Bunny Hopping: Children's Poetry Blog Hop

It's Rabbit Season.



There's a whole lot of bunny hopping around the kids' lit poetry community. Carmela Martino of the blog Teaching Authors invited me to join in the bunny dance party AKA Children's Poetry Blog Hop. 

Poet and blogger April Halprin Wayland started the hoppy conga line earlier this month, with this post. Now put on your dancing shoes. Let's meet our emcee...

Choose your bunny. In your face poet Mortimer or...

thoughtfully romantic poet Mortimer.

Here's how the blog hop works:

1) Make up three questions you've always wanted to be asked in an interview about children's poetry and then answer them on your own blog (suggestion: use one question posted by the person who invited you to the Hop).

2) Invite one, two, or three other poetry bloggers to join the Hop. Children's poetry is preferred, but all poetry lovers are welcome.

3) In your post, list the names of the bloggers you invited and give the dates when they'll be posting for the Poetry Blog Hop.

4) Bunnies optional. Sorry, Mortimer and Bugs.

Enough rules. Let's get hopping! Carmela's first question was a good one, so let's start there.

1) Carmela's question: When was your first poem published? Can you share it with us?

In third grade, I wrote a poem comparing the sounds of a peaceful summer evening to an orchestra. It was published in the PTA newsletter. Unfortunately, I believe this poem is lost to the mists of time.

2) New question: What poetry are you reading now?

In children's poetry just finished Karen Hesse's wonderful verse novel Witness. It's a historical novel about how a turn of the century community in Vermont deals with KKK activity in their town. I liked this book because it told the story in multiple voices.

In adult poetry, I am reading submissions for Little Patuxent Review's Science issue. It's exciting to see the original poems that people are sending to our journal. (Deadline is November 1!)

3) New question: What's one of your favorite books of poetry to share with children and students?

I love, LOVE, anything by Calef Brown. I have fond memories of my daughter reciting "Olf" -- about a terrible pirate. Terrible, as in really, really bad at being a pirate. Not at all terrifying.

Another favorite Calef Brown poem is "Funky Snowman."

Okay, bunny peeps. So far, I have one taker to join the bunny hop. That's Janet Fagal. I'll post the date of  Janet's post -- which will be right here at AuthorAmok -- as soon as possible.

A HOPPY UPDATE: Hooray for Heidi Mordhorst! Heidi will join the Children's Poetry Blog Hop this Friday, with a Poetry Friday post at My Juicy Little Universe.

Here at AuthorAmok, we'll be talking drama geeks with a poem about THAT play. See you Friday, Peeps.