A Poem for Every Night of the Year

I can hardly believe it, but I actually finished this doorstop of a poetry collection I started last January!

I was really terrible about keeping up with it daily and often would play catch-up a few weeks at a time. At least once, I had more than a month of poems backlogged! And while I'm glad I did finish the whole thing and I enjoyed a majority of the poems, it definitely was not the ideal reading experience the way I did it. By not sticking to one poem each day, I often found myself reading too hurriedly, impatient to catch-up to the current date. I'm sure I would have understood some of the poems much better if I took the time for multiple readings -- and while I did sometimes re-read, other times I just moved on. I was more likely to re-read poems that really resonated with me, but others that didn't strike me right away or that I had trouble following I didn't always give a second chance to sink in.

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction and (parts of) Slow Reading in a Hurried Age have inspired me to slow down and savor my reading more. For someone who is a fairly slow reader of novels, it's ironic that I have a tendency to speed through poetry and other shorter works -- the very pieces that generally benefit from more time, attention, and contemplation. But lucky for me, I can try again in 2018 with this lovely new companion collection :)

I know life happens and the likelihood of never falling behind is slim, but I'm going to make sure this volume stays on my nightstand this year. I had gotten into the unfortunate habit of catching up, getting a few days ahead, and then sticking the volume back on the shelf -- where I promptly forgot about it until I was behind again! So in 2018, I'm going to make a sincere effort at a establishing a daily(-ish) poetry habit. I'm not going to beat myself up if I miss a few days, but hopefully I won't get a month behind this time around!

P.S. I wasn't planning on reading through the "Every Night" collection again in 2018, but picked it back up around January 3rd -- I shall have to see if I stick with both or revert to just the new collection -- either way is OK by me :)

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Have you ever tried to keep up with any kind of specified daily reading? Do you have any tips or tricks? I'd love to know!

Review: Eat This Poem

Eat This Poem: A Literary Feast of Recipes Inspired by Poetry by Nicole Gulotta

Publisher: Roost Books
Date: April 2017
Format: paperback
How did I get this book? free from publisher via my work for Eat Your Books
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

What a unique concept! There is plenty of poetry about food and there are even more cookbooks out in the world, but I've never seen a book quite like this one. It blends poetry, stories, and recipes in such a beautiful way. Nicole has a pretty extensive background in poetry and I really appreciated her insights and discussion of each poem, as well as her personal stories that thread throughout the book. I read this one with pencil in hand and did a whole lot of underlining -- there were just so many little nuggets of wisdom, I couldn't help myself!

I know I will be revisiting this slim volume again and again -- and hopefully I will be cooking or baking out of soon, too. Admittedly, I haven't made any of the recipes yet, but so many sound delicious without being overly complicated -- or as my mom likes to say "fiddledy." Some are certainly special occasion dishes, but there seems to be a nice balance of those and more everyday type recipes. A few I have my eye on:

Cornmeal Waffles

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes 

Simple Corn Soup 

Almond Poppy Seed Scones (excerpt + recipe!) 

Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread 

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies 

Strawberry Birthday Cake 

Roasted Carrots with Sweet Tahini Sauce 

Mushroom and Brie Quesadillas (excerpt + recipe!) 

Mushroom Pizza with Taleggio and Thyme

Risotto with Asparagus, Peas, and Basil Pesto

This book focuses on nourishment -- of body, mind, and soul -- and I think Nicole really succeeds in reminding us that the ordinary and everyday experiences of eating -- and reading -- are important and can be more meaningful if we allow them to be. With a toddler underfoot, most days that seems an impossible bar to reach, but this approach to cooking, eating, and living, doesn't seem to really be about perfection, but presence. And I think that is something I am capable of improving upon, if only I slow down every once in a while to remember! Making room in my day for some decent meals and restful reading time (of poetry and other forms) seems a worthwhile endeavor.

A lot of people think poetry is not for them, and that's OK. I'm not the reading police and I am the last person to judge the literary merit of other people's reading choices. But if you don't pick up poetry because you think it's always esoteric or inaccessible, I think books like this one really help show that doesn't always have to be the case. Even the poems I struggled with a bit on my first time through, I was able to read again with new eyes after reading Nicole's commentary.

BONUS: As a parent, I really, really love the poem Make the Ordinary Come Alive that Nicole recently shared on her blog. (I'm new to the Eat This Poem blog, but already a fan!)

Some Non-Intimidating Poetry Recommendations

At the end of April, I shared some poetry books I'm in the midst of reading in honor of National Poetry Month. April is long over, but I still have lots more poetry to share! So I thought today I would gather together some collections and novels-in-verse I've already read and would recommend. I'm still pretty new to poetry and think all of these are accessible even if you don't normally read or enjoy poetry. I am certainly no aficionado, but I'm learning as I go and finding that "children's" poetry is a great place to start!

Shel Silverstein is a fairly obvious choice. These poems are mostly silly and just plain fun to read, though if I recall correctly, there are a few more serious ones included as well.

A Light in the Attic

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Falling Up

Every Thing On It

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Poetry for the littlest ones! I've enjoyed reading these collections with my son. Little Poems for Tiny Ears is aimed the youngest, but the others could be staples on our shelves for quite some time yet.

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, edited by Jack Prelutsky; illustrated by Marc Brown

Mother Goose, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Little Poems for Tiny Ears, by Lin Oliver; illustrated by Tomie dePaola

* * * * *

A beautifully illustrated out-of-print children's poetry collection I borrowed from the library. It's really lovely if you can find it!

First Poems of Childhood, illustrated by Tasha Tudor

* * * * *

The title says it all -- I loved this collection!

BookSpeak! Poems About Books, by Laura Purdie Salas; illustrated by Josée Bisaillon

* * * * *

I wouldn't call myself a particular fan of dragons, but this was such a fun collection! Looking forward to reading it many more times with my son.

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight, by Jack Prelutsky; illustrated by Peter Sís

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These are picture book editions of single poems that we enjoyed during winter/Christmastime.

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem, by Maya Angelou; illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost; illustrated by Susan Jeffers

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Nikki Grimes is a new favorite author/poet of mine. I loved all three of these and am delighted to know there are plenty more backlist titles of hers to explore. Words with Wings and Garvey's Choice are middle grade novels-in-verse and One Last Word is a poetry collection featuring classic Harlem Renaissance poetry and Nikki's original poetry side by side. She uses a really interesting (and difficult!) poetry technique to tie the old and the new poems together. Just fascinating!

Words with Wings

One Last Word

Garvey's Choice

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Two excellent novels-in-verse and a memoir-in verse (Brown Girl Dreaming). FYI: To Stay Alive is about the Donner Party, so you may want to proceed with caution, though it is very well done and doesn't sensationalize the story.

The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson

To Stay Alive, by Skila Brown

* * * * *

A thought-provoking YA poetry collection based on classic fairy tales that looks at young women, society, expectations, and more. It's been a while since I read this one and I'd like to revisit it. Read an excerpt to get a bit of a feel for it.

Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty, by Christine Heppermann

* * * * *

I'd love to hear your poetry recommendations -- from picture books to classics or anything in between!

National Poetry Month

In the US, April is National Poetry Month. To be perfectly honest, I did not read much poetry at all until recently. There were a few poems I read in high school English classes that made me want to like poetry, but any time I tried it on my own without the guidance of a teacher, I ended up feeling pretty lost. Why did those few Emily Dickinson poems resonate so much, while other ones (including other Dickinson poems!) left me scratching my head? Well, I don't fully know the answer to that question, but I think part of it was giving up too soon or expecting to always "get it" on the first try.

On a recent episode of the What Should I Read Next podcast, the guest poet made a really thoughtful point about poetry not being a type of literature we "consume" like we do a page-turning novel, but rather that we can contemplate (paraphrasing here.) I think I was doing a lot more contemplation when I studied these poems in school than when I tried to pluck a poem out of a collection on my own. My teacher didn't analyze those poems to death either (which can really ruin poetry for a lot of people), but she certainly helped us gain more insight and understanding about what we were reading.

So after a few half-hearted tries to read poetry on my own post-school, I mostly abandoned the idea until my son came along and I started reading "children's" poetry. And it kind of felt like a breath of fresh air. I love rhyming poetry which is so common in children's works. Of course, I love poets like Shel Silverstein who write specifically for children, but I've come to realize I also really love poetry collections that are curated/selected for a younger audience from the world of "adult" or "classic" poets. These poems tend to be about subjects particularly resonant for children and/or are just a bit simpler to understand. Well, I think they are also a really excellent place to start for adult readers intimidated by poetry who want to give it a chance.

National Poetry Month ends today, but I think I have more than one post in me on the subject! So I'll start now with a few collections I currently have bookmarks in that I've been enjoying:

Julie Andrews' Treasury for All Seasons: Poems and Songs to Celebrate the Year, selected by Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton; illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Goodreads | Publisher

This is by far my favorite of the books I'm listing today. It's a bright, colorful, and beautiful collection divided first by season and then by month. I've really loved reading this one to my son a little at a time throughout the year. I'm always looking for baby shower book gift ideas that aren't the same classics everyone else thinks of -- and I think this collection would be a really great gift. It covers all sorts of occasions throughout the year and in terms of holidays it includes Christian and Jewish ones as well as secular ones. There are also poems for Ramadan, Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year.

I have the Audible audiobook in addition to the print which is narrated by Julie Andrews and her daughter. What I've listened to so far is so very lovely, but it's currently mislabeled as unabridged -- there are definitely poems in the print book that are not on the audio. Still a great listen though! I find poetry in general really great to listen to and a talented speaker/performer can help me understand and appreciate a poem better than just reading it on the page.

* * * * *

Days to Celebrate: A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins; illustrated by Stephen Alcorn

Goodreads | Publisher

Divided by month, this collection has some real gems in it. Overall, I'm liking the Julie Andrews collection better, but this is still a very nice collection to read throughout the year.

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A Poem for Every Night of the Year, edited by Allie Esiri

Goodreads | Publisher

I've liked some poems much better than others in this collection. I tend to read them a week or two at a time though, so I probably am going through them too quickly to really appreciate each one. I hope to revisit this in future years and think I will get more out of it each time. While published under a children's imprint, I think this one is aimed more at older kids or teens, though it can most definitely be enjoyed by adults. 

(P.S. It's published in the UK, so I got my copy from The Book Depository. 

P.P.S. While writing this, I came across what looks like a companion anthology coming out this summer! A Poem for Every Day of the Year with another gorgeous, complementing cover!) 

* * * * *

Poetry Speaks Expanded, edited by Elise Paschen & Rebekah Presson Mosby

Goodreads | Publisher

 This one isn't a children's collection, but I think it's very well done in terms of helping you get a pretty good introduction to various famous poets and their work. I've only read one of the 47 poets so far and keep meaning to get back to it. The best part is the accompanying recordings of the poets reading their own work. Every poet has at least one recording, but not every poem in the collection has a recording, FYI.

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If anyone has any poetry recommendations for me -- children's or otherwise -- please share in the comments!

Reading Winnie-the-Pooh as an Adult

As popular as Winnie the Pooh was when I was a kid, I never actually read any of the original stories until very recently. I remember Pooh cartoons and Pooh stickers (stickers were SUCH a thing with the girls when I was in grade school -- does anyone else remember this???) And if my parents ever read me any Pooh books, they were likely picture book adaptations.

So of all the books we received at our son's baby shower last year, I was most looking forward to reading the original Winnie-the-Pooh friends of ours gave us. And with such a beautiful edition to start our collection, I just couldn't resist adding The House at Pooh Corner as well as the two volumes of poetry When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. I was a little amused to see two of the used copies I bought were actually inscribed because they looked like they were barely even opened, let alone read. I look forward to the day my son asks me who Rosie or Jack & Whitney are -- I don't know kid, but they were missing out on these books, I can tell you that much.

The Stories

Now, I knew Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner were not particularly short, but I was still surprised to realize they were each close to 200 pages. Both volumes are divided into 10 chapters, each of which is its own story. They are connected, but I think they could be read on their own as well. The writing style is sort of meandering which definitely took some getting used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed these stories once I got the hang of the dialogue. I struggled a bit reading them aloud, so it's good my son is a bit too young to notice! These are true classics that I know I will reread more than once. In fact, I've already listened to the first volume on audiobook. The professional narrator did a much better job than I did for sure! The Piglet noises were a little jarring, but the audio does bring the characters and stories to life. Between reading and listening, it is so clear to me now how the cartoon versions of these characters evolved from the source material.

The Poems

As for Milne's poetry, I didn't know much at all beforehand except that When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six are part of the Pooh collection. Now having read them, I think that's actually a bit of a stretch. Pooh and Christopher Robin make a few appearances, but that's about it. The majority of the poems have nothing to do with Pooh and cover a variety of other topics. They were still enjoyable, but not quite what I was expecting. I think they will only improve with rereading because I'll know better what I'm getting myself into. Also, I know I have a tendency to rush through poetry, so I'm certain there is more to appreciate in these volumes than I absorbed the first time around.

Now that I have read these four, I'm on the fence about trying The Return to the Hundred Acre Wood. It is a companion volume written 80 years after The House at Pooh Corner by another author, but supposedly captures the style of the originals in a series of new adventures. If any Pooh aficionados have an opinion one way or the other, please let me know what you think! And of course, I'm intrigued by the Winnie the Pooh cookbook, but maybe I'll just see if the library has that one.

Classics Club #9-12

Children's Books: Five Mini Reviews

Every Thing On It, by Shel Silverstein
Series? No
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's
Date: 2011
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

Not the most well-known of Silverstein's poetry collections, but this might be my favorite! Though it would be a close call between this one and A Light in the Attic. While still mostly silly and funny, quite a few of the poems (like A Light in the Attic) tackled more serious subjects. This was still done in a light-hearted way, but I felt it gave the collection more depth and the reader more to think about.

* * * * *

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd
Series? No
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's
Date: 1947
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

I'm sure this was read to me as a kid, but I don't remember it very clearly. I decided to read it as an adult in preparation for reading Sarah Jio's Goodnight June (review coming soon!). Goodnight June is a fictionalized account of the inspiration for and literary mystery behind this classic children's story, so reading the original beforehand gave me a better foundation than just my vague memory. A lovely kid's book.

* * * * *

Under Shifting Glass, by Nicky Singer
Series? No
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Date: February 19, 2013 (first published Feb. 2012 in the UK as The Flask)
How did I get this book? won a free Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher via a Facebook contest
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

The information printed in the ARC states this is a YA book, but it didn't really feel like YA to me. The age specified is 12 and Up and to me, that's on the line between middle grade and YA. Maybe most YA books seem to be getting "older" because so many non-young-adults read them now, but despite the heavy themes, this book felt very young to me. The main character Jess is coping with the death of her beloved aunt and the impending birth of her critically ill twin brothers while also navigating friendships, school, family relationships, and all the other things kids her age go through. It's a very quiet kind of book. That might sound odd, but it's honestly the best way I can describe it. I enjoyed it, but I can't say I loved it. I think it could be a very powerful read for the right kid though, particularly if he or she can relate to any of the issues or situations Jess is dealing with.

* * * * *

The Best School Year Ever, by Barbara Robinson
Series? Yes, The Herdmans #2
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's (audio)
Date: 1994
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Publisher

I listened to this one as an audio book what feels like ages ago. It is not quite as excellent as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, but still a great children's story. In this second installment, the students have a whole school year to come up with compliments for their classmates and Beth struggles to find nice things to say about trouble-maker Imogene Herdman. As with the first book, there is always a lesson to be learned. This one might not be quite as universally appealing as the Christmas book, but it would definitely be a winner with younger kids.

* * * * *

The Best Halloween Ever, by Barbara Robinson
Series? Yes, The Herdmans #3
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's (audio)
Date: 2004
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Publisher

The Herdmans may always be getting themselves into trouble, but that just may prove more of an asset than a liability when it comes to the most mischievous holiday of the year. Again, not as good as the first Christmas book, but a very worthwhile read (especially at the appropriate time of year!) All three stories had the same audiobook narrator, Elaine Stritch, and her delivery was absolutely perfect throughout the series.

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Reading Challenges:
Dive into Poetry
New to Me: Nicky Singer
Review Pile
Clean Sweep ARC
Lucky No. 14: It's Been There Forever
My Kind of Mystery

Children's Poetry Books for National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month, I'd like to share some of the children's poetry books I've read so far this year. Most of these may not be "serious" poetry, but I don't think that is really the point. These books are great for adults and children alike, if you ask me. A Light in the Attic made the ALA's most frequently banned & challenged list, so that was a must-read for me to see what all the fuss is about. Shel Silverstein is also one of those writers I never read as a kid, but always wished I had, so his books were perfect for the "walking down memory lane" category of my Lucky No. 14 challenge. Did you read any Shel Silverstein as a kid? Am I the only one who was missing out? Do you have a favorite poet? I'd love to know!

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Wicked Poems edited by Roger McGough & illustrated by Neal Layton
Series? no
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
Date: 2004
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Publisher

This book collects poems from a wide variety of writers, some famous and some not-so-famous. It wasn't as funny as I was hoping judging by the blurbs on the cover, but it was still a very interesting collection and a worthwhile read. The poems run the gamut from mild mischief-making and make-believe to true evil, so it includes all different kinds of "wicked."

* * * * *

Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson edited by Frances Schoonmaker Bolin & illustrated by Chi Chung
Series? no
Publisher: Sterling
Date: 1994
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Publisher

I enjoyed lessons on Dickinson in high school and have been meaning to read more of her poems for a very long time. When I heard about this introductory series to poetry, I was interested to see which of her poems were selected as a starting point for a younger audience. As a book-lover, I was very happy to see one of my favorite poems included, "There is no frigate like a book." There are many other books featuring other renowned poets in this series if you are looking for a something more literary to read with the kids in your life. Since each book has a carefully curated selection of poems, they are more accessible without dumbing anything down -- a great way to dip a toe into the world of poetry.

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BookSpeak! written by Laura Purdie Salas & illustrated by Josée Bisaillon
Series? no
Publisher: Clarion
Date: 2011
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Publisher

The poems and illustrations in this book are a wonderful homage to the written word. It is aimed at children, but can be enjoyed and appreciated by readers of all ages. I absolutely loved this book and will probably purchase a copy for my collection at some point.

* * * * *

A Light in the Attic written & illustrated by Shel Silverstein
Series? no
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date: 1981; special edition published in 2009
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

This one is a modern classic I never read as a child. Finding out it made the ALA's most frequently banned & challenged list intrigued me all the more. It's imaginative and fun all the way through. As an adult reader, I can see how wonderful this collection would have been if read for the first time through younger eyes. Does it contain a few poems about mischief, misbehaving, and not listening to your parents? Yes, it definitely does, but there is nothing dangerous in this book, if you ask me. It is fun and silly and deserving of all the acclaim it has received.

* * * * *

Where the Sidewalk Ends written & illustrated by Shel Silverstein
Series? no
Publisher: Scholastic
Date: 1974; special edition published in 2005
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

This is another book I never got the chance to read as a child. I don't quite give this one 5 stars because I enjoyed the poems in A Light in the Attic better -- it is still an excellent read though. When I have kids someday, Silverstein's books will definitely be added to the permanent collection.

* * * * *

Falling Up written & illustrated by Shel Silverstein
Series? no
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date: 1974; special edition published in 2003
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

My thoughts on this one are pretty much the same as Where the Sidewalk Ends. I enjoyed A Light in the Attic most, but am extremely glad I took the opportunity to read most of Silverstein's poetry books -- even though I'm about two decades behind most people! The next time I go to the library, I will be checking out Everything On It, which is the only remaining poetry collection of his I haven't read yet.

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Reading Challenges:
Poetry
New Author (Shel Silverstein)
Banned Books (A Light in the Attic)
Lucky No. 14: Walking Down Memory Lane (Shel Silverstein)