For Our Children's Children (Monday Poem)

by Chris Colderley

Greet the new day
like a stranger
entering it
for the first time.

Listen to the rivers,
the raven's song,
the woodpecker's knock,
and your beating heart.

Walk softly, mind
the leaves dancing
in shaky hands
of an old maple.

Let the shadows
of drifting clouds
warm your cheek
and whisper softly:

Share the earth
with all creatures.
Love them, and they
will love you back.


celebrating Chief Dan George




from Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth
illustrated by Ekua Holmes
2017, Candlewick Press

Contemporary Haiku (Monday Poem)

by Chris Colderley


Desks in tidy rows
Notebooks and texts neatly stacked
New year begins soon.

Thunder and lightning
Rain soaking the school blacktop
Recess bells silent.

Pens scratching paper
Syllables counted with care
Poets blossoming.


celebrating Basho


from Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth
illustrated by Ekua Holmes
2017, Candlewick Press

Christmas Carol (Monday Poem)

Unknown
(An old fashioned blessing of good wishes)


God bless the master of this house,
The mistress also,
And all the little children,
That round the table go,
And all your kin and kinsmen
That dwell both far and near;
I wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year.



From Time for Poetry: A Teacher's Anthology
edited by May Hill Arbuthnot
1951, Scott Foresman

Please (Monday Poem)

by Eileen Spinelli


You may put sugar
In your tea
Or milk
Or honey from the bees
You may prefer
A lemon squeeze
Or choose to use
None of these.
Just don't put in
Your fingers
Please!




from Tea Party Today: Poems to Sip and Savor 
by Eileen Spinelli
1999, Boyds Mills Press

I Heard a Bird Sing (Monday Poem)

by Oliver Herford


I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.
"We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,"
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.


from Sing a Song of Popcorn: Every Child's Book of Poems, selected by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, Eva Moore, Mary Michaels White, Jan Carr, 1988, Scholastic 

Merry Stories Full of Cheer! (FAMILY magazine Reviews)

These heartwarming stories full of holiday wishes, experiences and preparations can help you add some lovely traditions in your own family setting.  Merry holidays to you!

Red and Lulu 

 by Matt Tavares

            A cardinal couple, Red, the male bird, and Lulu, the female, live in an enormous evergreen tree beside a small house. The tree is cut down while Lulu is still in the nest in the tree. Red follows the truck into the city but cannot keep up.

            He searches for days with no success, but finally discovers the tree, decorated for Christmas, in the midst of confusing city buildings. When he flies to their favorite branch, Lulu is there!!

            After Christmas when the tree is removed, the two relocate to a nearby park. Every year the two birds return to what turns out to be the Rockefeller Center to enjoy the decorations and the singing around a new tree each Christmas.

            The lovely watercolor and gouache paintings have qualities that make the reader think of photographs. Snow and holiday lights glisten and make the illustrations glow. A variety of perspectives lend movement to match the pace of the text.

            Back matter includes information about the Christmas tree tradition, begun in 1931, along with the fact that each year the Christmas tree is recycled by Habitat for Humanity to build homes for families in need. This is an especially beautiful story for the holiday season. And a perfect accompaniment to David Rubel’s The Carpenter’s Gift, which is also a story about the traditions surrounding the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

Candlewick Press, $17.99

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2

A Christmas for Bear 

by Bonnie Becker

illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

            In another Bear and Mouse book from the Becker and Denton team, Bear invites his friend Mouse over for a Christmas party (although he knows almost nothing about it.) As a part of their growing friendship grumpy Bear prepares pickles, poetry and a present. But whenever Mouse mentions presents Bear only wants to talk about pickles and poetry.

            Every time Bear leaves the living room for pickles, cheese, cookies and tea, “small and gray and bright-eyed Mouse” disappears. First, Mouse is under Bear’s bed. Next, Bear discovers Mouse in the hall closet. Finally, Mouse scampers “out from behind” the beautifully decorated Christmas tree when Bear bellows.

            The watercolor, ink and gouache paintings are bright and warmly filled with holiday decorations. The expressions on the two characters faces and the body language and movement match the text as the exuberant Mouse becomes quieter as Bear appears to get crankier. The difference in size of the best friends is carefully demonstrated as Mouse discovers his present and uncovers his.

            This just right read-aloud is a delightful Christmas Eve storytime choice.

Candlewick Press, $16.99

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2

Santa, Please Bring Me a Gnome  

by An Swerts & Elin van Lindenhuizen

Tess asks her Granny to write her letter to Santa. In it Tess says, “You don’t have to bring me any toys this year. The only thing I want is a real gnome.”

She asks Grandpa to make a small bed, table, chair, etc. for a gnome. Both grandparents are delightfully supportive and help Tess prepare. Readers share Tess’s thoughts as she imagines taking her gnome to school and dance class, sitting on the swing, doing crafts, eating together.

When Christmas morning arrives, Tess discovers the prepared dollhouse is empty with all the furniture gone!

Sunny watercolors illustrate Tess’s hopes and impossible wishes. The round faces of Tess and her family are a contrast to the homeless hamster who is across the room in glass box filled with sawdust. Beside it a letter from Santa explains that although “Gerard the Gnome was looking forward to coming,” he thought of Tess when Flannel the hamster needed a home.

Tess’s first response is the capstone of the story: “How kind of Gerard and Santa.” This sweet conclusion is a joyful ending to the story as well as the beginning of a real friendship. Sometimes the Christmas expectations can be met in unexpectedly charming ways.

Clavis, $17.95

Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1

Majestic (Monday Poem)

by Kwame Alexander


Rise
into the wonder
of daybreak.

Be a rainbow in the cloud.
Be a free bird on the back of the night wind.
Shine on, honey!

Walk with joy in your golden feet
over crystal seas
and purpled mountains.

Know your beauty
is a thunder
your precious heart unsalable.

Be brave,
like a new seed bursting
with extraordinary promise.

Shine on, honey!
Know you
are phenomenal.



celebrating Maya Angelou



from Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth
illustrated by Ekua Holmes
2017, Candlewick Press