The Magnificent Seven Cybil Poetry Book Award Finalists--read all about 'em!

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Howdy, Campers!

Quick quiz: why are the Cybils called the Cybils?  
The word kinda sorta comes from
Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards

I had the great honor to be a first-round judge on the 2013 Cybils Poetry Book Award committee this year.

Our able leader was Jone MacCulloch, who many of you know and love, and whose job it was to herd, help and cajole the judges to read the nominated books and then turn in reviews of the best by the day after Christmas. 

While Santa was delivering presents, Jone was pulling out her eyebrows.

photo from morguefile.com

I was in extraordinary company. Round One Judges were:

Ed deCaria, Think, Kid, Think! http://www.thinkkidthink.com  @edecaria
Kelly Fineman, Writing and Ruminating http://kellyrfineman.livejournal.com @kellyfineman
Jone MacCulloch, Check It Out http://maclibrary.wordpress.com  @JoneMac53
Anastasia Suen, Poet! Poet! http://asuen.com/poetry @asuen1
Sylvia Vardell, Poetry for Children http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com @SylviaVardell
Bridget Wilson, What is Bridget Reading? http://whatisbridgetreading.blogspot.com @bridgetrwilson
and moi: April Halprin Wayland, Teaching Authors http://teachingauthors.com  @aprilhwayland

We've whittled our pile of nominated poetry books down to seven and sent our list off to the second-round judges.  Winners will be announced on Valentine's Day (awww...)

 

 photo from morguefile.com

And here, Campers, are our seven finalists and our reviews (in no particular order) :

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems by Marilyn Singer (Dial) Nominated by: Perogyo

 

Marilyn Singer returns to the reverso, a poetic form she created, in Mirror, Mirror.  The reverso is quite clever. First you read the poem from top to bottom. Then you flip it and read it from the bottom up. The reverso proves the old adage "there are two sides to every story." Singer describes the collection best: "Imagine / fairy tales / upended." And now reversed: Upended / fairy tales? / Imagine!"

 

In Follow Follow, Singer takes twelve tales and breathes new life into them. Too often people perceive fairy tales as unchanging. This couldn't be further from the truth. In this collection readers will hear from Thumbelina and the mole, the tortoise and the hare, the twelve princesses and the soldier. At the end of the book Singer offers more information about the tales and the reverso form. Josee Masse's beautifully bright illustrations offer readers a visual of both sides of each tale.

 

Reviewed by Bridget Wilson, What is Bridget Reading?  @bridgetrwilson

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Forest Has a Song: Poems by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater (Clarion Books) Nominated by: Laura Purdie Salas

 

This is a beautifully designed poetry picture book in which the gentle watercolor paintings by Robbin Gourley, the layout of poem and painting on each page, and even the spidery font of the text work together to create a poetry collection that is both inviting and comforting. The natural world has long been the topic of poetry for young people and VanDerwater taps into the child's connection with the simplest details: pinecones and sticks, footprints and flying birds, with poetry that offers many tactile details that invite children to touch, smell, and see the world outside their iPads in tangible ways. She also offers a variety of poetic forms so children (and teachers) can see how poets use the words and space on the page. Her use of rhyme is particularly noteworthy -- making it look so natural -- as if we all spoke in lyrical language when captured by the beauty of the forest.

 

Reviewed by Sylvia Vardell, Poetry for Children
 @SylviaVardell

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Poems to Learn by Heart selected by Caroline Kennedy (Disney Hyperion) Nominated by: bevpdx

 

The ambition of this beautiful collection of more than 100 poems is truly to encourage students to learn poems by heart. Editor Kennedy's preface includes practical tips on memorization, ending with, "I hope that…once they learn them by heart, they won't even need this book."  Classic, contemporary, nonsense poems and poems that challenge readers to think are organized organically within each of ten sections . These sections are about self, family, school, sports and war, with an extra credit section for those who want to memorize even longer poems.  Every section begins with an engaging one-page introduction, often disclosing Kennedy's personal connection with the poems that follow.  Its premise, poetic choices and the editor's enthusiasm throughout as well as the exquisite watercolor paintings by Jon J. Muth which, as Kennedy writes, "add meaning, depth and freshness to the poems" combine to make this an award-winning book.

 

Reviewed by April Halprin Wayland, Teaching Authors
 @aprilhwayland

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Pug: And Other Animal Poems byValerie Worth (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) Nominated by: The Cath in the Hat

 

In this follow-up to 2007's Animal Poems (itself a Cybils finalist that year), Worth again brings her seemingly simple subjects to life in a sophisticated yet accessible way. Readers will meet her "plug-ugly" pug, the bull who "would not melt", a mouse "left as a gift on the step", and sparrows and pigeons who "seem at home where there appears to be no home", plus fourteen other inviting, inspiring, or sometimes intimidating creatures. Jenkins adds color and texture to each poem, from the silver sparkle of a wood thrush's eye to the distressed look on a too-long dachshund's face, making each two-page spread pop. Pug is a masterful book of free-verse poems and illustrations that will challenge readers to view animals from an entirely new perspective, and to admire the subtle behaviors, attitudes, and characteristics that make each one unique.

 

Reviewed by Ed DeCaria, Think, Kid, Think!
   @edecaria

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The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses by Lisa Wheeler (Atheneum) Nominated by: Bridget Wilson

 

Any young reader longing for a pet will want to read this riotously funny research romp by a bespectacled young girl on a quest to find the perfect pet. Readers are forewarned that "Animals aren't always charming." Notebook in hand to track observations, she visits a farm, zoo, and the woods as well as performing a "home study." What she concludes from her research may surprise readers.

 

Wheeler's tongue in cheek verses will provide laughs for all while introducing readers to a variety of pet possibilities. Combined with Zachary OHora's use of strong lines yet whimsical acrylic illustrations this book will be read and reread. What stood out in The Pet Project was the author's ability to weave words, poems, and a little bit of science into a fabulous collection.

 

Reviewed by Jone MacCulloch, Check It Out
   @JoneMac53

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What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms, and Blessings by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Nominated by: Sylvia Vardell

Truly a miraculous little book, and hard to categorize in some ways. It's divided into  four sections: 1. chants & charms - to bolster courage and guard against evil; 2. spells & invocations - to cause something to happen; 3. laments & remembrances - to remember, regret, or grieve; and 4. praise songs & blessings - to celebrate, thank, or express love. I love the idea of giving children both poems and permission to express and validate their emotional experiences.

Reviewed by Kelly Fineman, Writing and Ruminating
  @kellyfineman
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When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders by J. Patrick Lewis (Chronicle Books) Nominated by: Becky L.

 

Written by 2011-2013 Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis, this valuable book of poetry profiles seventeen civil rights leaders, the famous and the not-so-famous. Each poem has a two-page spread with gorgeous artwork by five different artists.The title of the poem explains the person’s role. Mitsuye Endo is "The Captive": “I was a typist, nothing more. / I loved my life, I hated war.” A short biography in the back of the book explains how she fought for her civil rights after being held in a World War II Japanese internment camp. This collection can be used year round to celebrate the heroes of civil rights. For children and teens who want to change the way things are, this smart and intriguing look at key civil rights figures can guide the way.

 

Reviewed by Anastasia Suen, Poet!Poet! @asuen1

 

Good luck to the Round Two judges:

Linda Baie, Teacher Dance http://teacherdance.org @LBaie
Matt Esenwine, Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme http://mattforrest.wordpress.com   @mattforrestvw
Renee La Tulippe, No Water River http://www.nowaterriver.com  @ReneeMLaTulippe
Julie Larios, The Drift Record http://julielarios.blogspot.com
Irene Latham, Live Your Poem http://irenelatham.blogspot.com  @irene_latham
 

posted by April Halprin Wayland

 

Beginning, Again, and Shrinking the Gap

To kick off 2012, we've been blogging about "beginnings" here on the TeachingAuthors blog. I'd originally planned to post some thoughts on how to create a story beginning that hooks readers, since that's a topic I'll be presenting at an SCBWI-Illinois network meeting on January 28. But this week, I've been focused on preparing to teach a private class for a group of five very talented seventh-grade girls. We haven't met since November, when the girls shared the beginnings of their current work-in-progress. They were all off to a terrific start and I was looking forward to hearing the rest of their stories. When I checked in with their parents, though, I was surprised to learn that not one of the girls had actually finished her draft. They'd all gotten stuck somewhere in the middle, with one girl going back to rewrite her beginning in the hope it would lead down a new (and perhaps easier?) path.

I pulled out Gail Carson Levine's Writing Magic, which I've been using with the girls, to see what help she had to offer them. In a chapter called "Stuck!" Levine says that young writers quit because they don't know "There is no such thing as a perfect book." She goes on to say:

"When you're just starting to write, you may be miles away from perfection, and you may be well aware of it. It's maddening. It's disappointing."

Levine's words reminded me of a video clip my friend and former student Cathy Cronin recently shared on her blog. The clip features the voice of Ira Glass explaining that it's "normal" for there to be a gap between our vision for our creative work and the actual results of that work. Glass's comments confirm my own observations, and this "gap" is something that affects not only my young students but many adult writers, too, including me. So often, what ends up on the page doesn't match the ideal I have in my mind. I found Glass's words heartening--I've embedded the clip here in the hope you'll find them encouraging, too. (If you're an email subscriber and the clip doesn't show up in the email, you can watch it online at http://vimeo.com/24715531 .)
 

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

So how do we shrink the gap between our vision and our results? According to Glass, the answer is to "fight your way through" the disappointment and feelings of inadequacy to create a large volume of work. Or, as I tell my students, "Write. Write. Write." The more we write, the better our writing becomes, and the closer we get to matching our output to our vision.

If you're looking for ways to motivate yourself to write more regularly to produce that "large volume of work" Glass talks about, I've included two challenges in the Blogosphere Buzz below that you may find helpful. And if you need help to "fight your way through" feelings of inadequacy, try the following Writing Workout.

Writing Workout
Ways to Get "Unstuck" 

Here are three suggestions for getting "unstuck" that I'll be sharing with my students on Saturday:

1. Give yourself permission to write the story out of sequence. Mary Ann described this approach in her last post. If you know how the story will end, for example, go ahead and write the ending even if you haven't finished the middle. That's exactly what I did when I was working on Rosa, Sola. After I had a draft of my final chapter, I was able to go back and figure out what needed to happen to get my characters to that scene.
2. Doodle. Doodling is a great activity to stimulate the creative side of the brain. Set aside 10-20 minutes. With your story in the back of your mind, put your pen to the page. You can draw images or just dots, lines, and shapes. Have fun and enjoy the process. If any story ideas come to mind, make a quick note about them, and then go back to doodling until your time is up. (For more about using doodling to stimulate creativity, see this website.) 
3. Engage in a repetitive physical activity. This is another way to stimulate the creative side of your brain. Go for a long walk, jog, or bike ride. Again, keep the story in the back of your mind, but don't think about it too much. Instead, focus on the sound of your steps on the pavement, or your breathing, or the feel of the wind on your face. And be sure to have some pen and paper handy if you do get an idea. 

Blogosphere Buzz

• Need ways to motivate yourself to write consistently enough to create that "large volume of work" Glass discussed? First, check out the site 750words. The site challenges members to write 750 words per day, or about 3 pages. You can type those words directly into the website and it will track your word count and statistics over time. You can also participate in the site's monthly challenges--participants who write 750 words per day for the whole month earn a place on the "Wall of Amazingness." Those who fail, end up on the "Wall of Shame." And many participants also set their own personal rewards and consequences.
• Second, If you're a picture book writer, here's a challenge specifically for you: the 12 x 12 in 2012 Picture Book Challenge. The goal of the challenge is to "write one picture book per month for each of the twelve months of 2012.  This means a first draft: beginning, middle, end. NOT a submission-ready piece." Sign-up deadline is January 29. (In addition to the support and camaraderie, there are prizes!)
• A totally different kind of challenge is also taking place this month: the annual Blog Comment Challenge, which runs through Wednesday, January 25. This is a chance to share our appreciation for all the terrific blogs out there, and also to make some new blogosphere friends. Sign up over at the MotherReader blog and check-in weekly at Lee Wind's blog. (And a welcome and thanks to all the bloggers who've already commented here on our TeachingAuthors blog this month as part of the challenge!)
• Speaking of comments, another HUGE thank you to all of you who participated in our December charity drive for First Book by commenting here on our blog. As Jeanne Marie reported last week, we received around 160 comments and we donated $175 to First Book. With Disney's matching donations, that means we helped provide 245 books to children in need! If you'd like to participate in another FREE way to help book charities, visit the Playing By the Book blog. Zoe, the "British mum" who blogs there, has compiled a list of 125 charities around the world whose focus is literacy, reading and /or books. Post a comment on her blog about how she should best organize her list, and she'll make a donation to one of these worthwhile organizations.
• As a great supporter of independent booksellers like my local wonderful Anderson's Bookshop, I encourage you to also participate in the 50/50 Challenge: Support Indie Booksellers, especially if you're a teacher or librarian. Join librarian Travis Jonker in committing to using at least half of your yearly budget to purchase books at your local independent bookstore.
• And, finally, the finalists have been announced for the 2011 Cybils, the Children's and Young Adults Bloggers Literary Awards. You can find the lists here. 

Now I have to get back to writing so I can work on shrinking my own gap.
Happy Beginnings,
Carmela
P.S. I've had all kinds of problems with spacing in this blog post. Sorry, I did my best. If it doesn't look right on your screen, I guess it's another example of my vision for a project not matching my results. :-)

Another Giveaway Winner and Kudos to Laura and Esther!

We enjoyed reading all the great entries for our latest book giveaway. Unfortunately, we have only one copy of Laura Crawford's The American Revolution From A to Z to giveaway. And the winner is . . .

Jolanthe E. of Virginia!

Jolanthe plans to add the book to her family's homeschooling library. For those who didn't win, we hope you'll visit us again in the New Year, when we'll have more wonderful books to give away.

Thanks again to Laura Crawford for being our first Student Success Story. Also, congratulations to Laura and to our own Esther Hershenhorn. Laura's The American Revolution From A to Z and Esther's S is for Story: A Writer's Alphabet have been nominated to this year's Cybils in the category Nonfiction/Information Picture Books. You can see the whole list here. Good luck to both of you!