Thursday, April 26, 2018

April DMC Wrap-Up + Giveaway


Dennis Matheson


Uh-oh. 
Who let the T-Rex up on the roof???

At the beginning of April, I invited Deborah Bruss and Matt Forrest Esenwine to help me celebrate Today's Little Ditty's 5th birthday. They brought a few "old friends" and challenged us to write a poem about something you would not expect (or want) a dinosaur to do.

Our birthday party might have gotten the teensiest bit out of hand, but it's been loads of fun!

Marc Majcher

I corralled the poems into four more or less equal categories—hungry dinosaurs, dinosaurs at school, active dinosaurs, and dinos on the go. One could accuse me of allowing that last category to become a bit of a catch-all, but I think they all fit, albeit with different interpretations of the word "go."
Alison and Fil
















Address any complaints to Dinosaur Management.


Many thanks to everyone who contributed a poem . . .

(Given all there is to do during National Poetry Month, I appreciate that you chose to spend some of your time and creative energy here!)

Alyssa

and a herd of gratitude to Deborah Bruss and Matt Forrest Esenwine, whose T-rexceptional book Don't Ask a Dinosaur started it all.

Scroll through the poems below, or, for best viewing, click HERE.

Made with Padlet


Inspired to write your own?

If you would like to add your own dinosaur poem to the collection, post it on our April 2018 padlet by Monday, April 30th, and I will add it to the wrap-up presentation.



Participants in this month's challenge will automatically be entered to win a copy of Don't Ask a Dinosaur (POW! Kids, 2018), signed by the authors. One entry per participant, not per poem.

Alternatively, you may enter the giveaway by commenting below. Comments must be received by Tuesday, May 1st. If you contribute a poem and comment below you will receive two entries in total.


The winner will be determined by Random.org and announced next Friday when we reveal our interview and ditty challenge for May. Good luck!




Random.org has determined that the winner of a copy of H is for Haiku by Sydell Rosenberg, illustrated by Sawsan Chalabi is . . .

TABATHA YEATTS

Congratulations, Tabatha!



Last call to enter the giveaway for a two-volume set of The Best of Today's Little Ditty! In celebration of TLD's fifth birthday, I'm giving away five sets to educators—teachers, caregivers, volunteers... anyone who shares their love of poetry with students of any age. To enter, contact me via blog comment, email, Facebook, or Twitter. I'll be drawing names on May 1st.


Irene Latham has been celebrating National Poetry Month with her annual Kidlit Progressive Poem and a fabulous collection of original poems based on artwork of the Harlem Renaissance. She also is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup today, so stop by Live Your Poem and say hello.





25 comments:

  1. Ha, that L.B. Hopkinsaurus!! Well played, Michelle. :) I love how so many were inspired by dinosaurs. Old friends, indeed! And reminds me of David Elliott's new dino-poetry book IN THE PAST https://www.amazon.com/Past-Trilobites-Dinosaurs-Mammoths-Million/dp/0763660736/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524794136&sr=8-3&keywords=david+elliott

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    1. I love his new collection! I was reading "Dinosaur" and some selections from "School People" at a local library, and also shared a few of David's poems since they tied into the dinosaur theme.

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  2. Wow! A plethora of prehistoric playfulness!

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  3. These were so much fun, Michelle. I do love your Hopkinisaurus, and today's "Astronomy Field Trip" by Juanita H. is very clever! Terrific month of dino-poetry!

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  4. I like "Address any complaints to Dinosaur Management." I wish that were applicable to more situations ;-)
    Thanks for H is for Haiku!! Wonderful!!

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  5. Oh my - dinolicious menu of verse! Loved the Hopkinsaurus - and all of them. So fun to imagine and write about that whole mysterious era. Encouraged me to pull out a couple of my own Dino stories from an eternity ago! Thanks, Michelle.

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  6. I love the variety of forms and approaches. Such fun to read!

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  7. These dinosaur poems were a delight to read. I loved the variety!

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  8. Who knew dinosaurs could be such fun and thought-provoking, too! Every day I read a "Dino ditty" to cheer me up. Never failed. Thanks for these, Michelle.

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  9. What fun! Makes me want to go back in time to when dinosaurs ruled (at least when they ruled the imaginations in our house!)

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  10. Dino inspiration has been fun to watch! It’s interesting that they fell into categories pretty evenly. And what a celebration—5 years! Yay!!

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  11. Well Michelle it's been a dino-riffic month here at "Today's Little Ditty." Wonderful collection of poems you've gathered. Hope the dinos here are behaving themselves too, thanks!

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  12. That was so much fun. I can't wait to see what next month brings.

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  13. What a great passel of dino-poems. So much fun to read through them!

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  14. I really had a blast with TLD this month. I love how your poetry enthusiasm, joy and generosity. You inspire me. Thank goodness you are at the controls, though and not a dinosaur. It wouldn't be the same! ROAR!

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  15. Some really fun, creative poems this month! Thanks again for sharing our book, Michelle.

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  16. Michelle, another wonderful Ditty challenge brought to us by the ever-fun ditty master herself-Mine? As always, I slide in late. I read through the poems and felt they were all delightful. If I can gather energy to refine what I wrote, I will send it tomorrow. Tonight, I am working on this week's professional development presentation for 15 educators from across Long Island.

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    1. Forgot to mention that your dinosaur poem is a real tribute to Lee aka L. B. Hopkinsaurus.

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    2. I slid into your challenge at the last minute, Michelle. Thanks for the fun writing experience.

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  17. Who knows why I can't personally get inspired by dinosaurs, but one thing is for sure--there is never a dull moment around Today's Little Ditty! Thanks for the wide-ranging inspiration, Michelle!

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  18. Fun to read the new and the features. And a hat tipped to L.B. Hopkinsaurus, Michelle and Matt.

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  19. This was a great challenge. Love the L.B. Hopkinsaurus. Well done.

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  20. Dino-magnificent! Sorry I missed this month's challenge. It was fun to read all of the clever poems!

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