Another poetry re-issue...

Seemed like a good time to dust off an old GottaBook poem, both for Poetry Friday (with the collected links here courtesy of Charlotte's Library) and for the start of school (which some of y'all have already experienced!).


THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
by Gregory K.

I don’t know the teacher.
I sure hope she’s nice.
But what if she’s mean with a heart cold as ice???
What about bullies?
There might be a bunch.
And what a disaster if I mess up lunch!
I don’t like that playground:
The slide hits the sky!
And now here at drop-off, I can’t say “goodbye.”
My stomach is queasy.
My stress can’t be greater...
But then a voice calms me,
“Bye, Dad! See ya later!”


(And sure...you can change Dad to Mom!)

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Other events (modest proposals...)

Been a lot of conversation/thought around these parts about proposing other Olympic events, what with baseball and softball cycling out (and while reading, again, about how there used to be arts medals given out as well. I wanna be gold medalist for goofy rhymes!!!). Still, we were thinking sports....

Like wouldn't it be great to see world class sprinters in a three-legged race?

What about a marathon... but with everyday traffic on the roads!

Then there's the partner-triathlon: bicycle built for two, three-legged run, synchronized swimming.

The mind boggles at the possibilities! And feel free to share your best ideas. After all, it's all in the name of sports....

Without a word....

Interesting thread on an email list I'm on -- what are your favorite wordless picture books with complex enough stories you can use in middle grade classes? I suggested WHY, by Nikolai Popov and ZOOM and RE-ZOOM by Istvan Banyai.

There are a lot of other worldess books I quite like and wouldn't hesitate to "read aloud" to most grades, even if they're not story-rich. But any others come to mind for you?

Book 'em.

It's almost back to school time in my world... and that means it's back into library action. Thanks to those who've donated books over the summer to my favorite library. And this time, a special hat tip to Caroline Hatton, author of, among other things, the fabulous, timely new book The Night Olympic Team (all about drug testing, drugs, the Olympics. Or, as her site puts it, "an adventure story that happens to be about scientists who happen to be real people"). Caroline has, over the last three years, probably given me a book or two for the library most every time I've seen her. How wonderful is that????

But there are so many to tip my hat to: fellow bloggers who donate books (and often lots of 'em); friendly readers who donate books (again, sometimes in shocking quantities); people who dive in and help out at the school level. Three years of volunteer librarianship and yes, I'm burned out and would love a budget and and and... and it remains the single best project I've ever worked on in my life. Go figure!

One day I'll stop doing it, but until then if you see me, don't be suprised if I say "got books?"

Sports is poetry, but vice versa?

Taking a break from the Olympic fun, I added in a baseball game this weekend. Sports and the sporting experience definitely are poetic, at least to my eye. I write a lot of sports poetry, but every time I watch in person or TV I pick up something new. No, I don't just mean team handball (not new to me, actually!), but some new image or tradition or something.

This time at the ballgame I was struck by the strong sense of community... the shared rituals. I mean where else do you just pass money to a stranger beside you, knowing that it'll travel 14 seats to the aisle... and that a snow cone and change will wend its way back to you? Exactly. That's poetry in motion... and tasty, too!

You can tell...

... it's summer blogging time when I don't get to Poetry Friday (the roundup's here, by the way) until a lot of East Coasters are a'bed. But summer blogging time it is, and I'm gearing myself up for the return of the school year (and beyond!).

OK, fine... I'm not totally in gearing up mode yet, either. But soon, right?

Right!

Gold! Gold!

I have decided, perhaps a bit late in life, that I want to win a gold medal. Or a silver. Or a bronze. I wonder if Fibbing will become an Olympic sport? I wouldn't win at procrastination, not only because I'm a professional crastinator and thus not qualified, but also because my skills aren't what they once were. Desk cleaning? Possible. Desk messying? Yes.

Hmmm... not really looking promising. I guess I'll just have to live vicariously.

Watching... watching...

Normally, I wouldn't say I'm "lucky" to be re-outlining part of a story, but hey... the Olympics are on, so I can sit on the couch and work and watch and watch and work. I've always been a bit of an Olympics addict, I must confess. This year, I'm showing great discipline (harder and harder with so much on!). But that discipline comes with a high price: I haven't seen any team handball!

The week is young, however. There's always hope!

24 Hours in 20 Syllables -- a Las Vegas poem/a Las Vegas Fib

It's a Fib inspired by a recent whirlwind trip...

24 Hours in 20 Syllables
by
Gregory K.

Flight.
Lights!
Cab ride.
Checking in.
Let the games begin!
Sigh. Bye, Vegas. Next time I’ll win....


Check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Becky's Book Reviews. You'll be glad you did....

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Sans sinspiration....

If you thought I'd head to "Sin City" (as I did for a whirlwind trip) and be inspired to write tons of lovely new picture books, you'd be wrong. But I did get to thinking -- are there any Vegas set picture books? It's a fascinating town with a rather remarkable look and history, too.

Hmmm. Hmmm....

I was inspired while there, by the way, and with luck you'll see the result of that inspiration tomorrow on Poetry Friday. But I'm also tired, so I gotta book.

The onlininess of it all....

This weekend, I overheard the inspirational/instructional/damned funny Bruce Coville saying that he'd like to be paid to name things. Me, too. Or to make up words. So today I dub "onlininess" in hopes that it's a new word for all the online-y stuff out there.

What struck me at this past weekend's SCBWI Conference was simply how many people are online in one form or another: tons and tons of bloggers (most of whom I've never even run into; folks into MySpace or Facebook; the denizens of Verla Kay's boards; people with their own websites; publishers with new online initiatives. What's it all mean? Convergence, I suppose. And good to see folks embracing rather than shunning.

Along these lines, seems like a good time to plug the upcoming Kidlit Bloggers Conference (Conference 2.0!) in September in Portland. Hope to see many of you there.

More on the SCBWI Summer Conference

I have a whole new strategy for blogging the Conference: I'm just gonna point you to others who detail their experiences way better than I would detail mine. Cool. I will add a few thoughts of my own (cuz, like, that's what I do!), but I highly recommend going to check out 7th penguin Paula Yoo's blog (with that reference explained in this blog entry) and Stephanie Blake's Colorado Writer and the ever happening Disco Mermaids.

As for me, once again I had a blast, learned a ton, met great people, laughed myself silly, got inspiration, and now need sleep. There were, as usual, things I decided were "themes" of the event. The biggest one, to me, is probably biggest because I'm looking for it everywhere. No, no... not chocolate. Rather, it's the whole issue of technology, publishing, writing, illustrating, producing books... and how they all mesh. Change is in the air... though what that change might be, no one (self surely include!) knows exactly what that means. Still, anyone who has watched the newspaper industry or the music business over the last few years knows, change is coming and cannot be stopped. How will it impact all of us (and by "all" I mean everyone who loves children's literature no matter whether a creator, editor, promoter or all of the above)? Stay tuned cuz it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Blogging the SCBWI Conference

OK, I haven't been... and I'm still not, even though I had plans to do so. But I've just been having too much fun listening, learning, hanging out, relaxing, and enjoying myself. But lotsa folks ARE blogging from the Conference. So if you're looking for info, you can search or start off over at Alice Pope's CWIM blog (where CWIM stands for Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Marketplace of which she is the editor).

Go on. Read. Pretend you're there with us. And since I'm out the door, I'll pretend I'm seeing you there soon!

I know you've got tales to tell....

So, if I meet you at the SCBWI Conference this weekend, odds are that conversation will turn to what's happening online in the world of children's literature and what you've thought/experienced/learned from and about it. But if you're not gonna be there... well, heck, I still wanna know!

If you have any stories you'd like to tell me about interesting (or not!) things that have happened from your blogging or social networking or your website, I'd sure love you to leave a comment or email me. Collecting stories here online is my preferred, as quite often, one story prompts another... but hey, however you want to tell your tale is fine by me!

Shaken, not stirred

Yep. That was an earthquake alright. I've lived through bigger, but it had been some time since I'd had that kinda outta body experience of "hey, look... everything's shaking, including me!" No damage here (or thankfully anywhere that I've heard about).

And on this topic... anyone know a great earthquake book for kids? Maybe it's just of regional interest, but sure seems like there should be a handful. Heck, even the Berenstain Bears and the Big Shake would be something!

Acceptable?

Hmmm. I love the searches that end up leading people here, as y'all know. I so often wish I could speak to the searchers -- sometimes to give them answers to their queries and sometimes to ask for the story behind the search. This one falls into the latter category. I mean really... wouldn't you like to know why someone searched for

related literature of acceptability of fish meatloaf


I like to think they were at a diner part and were fed same. They found some literature about it, saying it was in fact NOT acceptable, but didn't want to take one source as the truth.

But I could be making that up :-)

Just over a week...

... to the SCBWI Summer Conference. This tends to be a yearly highlight, so it's safe to say I'm looking forward to it. Besides my carpool buddy...who will I see there?

Sporks!!!!

I have always loved sporks. I mean really... to know one is to love one, I'd say, plus the word itself is just fun to say (and funny, since it has a K). Now, I don't wish to make light of any sort of bad news, but I read this tidbit in an article on CNN about how there was a weeeee miscalculation in the value of supplies given out (or not actually given out) after Katrina:

For example, each spork was assigned the value of an entire case, inflating the original estimated value of the supplies a thousandfold to $36 million from $36,000.

$36 million in sporks!!!!???? That's a lotta sporkage!

Sounds like a good picture book title to me....

Remiss

I have been remiss on library duty this summer... so far. I haven't pounded the pavement for new books or begged some usual suspects for donations. But now that next week I'm actually gonna see the space where Library 2 (Electric Boogaloo!) will be, I have a feeling that I'm gonna start going manic again. So those of you who haven't heard me pester yet... you will!

I know... such happy summer tidings!

I Want to Build a Snowman -- a snowman poem/a summer poem

I WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN
by
Gregory K.

I want to build a snowman
With arms that reach so high.
I’d use a carrot for his nose,
Green peppers for each eye.

I want to build a snowman
With icicles for teeth.
I’d put him in a floppy hat
And add a wig beneath.

I want to build a snowman,
But my dream seems out of reach.
You see, today’s July 18th,
And I’m here at the beach!


Happy summer and happy Poetry Friday, too. Kelly is on the roundup this week. Go on. Check it out.

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!