Thursday, October 15, 2020

hop to it hoopla hooray!

 

Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, children's poetry champions extraordinaire, have done it again.

Their new anthology, HOP TO IT: POEMS TO GET YOU MOVING, pulls together 100 new poems by 90 living poets designed to get kids up, down and moving all around.  Originally conceived before the pandemic hit and so many of us evacuated our school buildings, the collection morphed and flexed, in keeping with the needs of our time.  It is now woven through with poems that acknowledge the realities of life in masks, school on Zoom, and the small and larger griefs that accompany the goof and games of childhood.



I'm so pleased that my "Poem for When Things Get a Little Too Serious" is included.  Another time I'll highlight the very fun EXTRA, EXTRA section at the back as well as some of my favorite discoveries for PreK Zoom use!



Our Poetry Friday host today is Janice Scully at Salt City Verse.  Hop on over for more book-birthday celebration of this great anthology and other poetry treats!

18 comments:

  1. How delightful, Heidi. This is such a great poem for me for today. I have online students and I ask them to go touch all the walls of the room they are in for a brain break. This is such a great way to change that break up. Well done and fun, my friend.

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  2. I read your poem over at Margaret's and have just enjoyed reading it again! Definitely interested in your preK recommendations. xo

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  3. Such a cute poem, Heidi! As Linda mentioned, this book must be great for on-line students. Nice work.

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  4. I am as captivated by the facts as I am by the poetry! Rats laughing?! Kids will love that! I can see moms, dads, grandparents tickling the little ones as they read this poem to them. So fun, Heidi - many congratulations.

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    1. YES, Fran, pretty great to imagine rats laughing, right? Here's more on that: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140131-why-do-we-laugh-when-tickled. Thanks for the compliment on the factoid!

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  5. Heidi: In many ways, this is the perfect poem for the book because it features whimsical movement (tickling inanimate surfaces and the many different ways to laugh) while it acknowledges the heavy feelings we're all having right now (which we address with the pandemic poems and social justice poems). Thank you again for writing it!

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  6. So fun. And perfect for this time when EVERYTHING is a little too serious!

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  7. This is fabulous, Heidi. I think I'll at least tickle some walls today, just for me! When I can, will share with the grand girls!

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  8. Tickling is the answer! Thank you for reminding me!

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  9. Hee-hee, your poem tickles the funny bone and stretches our sensibilities, Heidi. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  10. Thank you, everyone! These days I have come to realize that for physical and mental health, we all need to laugh and cry each day, just like we need to eat and poop. I hope this one helps with the laughing part.

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  11. I could use some tickling about now!

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  12. This is great, Heidi! I can hear the giggles already and I love the addition of the side bar information. Rats laugh? Really!? Congratulations on being a part of this fabulous anthology!

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  13. Heidi, as a Pre-K teacher you hit a homerun with this delightful poem. I can see my 3-year-old granddaughter loving this poem, especially with its kinesthetic approach, "until you're tickled out." I can't wait to read this to her at our weekly virtual chat. I think many early education teachers will want to use your poem as a lesson on stretching bodies and minds with a fun approach to learning.

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  14. How did I hop right over your HOP TO IT post, Heidi??? I commented about your poem at Margaret's post, but let me also say here how tickled I am with your ticklish tittering ditty. (Okay, it's not really a ditty, it's more than that, but I got carried away with my use of poetic devices. Can you blame me?) As Janet said, a perfect poem. :D

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  15. Thanks for tickling my funny bone with your giddy poem–wonderful Heidi

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  16. The title of this poem is perfect, Heidi. Thanks for the reminder that -- even with the election, the pandemic, *everything* -- we can stop for a tickle and a laugh.

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  17. What a lovely and lively addition to this collection. Great job, Heidi!

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Thanks for joining in the wild rumpus!