it for today with thanks to everyone who's been kind enough to share themselves here in any way. Because y'all rock!

Two Leap Day Poems

Since I'm flashing back on 10 years of blogging still, I figure I should run both my prior Leap Day poems since it's been eight and four years, respectively, since I last posted them...

Leap Day Baby
by
Greg Pincus

My father never acts his age.
My mother says that's great.
See, Dad's a leap day baby, and today he's turning eight!


A Modest Leap Day Proposal
by
Greg Pincus

Leap Day comes so rarely.
Why not make it cool?
Make each one a holiday -
Cancel work and school!


Here's to all the Leap Day babies. And for the rest of us, let's make this extra day count - live it fully, even if it isn't a holiday or a day off school!

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Poetry Re-issue: I Wrote The End

Since I'm celebrating 10 years of blogging here, I figured I'd re-post my very first blogged poem on its exact 10th anniversary.

I Wrote the End
by
Greg Pincus

I wrote the end of this short verse before I wrote the start.
I wrote the end because I knew the end by heart.
I wrote the ending first since that’s my favorite part.
I wrote the end of this short verse before I wrote the start.


In full disclosure, when I posted this back in February of 2006 the word "verse" was actually "post" as it was a more self-reflexive blog post poem. Both work. (Also, if you check out that original post, you'll note that a friend of mine left a comment in Fib form weeks before I blogged about Fibs. I'd forgotten that!)

It's Poetry Friday (which also didn't exist when I figure posted that poem), and you can see the roundup over at Elizabeth Steinglass' blog. Go check that link out for tons of amazing poetry fun.

And if you want to get all my poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Blog Flashback 2 - Oddaptations

Even before Fibs, I was using the blog to play around with things I enjoyed. In the case of Oddaptations, that meant posting odd, twisted, rhyming adaptation/Cliff Notes versions of children's literature classics.

My first Oddaptation post back in March of 2006 contained two (both reposted below).  And if you go to that post and scroll down, you'll see a comment from Jane Yolen (!!!!!!!!!) who also posted one of what she calls Crushed Classics. Yo, people. Jane Yolen commented on my blog!!!! This, again, was one way I knew that blogging in the children's literature space was a good decision :-)

You can see all the Oddaptations to date by clicking here. These posts often get me some of my most interesting email responses (sometimes upset with me, sometimes thrilled) and blog comments. But... they make me happy, and that was the whole point, I tell ya!

GOODNIGHT MOON -- Margaret Wise Brown
Oddaptation by Greg Pincus

That great room is green.
That old lady’s spooky.
That half eaten bowlful of mush is quite ooky.
That Cow on the wall has leapt off of the ground,
And someone named Nobody’s walking around.
All over the room runs a squeaky, small mouse…
So I hope you sleep well in this creepy, weird house.

THE GIVING TREE -- Shel Silverstein
Oddaptation by Greg Pincus

As a young boy, he was sweet and not needy,
But as he grew up, he became super greedy.
The tree shoulda told him to shut his big yap.
But no... that poor tree gave new meaning to “sap.”

Blog Flashback 1 - Fibs!

In kicking off my look back at my 10 years of blogging here, I figure there's no point in burying the story of Fibs. I mean, seriously - a viral blog post (or two, even), me and the blog in the New York Times, and a two book deal with Arthur A. Levine (at his imprint at Scholastic)? Yeah. All that happened back in April of 2006, and that's gonna show up in my memories. So, I am just gonna lead with it.

FIBS!!!!!!

I love those things. 20 syllable poems, following the Fibonacci sequence. Simple in concept but very hard to pull off well, I think. Back in April 2006, though, folks were writing them all around the web and showing off their brilliance (and seriously... people do amazing things with words). An online journal - the fib review - started in 2006 that's still going strong today. A Wikipedia page has sprung up since. And in 2013, my debut novel, The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., featured the poetic form (as plot and poetry). All from a blog post!


People ask me sometimes why I like social media so much. The Fib story is one reason. Not just because of the outcome for me (though hey... I admit to being thrilled by it) but because in that one month, I was able to watch an idea spread around the globe... be expanded upon and reworked and played with... bring communities together (there were Fib threads on actuary chat boards, in musician forums, at gaming sites, Slashdot.org, and even on a board of spanking fetishists)... and slowly ebb but stay firmly placed after the fact.

From a GottaBook perspective, one of the reasons I'd started blogging was to play around with experiments just like Fibs. I got lucky six weeks into my blog's existence. I've never again had the same amount of traffic as I had on April 7, 2006 (or in that month entirely). And that's never been a problem - other events and ideas have still found their audience. And who knows? Some day, something else may spark the same reaction. I certainly hope so! It was a ton of fun and truly a pleasure to be part of. And that is no fib.

My Blog is 10 Years Old Today!

It's true! My very first post here at GottaBook was on February 21, 2006. They grow up so fast, don't they? For the record... that original post is still in the archives. 

Over the next three weeks, I'm going to share 10 memories/things I've learned/highlights/whatever you want to call it from my decade here. I'll also re-run a few old poems, and... I dunno. We'll see!

I'd love to come up with a clever term for this, but "blogrospective" isn't working for me and nothing else is coming to mind. Still, I do hope you'll stick around. A lot has happened here (and because of here), and I can't wait to share some of it with you.

Corrections - a school poem

Corrections
by
Greg Pincus

I wish I could correct my work -
It makes my poor brain ache.
See, I used my pink eraser...
And that was my mistake!


One of the things I love about Poetry Friday (and hey... you can see a roundup of today's posts over at Mainely Write) is that from time to time, you can throw things out there and find out if they make sense to anyone but yourself. This is one of those times for me :-)

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Happy Cybils Day!

Congratulations to the 2015 Cybils winners!



As always, the list of winners sounds fantastic and includes books I gotta get my hands on. As a former Cybils judge, I know how much work and care goes into the process, so I also tip my hat to everyone who judged in either round.

I hope you'll check out the list.

Oh, and happy Valentine's Day. Apparently that's today, too....

Fine Advice

I've often been asked by kids about what they should do with their writing (or by parents of kids asking what their kids should do with their writing). Jane Friedman's blog post today gives some great advice, and since I suspect some of you get asked this question, too (or are asking it yourselves!), it was worth passing on.

It's also great advice for any of us contemplating our own writing, frankly!

Things I Resolve To Do This Year - a New Year's resolutions poem

Things I Resolve To Do This Year
by
Greg Pincus

Write lots.
Read tons.
Exercise.

Give back.
Show love.
Compromise.

Question.
Challenge.
Stick to facts.

Practice
Random
Kindness acts.

Speak up.
Fear less.
Boldly leap.

Work hard.
Be good.
Get more sleep.


Happy New Year, first of all! And that the year begins with Poetry Friday has to be a good omen, I figure. You can see the first Roundup of the year over at A Year of Reading... and look forward to 51 more before 2016 comes to a close (extra day and all!).

I wish you all a year full of peace, joy, good health... and the perfect number of desserts.

And if you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

The SCBWI Book Launch Party!

Wanna join in a huge old book party? Sure you do, because books!

The SCBWI has put together a Book Launch Party where well over 400 books/authors are celebrating launches (of books out in 2015). There's information galore, videos, personal messages, and tons of giveaways, too. You can like the pages, click around, buy the books, and... well... celebrate kids' books in general.

Come meet me over there - I'll be the guy looking for cake!

Thankful - a Poetry Re-Issue

Seems like the right day to dust this off for the first time in seven years....

THANKFUL
by
Greg Pincus

You ask me what I'm thankful for....
I hope I don't sound jerky,
But I'm really, truly thankful that I wasn't born a turkey!


I'm also thankful for all of you who are part of my life (virtual, in person, wherever/however it might be.). I wish you and yours a day of peace, joy, and dessert!

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Peanuts and Me

A few weeks ago, the "Peanutize yourself" meme zipped through Facebook - a way for you to turn your photo into a Peanuts character from the upcoming animated movie. I peanutized myself more literally in response.

But what I didn't discuss at the time is that, well, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that I read because of the Peanuts gang. I read the books. I re-read the books. I knew the characters intimately. I learned about interpersonal relationships, empathy, sports, Sopwith Camels, and the simple joys of suppertime.

Sure, I read other things like, I dunno, Dr. Seuss (longtime readers of the blog must be shocked by this revelation!). Yet when I think of childhood reading, it's always Peanuts first.

What's amazing to me is that here decades later, some people still debate the value of comics and graphic novels. Luckily for me, my mom and dad were not among the doubters.

A few of my Peanuts books, still on my shelf.

The Shared Lament of Students and Teachers on the Passing of Time - a back to school poem

The Shared Lament of Students and Teachers on the Passing of Time
by
Greg Pincus

It's the end of summer.
Bummer.


(For those of you for whom this sentiment and/or the season do not apply, my apologies.)

It's Poetry Friday, even as the summer dwindles away, and you can find this week's roundup of posts over at My Juicy Little Universe (where Heidi, too, has a poetic commentary about summer and school).


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Popping Off About Comics and Reading Level

Yes, indeed I am talking comics, reading level, and what's "appropriate." But I'm not doing it here. No! I'm over at the Darby Pop blog, Beyond the Cover.

Go on, check it out - Ka-Boom!

Happy Anniversary, #kidlitchat!

If you're around tonight at 9PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific, I hope you'll swing on by Twitter and say "hello!" at #kidlitchat. We're celebrating our sixth (!!!!!) anniversary tonight, ya see....

When Bonnie Adamson and I first started the chat, I assure you we had no idea we'd still be going six years later. In fact, I don't think we really had a clue if we'd be still be chatting six weeks later! But here we are, and we're hoping you'll stop on by.

#kidlitchat happens every Tuesday, by the way (at 9 PM Eastern, etc.), so if you can't make it this week... another time. Who knows? We may still be going six years from now....

Consult with Me in LA at the SCBWI Summer Conference

For the second year in a row, I'll be offering social media consultations at the big old SCBWI Summer Conference. If you're attending the event (and it's a great event), you can add me on just like you would a manuscript consultation. Last year, I filled up... but as of now, you can still sign up (until July 20th) as long as you're registered. (If you already registered, by the way, you'll need to call the SCBWI office to add a consultation. They'll be open again on the 6th, waiting to hear from you. If you're a new registrant, you just click and ad any consultations you want.)

You can read all sorts of details about the consults courtesy of Lee Wind's posting at the SCBWI blog.  The short version is that the consult is designed to help you use your time online efficiently and effectively (and without stress, if possible). If you have unlimited time in your life, don't sign up. But if time, money, energy, and frustration levels are limited... this could be for you!

(In any case, by the way, if you're at the Conference, please say 'hi'!)

Happy National Donut Day! (a poem re-issue enclosed)

It's once again National Donut Day and Poetry Friday at the same time. That means it's time to dust off a poem (originally published back in 2009 and re-issued before, I know. But DOUGHNUTS!)

Doughnuts! Oh, Doughnuts!
by
Greg Pincus

Doughnuts! Oh, doughnuts! Fried circles of yum.
You food that I simply adore.
You’re sure not nutritious, but you’re so delicious
I’m always left wishing for more.

I love you with frosting or covered in sprinkles.
I swoon for you, sweet, sugar raised!
When you’re filled with jelly, you warm up my belly...
While still leaving room for a glazed.

I’ll dip you in coffee or dunk you in milk.
I’ll eat you for breakfast or brunch.
I get so impassioned for simple old-fashioned
That sometimes I make them my lunch.

Doughnuts! Oh, doughnuts! Definers of yum.
You perfect fried circles of dough.
Although you’re caloric, you leave me euphoric...
So give me a dozen to go!


Now it's time to go fill up on something else delicious - the Poetry Friday roundup (as hosted this week on Buffy's Blog (and featuring a lot of original odes among many other fabulous things)).

(By the way, you can find this poem and 53 others in my collection The Late Bird, available on Kindle (and all the free Kindle apps, too) and Nook. I so rarely mention The Late Bird... but there ya go! It goes well with doughnuts, ya see....)

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Trailer! Bookreels! Award Nomination! Stuff!

Well, if I had timbers, I think they'd be shivered with my surprise at finding the 14 Fibs of Gregory K. book trailer nominated for the Best Children's Bookreel award over at Bookreels. The winners are announced next week (and competition is tough, at least to my eye).

I am, as many of you know, quite partial to the trailer and the song in it. And no, it's not just cuz I'm a "Gregory K." too and thus now have a song. Nope. It's just that I think Andrew did a great job capturing the book in song form.

Anyway, you should watch all the nominated trailers if you have any interest in book trailers as there are some really fabulous ones nominated. (There's more at Bookreels, too, beyond the nominees, including a whole Children's section and a Young Adult section, too.

And while I'd love you to go watch my trailer over at Bookreels so that it seems super popular, I'm gonna post it right here because, darn it, it makes me happy!

Three End of the School Year (or Summer Vacation) Poems

Happy Poetry Friday... and happy "school is almost over!!!!"

I figured it was the right time of year to link to the three end-of-the-school-year type of poems I've written and posted here. And just for fun... I'm including the first couple lines or so of each. Just click on the titles to see the whole poems.

(And if you're already done for the year or not dealing with school anymore, well, just try to enjoy 'em anyway, I say to you. And don't gloat!)

Hello, Summer!

Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.


Counting Down (Always)

Counting down
Time goes slow...
Six long days of school to go.


It's June (And I Am Still In School)

I’ll tell you something most uncool –
It’s June… and I am still in school.


Not enough poetry? Too much? The wrong poems? Why not go check out the Poetry Friday roundup this week, hosted over at Reflections on the Teche.

And  if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Me and Sasquatch (No Fib!)

I'm honored, excited, pleased, and many other adjectives to learn that The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. is a nominee for the 2015-16 Sasquatch Award, courtesy of the Washington Library Media Association!

Being recognized by librarians totally rocks... and to find myself alongside these other authors and their books? Flattering beyond words. I mean seriously... check these out (image of the covers put together by Librarian Arika (on whose blog I first saw the news)):

Yes, honored indeed. And to know that kids will be exploring our books (in order to vote for a winner) is rather incredible gravy. Because really, at the end of the day, I think I can speak for all the authors and librarians involved in this or any similar award: kids + stories = win!

Seven Incredible Things a Poem Can Do! (The Third One Blew Me Away!)

Seven Incredible Things a Poem Can Do!

(The Third One Blew Me Away!)

by

Greg Pincus

A poem can tickle your senses.

A poem can capture a scene.

A poem can fill you with sorrow and joy

And every emotion between.

A poem can hammer out justice.

A poem can plant a truth's seed.

A poem can conjure up healing and hope.

A poem can be what you need.

Is there still a place for a poem in a world full of widely shared, attention grabbing content? Of course there is, particularly with the right title! Seriously, though, poetry was widely shared and attention grabbing for thousands of years before "meme" was even coined, and it's still going strong.

National Poetry Month is coming to a close today, but poetry goes on and on and does soooo many incredible things all the time. So celebrate poetry always. Share it widely. Because sometimes, a poem can be exactly what you need.

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

I've Bean Too Quiet....

I've been a little quiet here on the blog this poetry month, but if you've run into me elsewhere, you have likely heard me talking about S&W Premium Beans fantastic poetry book giveaway.

Yes, you can win 17 autographed poetry books (including my novel with poetry, The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., as well as books by Nikki Grimes and Linda Sue Park and Lee Wardlaw and and and!!!!!). How can you have a chance at winning 'em?

Submit a bean poem by the end of the month for a chance! It's that easy!

Details are at their Facebook page. It's Super&Welcome that a big company is pushing poetry, don't you think? I do!

Walk On - a walking poem

Walk On
by
Greg Pincus

When thumbtacks are strewn on the paths we must tread,
When sharp, jagged rocks are behind and ahead,
When we have to walk miles on freezing, slick snow,
When puddles of liquid hide dangers below,
When we cross hot pavement or scorching, red coals...
These are the times that will try all our soles.


And you're thinking "he really went there in National Poetry Month and on Poetry Friday?" And, well, yes... he did! If you're still craving more, the good news is that you can see what else is out there, too, if you head on over to No Water River to see this week's Poetry Friday roundup. There's great stuff posted there (including Renee's description of what Poetry Friday is and how to be a part of it).

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Come Say "Hi!" at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books!

If you're in Los Angeles on Saturday the 18th, I hope you'll come say "hi" to me at the LA Times Festival of Books.

I'll be signing copies of The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. at the SCBWI booth (that's booth 834) from 12-2. I'll have a few copies available for sale, cash only, or you can bring your own copy OR you can just stop by and say hi because, well, because "hi!!!"

As if that's not enough, you can come see me earlier on Saturday at the Darby Pop booth (booth 066) where I'll also be signing, but in this case, I'll be signing copies of Indestructible... a comic book whose main character happens to be named Greg Pincus. Honest! The creator of the book and some of the amazing artists will be there, too (all weekend, actually), so please check 'em out.

The LATFOB, as it's lovingly known, is a great place to spend some time. There are soooo many amazing children's literature folk will be there that I know I'll be spending all afternoon chatting (and buying, too). I hope to see you there!

Clothes Don't Make the Poet...

But they DO make a good post, I tell ya!

Last week, Tabatha was nice enough to feature some of my poetry over at Author Amok (which you should be and maybe are reading already, of course, so if you already saw the post, forgive me). It's a post that features a few of my clothing-related poems and much more (and is part of a larger feature on clothing/poetry that you should be checking out (as per my prior parenthetical)). I hope you'll check it out....

National. Poetry. Month!

Ahhh, April! You come in with Foolishness and sustain us with poetry all month long.

This year here at Gottabook... well... there is no master plan for celebrating the month. I have put a pin in 30 Poets/30 Days for now, though it may very well be back in 2016. And this year, unlike when I began here in 2006, I'm not posting an original poem a day, either. There will be poetry love here during the month, no doubt, but there's not an ongoing thang.

Luckily, throughout the kidlitosphere, many others are celebrating in big, clear ways, so I'm going to send you to this great list of fun goings-on compiled by Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup.

I look forward to seeing you here, there, and everywhere during April (and beyond)!

The Drought of March - a poetry poem

The Drought of March
by
Greg Pincus

There isn't a doubt:
It's a poetry drought.

My wordplay is weak.
My images - bleak.
My pacing feels weary,
My word choices dreary.
My assonance? Blah.
And consonance? Ha!
My rhyme's a disgrace.
My meter's a bit inconsistent.
My similes whiff.
And zeugmas? As if!
My output's pathetic.
I'm just not poetic.

Oh! April's sweet showers
Please rebirth the powers
That March has neglected
(This one verse excepted).


I think I should dedicate today's poem to Ms. Harris, my 11th grade English teacher who made all her students memorize the first 18 lines of the prologue to The Canterbury Tales.  In Middle English. To be recited. Yes, in Middle English.

Many years later, the first four lines still rattle around in my head... and somehow, someway gave birth to this poem's title and close. I hereby apologize for thinking that this bit of memorization would never pay dividends.

Now, while I might be in a drought, there's been no such dry spell online. Don't believe me? Well, check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Reading to the Core. Believe me now? I thought so.

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Thanks, Cybils!

Sure, I've been doing this nine years, but I still find it surprising and flattering to be a featured blogger anywhere... and even more so when it's at the Cybils' site.

I love the Cybils, have been part of them in a few different ways (a judge the very first year, in fact!), and look forward to watching the award continue to gain the prestige it deserves. I hope you'll go check out my interview there (thanks, Melissa!) and then poke around the site. There's features on other great kidlit bloggers, amazing lists of books, and much more.

Plus you'll get to see a picture of me with a llama. 'Nuff said.

That Was Then.... - a language poem/a stressed out poem

That Was Then...
by
Greg Pincus

I worried and tutted. My muscles contracted.
I stressed and was anxious.  My nerves felt compacted.
I got quite upset, and it didn't make sense....
I'm present right now but back then was past tense.


Would you believe that today marks 9 full years of blogging here at Gottabook? Yep. My first post was February 21st, 2006, so this is the end of year nine. Where does the time go???? Thanks to all of you who frequent these parts. Blogging wouldn't be much fun without you!

I can truly think of no better way to celebrate my blogoversary  than by jumping into Poetry Friday, a community event that keeps me happy week after week. Go check out the roundup of this week's Poetry Friday posts over at Teacherdance and you'll see why.

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Hate the Villanelle!

Probably the first poetry song I've ever posted here, courtesy of They Might Be Giants.

Me! A Podcast! And Alley Cats Strike!

Did you know that there is a podcast called the DCOM Podcast, all about the Disney Channel Original Movies (specifically the ones that hosts Eve and Matt remember and are now re-watching and analyzing)? Well, it's true! Why am I mentioning this, you ask?

It just so happens that I wrote the movie Alley Cats Strike for the Disney Channel, and I had a great conversation with Eve about it. It's now available and worth a listen (if, that is, you have any interest in Alley Cats Strike, the old Disney Channel movies, and how many writing decisions get made for different projects, and, very specifically, how I came up with "Delia's shot" towards the end of the film. Or if you're my mom or a relative, of course!).

It was great fun to revisit an project from the past and think about what I might do differently now and, honestly, what still works well. Thanks, Eve, for finding me. And I hope y'all will check out the podcast in general and its tumblr.

Vacation Timekeeping - a vacation poem

Vacation Timekeeping
by
Greg Pincus

Time flies on school vacation!
Up 'til now I'd found that true.
But this time 'round, I have to say,
I found that my time flu.


Just for the record, this poem is (thankfully) not autobiographical. It's just some silliness, I tell ya!

This week's Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Tabatha over at The Opposite of Indifference. Check it out for all sorts of poetry fun.

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

My New Year's Resolutions Are Making Me Loopy - a resolutions poem

My New Year's Resolutions Are Making Me Loopy
by
Greg Pincus

I make ten resolutions every year, and they seem good.
But I can never keep them even though I know I should.
And so this year I added one when it was time to make 'em:
I resolved that this would be the year that I would break 'em!
Yet now each time I break one I quite quickly start up weeping
Because it means that there is one that I continue keeping.
Yet if I keep one then it means there's one that I am breaking
Which means I've kept what I resolved, of that there's no mistaking.
But keeping resolutions means I broke my resolution
Which means, again, I've kept the one I thought was the solution.
Still, keeping means I'm breaking... and I'm feeling like a dum-dum
Since now I fear I'll spend my year resolving this conundrum.


Happy New Year, y'all! And welcome to the first Poetry Friday of 2015, with the roundup hosted by Tricia over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. And in an attempt to give you some insight into my writing process, behold the assistance I got writing this very poem:

I hope this year is one of health and contentment for you and yours (with smatterings of poetry and pie and dogs, of course!).

Oh, and if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

To 2015 and Beyond!

I know I could use this space to tell you profound things I've learned over the course of the year just passed or of interesting experiences I plan for the year ahead. But it's the 31st, and I have much to do, so all that will wait til next year, as will new poems and other news.

Instead, I simply wanted to pop on and wish you and all of yours a happy, healthy, and rewarding 2015.  I'll see you here in the new year!

Hope Through Stories, Indeed

It's been a month since I last posted, I see! That may be a Gottabook record, though I'm not gonna go through the last eight years and check if that's okay with y'all....

Much has been going on over the last month personally, professionally, and in the world at large (children's literature related and beyond). Along that latter line... I wanted to point out Hope Through Stories, the brainchild of author Joelle Charbonneau.

It's a simple idea - authors sending signed books to the Ferguson, Missouri library (which has stayed open even when schools where closed). Some of you might be able to join me in this particular initiative, yet there are other great ideas, too, and this is not a "pick one" or "this one's better." I have been heartened by all the donations to the library even as I know there are so many other worthy causes all around that so many of you... us... others contribute to in so many ways.

Still... I am a big fan of hope. And along those lines, I hope all my US readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving, as I did. And I know, too, that I'm thanksful to share this space with you (even when I take a month off!).

Poetry Re-Issue: I'm the Squeak Upon the Stair (a spooky Halloween poem)

This poem first ran here at Gottabook back in 2011.

I’M THE SQUEAK UPON THE STAIR...
by
Greg Pincus

I’m the squeak upon the stair...
Yet when you look, there’s no one there.
I’m howling winds, groaning floors,
Extinguished lights, slamming doors.
I’m flitting shadows, darkening skies,
Piercing screams, distant cries.
I’m all your fears – heard, felt, or seen.
I’m in your head. I’m Halloween.

Halloween is on Poetry Friday again (with the roundup hosted by Linda over at TeacherDance)! This makes me happier than peanut butter cups, I gotta say. May those of you who trick-or-treat have a happy, safe evening (same for those of you who don't, by the way). And... boo!

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

We Need Diverse Books Needs Us!

Well, maybe not "need" but how about we could all help?

We Need Diverse Books (the group, not simply the concept) has announced a new award - The Walter (named for Walter Dean Myers) - and is kicking off an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for it.

There are some gooooooood bonuses for funders... and a way to simply help spread the word by using the #SupportWNDB hashtag on Twitter (tomorrow during the hashtag party at 1 PM EST sure, but even beyond that!)

Here's all the We Need Diverse Books/Walter/Indiegogo information in one handy dandy place. 

Please check it out. Please support. Because we really do need diverse books.

Vegas, Baby! Vegas!

I'm super excited to be part of the Vegas Valley Book Festival coming up next weekend in (wait for it....) Las Vegas! I'll be at the Festival all day Saturday the 18th - at one point getting to be on stage with Alan Katz, at another time in the Storytelling tent.

Plus, one cool thing about the Festival is that they're sending me to a school on Friday, too - kinda bringing a part of the festival to the kids, just in case they can't make the whole event. Pretty cool, I say.

If you're in Vegas this weekend, I hope you'll stop by or otherwise say hello!