Letter to a Newborn: Happy National Poetry Month!

Photo by pixabay

What would you say to welcome a newborn? What would you want the baby to know about his or her life? Poet friend Nancy Keck, who wrote the previous post, also sent along this prose poem written for her new grandson. I especially like her descriptive phrases, such as "this world of wonder and of woe."

For Cillian Haven Rafferty


In a winter when Lake Superior was frozen over and Ireland deluged with record rain storms, you were born, baby Cillian.

We had been waiting for you for a long time.

Your big brother, Cian, was eager for a playmate, though not quite so certain about sharing his toys and his Mama.

Your Dad, Noel, home from his work in frozen North Dakota, far from the Dublin of his youth was eager and apprehensive about your birth. More responsibility, but another boy, how grand!

Your Grandma Margaret came all the way from County Wexford in Ireland to stay for three months helping your family care for you and your brother. What a calming presence she is.

Your Mama, Amy, born in February, the month of huge snowflakes, as was Cian, as are you, was the most ready for you to be here. At nine minutes before midnight on February 25, 2014, you were brought into this world of wonder and of woe. Though you needed breathing assistance for several days at the altitude of the high desert valley where you entered this life, you were a beautiful baby, so gentle and cuddly right from the start. You were born into a family extending from Western Colorado to Northern Minnesota to Ireland, an international, multi-generational family eager for you to be here.

Auntie Suzanne, a nurse, traveled over the Rocky Mountains with your cousins Mikayla and Kevin to assist in hospital communications. She even made a delicious turkey dinner, your Mom’s favorite, before returning to her home outside of Denver.

You have grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, already, who are so glad you are here. The world you are joining is filled with all kinds animals (many of them living in your house!) amazing plants, discoveries to be made, communities to build and hope to share. In the peaceful valley where you were born fruit trees will blossom soon, bees will pollinate the orchards, and gardens will grow produce that is fresh and safe to eat. Wild places are close; the Colorado and the Grand Rivers meet here; and, bicycle trails are nearly everywhere.

Such a wonder-full life awaits you!

Welcome to this world and to all who love you, baby Cillian.


                                                                               ~Grammie Nancy Keck
                                                                                 March 12, 2014

Springtime in the Autumn of Our Lives: Happy National Poetry Month!

Like last year, I have invited some poet friends to share their work with us. I'm pleased to have Nancy Keck return with this year with this poem to spring. See her last year's submissions here, here, and here.

Spring Time in the Autumn of Our Lives


I am thankful for the lilacs and the rain this springtime in the Grand
Valley as I move unwillingly into old age.
So many spring times and autumns lived here in Colorado, the West,
though my memory remains in the North Country on the shore of
Lake Superior, my heart’s home.


Yet year upon year I’ve lived in the high desert
      where our daughters grew into brave young women,
      mothers now with compassionate careers
      their lives have passed as a flicker of a candle flame,
      as my life has passed
Until now when I wake in the morning and my mind searches my body
      for the locus of pain and I wonder
      How mobile will I be today?
      How long will my energy sustain me?
      What, if anything, will I accomplish?
The first cup of coffee brings hope
      soaking in a hot tub of Epsom Salts and lavender bring relief
      then, I can begin my day.



Focus on the good, I think, all the joys of this life
      extravagant scent of the lilacs
      deep softness of my husky’s thick, double coat
      steady richness of my husband’s garden
      peach-tender skin of my sleeping grandson’s cheek
      caring closeness of my daughters
      understanding humor of my friends
      sunlight glancing off the Colorado River, my sister now,
            after all the years I’ve spent on her banks
      joy of birdsong in the morning
      safety of our little house that shelters us, my husband and I,
            survivors of loss and desperation
      walking gently into these, the latest years of our lives
      believing in the dreams of our adult children
      loving the promise of our grandchildren
      seeking gratitude for all we have been given.


                                                ~Nancy E. Keck, May 16, 2016

What would be on your list when you focus on the good?

Happy Easter! Happy National Poetry Month!

I'm pleased to kick off National Poetry Month on this Easter Sunday with this carol by John M. C. Crum, "Now the Green Blade Riseth."



And for those of you who observe April Fool's Day, here's a link to Lucille Clifton's poem, "the calling of the disciples."

Stay tuned this month for posts from guest poet friends!

I Love LOVE!

Though a blizzard blows outside, this hyacinth gives me hope for spring, and LOVE is here!

I feel as if I have a little inside track on this book because I first heard about it when I heard de la Peña talk about it at the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival in 2016. Then he gave an amazing session about it at last year's Picture Book Summit.  And now the book is out in the world!

This book for all ages is actually a poem about what love is in its broadest definition. Matt de la Peña's beautiful language ("A cabdriver plays love softly on his radio/while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city...") married to Loren Long's sensitive illustrations demonstrate the many ways love manifests itself in one's life through good and bad. Diverse scenarios, races, religions, and persons show that we all experience--or hope to experience--love. And it's love that gives us the confidence and hope to keep going and giving. This is a book I will read and re-read and re-read and give to others. Recommended for everyone of every age.

Here's a video to give you a taste of the book and more about the author and illustrator:


I had thought about saving this post for Valentine's Day, but to quote the song, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love." Will you share it, LOVE, the book, and love the emotion?

Snow Globe Magic with Melissa Stoller

Snow globes do seem magical. Shake them, create a blizzard, and watch the flakes fall on the scene inside the globe. But what if the globe is really enchanted? Such is the premise in Melissa Stoller's Enchanted Snow Globe Collection, chapter books for young readers, illustrated by Callie Metler-Smith. The first book, Return to Coney Island , is based on a story from the author's family.

In the book, twins Emma and Simon enjoy hearing the story of how their great-grandmother and great-grandfather met at Coney Island. Soon, the magic of their grandmother's snow globe takes them there in the year 1928! The twins must think on their feet as they see similarities and differences between then and now. They experience the roller coaster, board walk, trolley, and other Coney Island attractions as they follow their great-grandmother as a young woman and make sure she meets her mate. What a fun way to make history come alive, and get kids thinking about their own families' pasts! The story is enriched by author Stoller's Family Book Club guide in the back, which includes discussion questions, a recipe, a craft, and family connection ideas. She also lists research links for readers who want to know more. I'm looking forward to the next in the series--The Liberty Bell Train Ride, coming in Spring 2018. Watch for Stoller's debut picture book in 2018, too!

For more about Stoller and her writing, see this interview with kidlit blogger and author, Vivian Kirkfield.

If you know me, you know I'm not a fan of winter, but here it is, January first in North America, so--

You Had Me at "Hello": Therapy Dogs and Reading

Who doesn't love a good dog story? And who doesn't love "hello" more than "goodbye"? That makes Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Patrice Barton, a winner! And I was a winner of this book, via an online entry.

Moose, Zara's beloved dog, loves "hello"--"Hello was a ride in the car...Hello was having a book and someone to read it to you...Hello smelled like homemade cookies...." So when Moose insists on running away from home to join Zara at school, you can imagine the chaos that caused. Barton's illustrations capture all the messy antics. Well, we all know that dogs don't belong at school--or do they? Moose was miserable and hated the word "goodbye," which Gianferrari defines as poetically as she defined "hello." Fortunately, Zara has an idea she can act upon, and before long, Moose becomes a therapy dog who comes to school and lets kids read to him. That made everyone happy, well summed up in Barton's final cozy illustration.

An author note tells more about therapy dogs as non-judgmental listeners. As Gianferri says, "It's the perfect combination: tales and tails!"

Thank you, Maria, for this wonderful story and the gift of this book!

Another recently published book about a therapy dog is Madeline Finn and the Library Dog, written and illustrated by Lisa Papp. For Madeline Finn, reading is hard, and the teacher is always telling her to read. Reading out loud is even harder and embarrassing. Ugh. Madeline tries. She sets a goal to achieve a gold star, but that result is not forthcoming. And then--at a trip to the public library, Madeline is introduced to Bonnie, a big white dog. Madeline reads to her and with Bonnie's calm presence, Madeline gains confidence and reading fluency. Madeline gets her gold star at school and goes to the library to give it to Bonnie, who had been absent the week before. Papp ends the book with a lovely surprise and more opportunities for Madeline's reading. The soft, warm illustrations support the story and the tone of the book. I especially like that Madeline's reading progress was not an overnight success, but a process.

Finally, please click this link and meet Roxie, one of the friendly Tail Waggin Tutors therapy dogs that visits the library where I work and lets kids read to her. Watching kids interact with Roxie, whether they read to her or not, is always fun. They usually start out hesitant, especially if the child is much smaller than the dog. But when Roxie seems to like their attention, they are happy--and so is Roxie.

Halloweensie Fun

Ladies and Gentlemen!

It's time for Susanna Leonard Hill's 7th Annual Halloweensie Contest!

The contest is fun and offers an opportunity to win great prizes. You, too, can enter--IF YOU DARE!

Bwahahaha! 

Basic Rules: Write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children using the words candy, monster, and shadow. Full info on the contest link above. MUST be posted by midnight 10/31.

So--here goes, folks. We all know this is not great literature, but I tried. Did you?

The Monster’s Regret

The monster crept

Behind the kids,

As they went trick or treating.

The monster leapt

Upon a bag

Of candy corn for eating.

The children wept

For loss of sweets

And fear of monster beatings.

The monster swept

Away a tear

Of sorrow that’s defeating.

The monster stepped

Up to the kids,

His candy swipe deleting.

The monster kept

No candy corn.

To keep it would be cheating.

The monster slept

Quite well that night

In shadows and clean sheeting.

Happy Halloweening!