Posts Tagged #mgkidlit

Primed for Poetry Month

By on March 29, 2023   /   Articles, Book Lists  
Landscape that ways "we were all meant for something"

On April 1, National Poetry Month will begin. No foolin’! It’s a time for readers and writers, teachers and learners, and lovers of all things literary to focus on the art of the poem. And for middle grade enthusiasts, there is plenty of poetry to go around.

National Poetry Month was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996. The aim was to shine a spotlight on the integral role of poets and poems in our national culture. Since that time, Poetry Month has become a worldwide literary celebration. Schoolteachers, librarians, booksellers, and publishers approach April with great enthusiasm, and readers are delighted. So are poets.

Poetic license allows structure, form, content, and tone to meander in their own directions, so there’s something for everyone. Explore this sampling of middle grade poetry in its many variations.

The Funny Stuff

Sometimes, we all need a good laugh. For kids who enjoy humor, there are some ever-popular poets to explore, like Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. Or, for something new, you might want to try Brian P. Cleary’s Something Sure Smells Around Here: Limericks. Cleary turns jokes into limericks, adding humor to a child’s developing sense of rhythm and rhyme. 

Green book cover with kid holding his nose.

The Classics

Do you know kids who enjoy reading works that have stood the test of time? Publishers and editors have carefully curated collections of poems by the likes of Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Maya Angelou that are appropriate for and appealing to a middle-grade audience. A quick search will yield quite a selection of well-loved works that are just right for middle-grade readers. As an enticing example, check out the beautifully illustrated, recently released collection called Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes.

Blue cover, row of people, Langston Hughes

The Rhythm Seekers

Poetry is musical, and a lot of music begins as poetry! Practice reading song lyrics and becoming immersed in the flow of language. Kindle some kinesthetic learning with jump ropes, cheers, and dance moves. Inspire kids to set their own verses to music, and encourage them to perform. If you know a reader who will respond to rhythm and you’d like to find “50 inspiring poems with a beat,” check out Hip Hop Speaks to Children, with works selected for kids by poet Nikki Giovani.

Blue cover with two kids holding hands

 

A Study of Style

Newbery Award-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander has reignited a passion for novels in verse, and he has also worked with others to create new poetry in the style of established poets. Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, pays homage to 20 different poets by imitating the masters to create original works. This collection is called Out of Wonder, and it’s great for studying the elements and devices that define beloved poets. These poems can also serve as a springboard for students’ original works. They can join the fun and create in the style of famous creators.

Orange cover, woman with hands raised

 

Find Your Inner Poet

Poet Irene Latham explores found poetry in This Poem is a Nest. From a single poem about the seasonal evolution of a bird’s nest, Latham creates 161 smaller “nestlings,” or found poems. In her introduction, Latham provides guidance and instruction in developing found poetry, and at the end, she offers tips that will turn fledgling writers into proud poets. This Poem is a Nest is sure to spark the creativity of readers. 

Dark blue cover with bird nest in a tree

 

Share Some Poetry Love

Beyond sharing these books with young readers, there’s so much more to explore! If the thought of Poetry Month excites you, you will probably be even more excited to find out there are a lot of ways you can get involved in this month-long poetry party. For example…

  • Sign up for Poem-a-Day during the month of April, and receive daily installments of the work of contemporary poets.
  • Share your own poetry on social media, and use the hashtag #NationalPoetryMonth. (Be sure to tag @poetsorg on Twitter and Instagram!)
  • Organize a poetry reading, poetry slam, or poetry contest in your community.
  • Participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day, and if you do so on social media, be sure to use the hashtag #PocketPoem.

No matter what your poetic preferences may be, April is the month to immerse yourself in the beauty and power of the written word. If you need some ideas for ways to observe National Poetry Month, hop on over to poets.org to plan the perfect poetry celebration.

 

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Horror is for Middle Grade – A Booklist for Thrills and Chills

By on March 26, 2023   /   Articles, Book Lists, Fiction  

Anyone who enjoys Stephen King appreciates that deliciously uneasy feeling of a toe sticking out of the covers when who-knows-what is hidden under the bed.

All people deal with fear. Middle Grade Horror allows children to experience thrills and chills, find their brave inner hero, and go on a dangerous journey in a safe space. It’s an important lesson. Plus, it’s fun.

Below, you’ll see why I believe Horror is for Middle Grade and check out the book list for the young horror-reader in your family.

Reluctant Readers

My own family stumbled into horror when one of my children struggled to find stories he liked. He labelled the books he read too predictable, too touchy feely, and too boring. All of that changed when a great librarian suggested he check out Middle Grade Horror. He started with The Vampire Plagues, by Sebastian Rook. This series, about three children who chase a vampire from 1850s London to Paris and on to Mexico, hooked him on reading, and I believe it can help other reluctant readers learn to enjoy books.

Liking this article about scary books? Check out this archived interview with scary book author and MUF contributor Jonathon Rosen

An Emotional Journey

Like all great stories, great Middle Grade Horror takes the reader on an emotional journey. Horror provokes terror, surprise, revulsion, empathy, love, and hatred. With all that excitement, probably everyone of us would enjoy some Horror. However, all of us have limits, and no child should be pushed beyond theirs. We want children who read Horror to be thrilled by it and not to suffer nightmares.

I highly recommend The Vampire Plagues, a fast-paced, action-packed, vampire-filled adventure. Below are more great Horror reads that range from Bunnicula, a story that is hardly scary at all to Katherine Arden’s truly creepy Small Spaces.

 

Middle Grade Horror Book List

Bunnicula is as silly as it is scary. This much beloved series features a mystery loving dog, an overly dramatic cat, and a vampire rabbit who sucks the life out of carrots.

The Graveyard Book, written by Neil Gaiman, author of the Halloween favorite Coraline, is an action and adventure story. It’s a great read for a child who enjoys action, suspense, and mysteries. It is a great read. It comes with lots of fun, friendly ghosts, and a few who are not-so-friendly.

For the daring, Victoria Schwab’s City of Ghosts leads the reader into increasingly unsettling territory. The ghosts in this book are monsters to be feared, and the heroine takes great risks in her endeavors.

Finally, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden is the ultimate spine-chilling adventure. The main character is a deeply flushed out, sympathetic child with tons of courage. She uses every ounce of her courage to face some truly terrifying creatures.

A lot of people, including children love horror stories. Being scared is fun. Middle grade horror provides a compelling read for some children who might be reluctant to dive into less edgy topics, and it presents an opportunity for kids to learn to deal with fear.

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It’s Almost Spring! Bringing Books to Life in the Great Outdoors

By on March 13, 2023   /   Articles  

Whether the children in your lives are eager lovers of literature or more reluctant readers, finding ways to bring books to life with outdoor activities can be a fun way to encourage thoughtful reading practices and to make books even more engaging. Below are a few ideas for how you might create activities to bring the events of a novel to life for the young readers in your life.

 

Nest, by Esther Ehrlich, can be adapted into real-life activities in many ways. Set in the 1970’s, this is the story of a family dealing with mental illness. Despite these heavier tones, there’s still a lot of joy in the story from which to pull inspiration. Young readers could go birdwatching just like the main character Chirp and look up the birds they spot in a field guide. Similarly, Chirp creates a dance routine to the song Help! by the Beatles. Young readers can do this too. It doesn’t need to be anything professional or elaborate but getting up and moving to a song (Beatles or not) provides a lot of physical fun and memorizing a dance routine is a good brain exercise, too! And it’s even more fun if it’s performed outdoors.

 

Book Jacket for Time of the Fireflies

Kimberley Griffiths Little’s novel The Time of the Fireflies also provides more opportunities for readers to engage more fully with the novel.  A picnic dinner to watch fireflies would be ideal for bringing Larissa’s story to life. Other  ideas for bringing her book to life include exploring one’s family history through word of mouth or old pictures and objects or, like Larissa, experience some time travel. Pick a year, help your readers do some research, and then spend an hour or two as though you’ve slipped through time!

 

Winner of the Newberry medal, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly, is another novel rich in the natural world and centered around a loveable, strong female protagonist. Readers of Calpurnia’s story can follow in her footsteps by exploring their yards, neighborhoods, or local parks with a notebook and pencil in hand. Walk slowly and observe with all the senses, taking notes and making sketches of what kinds of flora and fauna are found. A field guide could come in handy for this as well, as some young readers  might want to learn the scientific names of plants and animals they observe. This is a great activity to encourage mindfulness, art skills, and offer a foray into being a naturalist.

 

The First Last Day, by Dorian Cirrone, is also perfect as the weather is warming up. Main character Haleigh finds herself in the midst of a never-ending summer…literally! One activity to bring this novel to life is to encourage young readers to paint memories of their favorite days or to keep a journal of their life through paintings. The passage of time might not freeze as it does for Haleigh, but this is a great way to encourage artistic creativity as well as personal reflection. Other art supplies and mediums can be added or substituted, too.

 

Finally, in my novel, Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket goes on a wilderness adventure to try to find her mother. A series of clues leads the way. There are several ways Smack Dab could be brought to life, but one idea is to create a clue-based scavenger hunt for your young readers to solve. This could be as simple as leaving hand-written notes with riddles or descriptions that lead from one location to the next. You can also create more complicated clue trails involving cyphers or clues that relate to poetry or history. Even better if the clues incorporate the outdoors or wilderness! A small prize could be added at the end of the clues or simply solving the scavenger hunt can be the victory. Plus, older kids could orchestrate clues for one another. You can find some activities here.

 

These are a few ideas to get started. Once you start reading with potential outdoor adventures in mind, the sky is the limit. –literally.  Happy reading!

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