Friday, April 6, 2018

Poetry Friday, NPM, & #MustReadin2018: Dear Fellow Book Lovers

Head over to The Poem Farm
for this week's round-up of poetic goodness. 
Check out Amy's project for NPM:  1 Subject, 30 Ways.
Thanks, Amy, for hosting our gathering!

I'm combining my Poetry Friday blog post with my Spring Update for #MustReadin2018. Amy's post yesterday about a 2nd person poem inspired this poetic letter/free verse update. 

Dear fellow book lovers,

Did you notice I was the last poster/procrastinator (Feb. 28) 
to the #MustReadin2018 lists sponsored by Carrie Gelson?
And that I deliberately chose a baker's dozen/
thirteen book limit to my list for the year?

It's April and I'm reporting in and already behind.
But wait, since my list was made at February's end,
maybe I'm ahead instead . . . 13 books to read in 10 months. 
You do the math, that's 1.3 books per month.

Finished:
Greenglass House, don't miss this wintry mystery.
You'll need to read with a mug of hot cocoa close by.
Hello Universe - the 2018 Newbery medal winner,
an adventure of middle school friendship.

In progress:
My current RIP (that's read-in-progress)
inspired me to write this letter to you.
Poems Are Teachers by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater,
an absolutely brilliant, perfect read for NPM.

With bookish delight,
Ramona

P.S.
You know how it feels to be distracted 
by books not on your #MustReadin2018 list.
You can easily find yourself off task
in a most delightful, delicious way.

A quick recap of where my reading life has wandered:
I've read picture books galore - Shaking Things Up
The Word CollectorWhen the Moon Comes,
The Big Umbrella, and Dear Girl, to name a few.

Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess,
the Schneider Family Award Winner & a new MG favorite, 
a lovely tale of intergenerational friendship 
that will send you to the kitchen to bake cookies.

A graphic novel, Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant,
a memoir that will make you think about aging parents, 
and Kelly Corrigan's new memoir Tell Me More
filled with stories of the essential phrases turning the wheel of life.

P.P.S.
Next up? Winter Sisters for my online book club.
The Husband's Secret for my IRL book club.
And for #MustReadin2018? I've selected my next two - 
A Tangle of Knots and How to Steal a Dog.

How about you? Tell me what you're reading.
I could use a few more titles
on my WTR (want to read) list. 
Life's a joy when you've got a book to read!



National Poetry Month 2018
"Give praise with friends near and far,
flinging words to the sky!"
- Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

13 comments:

  1. Ha! A poem for us readers is just perfect, Ramona. You know well what's on my list, many recommendations from you! Thanks for the great smile with your fabulous post, and a few books new to me!

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  2. I love how you made your Must Read into a letter/poem. Amy is inspiring much writing this month. My students are checking in each day and adding to her padlets. I read and enjoyed Sara Holbrook's The Enemy about a girl who's torn over her growing friendship with a German immigrant just after WWII. I didn't do Must Read this year because I failed so miserably last year. Too many times I was called toward other books.

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  3. How fun....and funny and so wonderfully human. It's hard to keep up. Might as well call it being early. love it!

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  4. Very very clever Ramona! It's not easy to stay focused when there are so many other beautiful books out there.

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  5. Yay! I'm glad you joined even if it was a bit later than others. I do think you are on track so keep on keeping on. I'm reading Dread Nation and The Night Diary right now. I'd recommend both. I like that you made it into a poem :)

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  6. I love reading how your writing life strays from the goals you set for it!

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    1. Oops! I meant to write...I love reading about how your READING life strays from the goals you set! (I can SO relate!!)

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  7. Such fun Ramona! Thanks for participating!

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  8. I love your poem for readers! I just finished a biography of Elizebeth Friedman--THE WOMAN WHO SMASHED CODES. Hers is an incredible story!

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    1. It's on our book club list for this year. Good to hear a recommendation since NF is not my favorite genre.

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  9. A poem AND a reading list. Thank YOU! And thank you for your kind words, Ramona. I am the last Poetry Friday commenter...and the hostess, so I think we would have a lot to talk about! (And I am too disorganized to keep good track of books, though there is a messy list at the back of my notebook.) Hug! x

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  10. Glad that you made it, even a little late. The year is long and there is a lot of time (for more distractions). Ghosts of Greenglass House (the sequel) was a distraction for me and your wonderful poem reminded me of that. I loved what you said about needing something warm while reading it.

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  11. So fun and good for you for multi-tasking here! I saw someone do a slice during March of haiku for book characters, and I'm thinking about trying that for next Monday's #imwayr post just so I can avoid having to write two blog posts! I am also finding Amy Ludwig VanDerWater's book a wonderful companion this month.

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