My little rocking chair My little Golden Book of Poetry My first poems I will never forget them. Thank you, #SealeyChallenge, for serving as the vessel for my month-long adventure and study of some of the best children's poetry in anthologies and picture books. #SealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry

This collection of poems and drawings was created by the children from the Terezin Concentration Camp. Each drawing and poem will break your heart and astonish you with the hope, resilience, and creativity of these children. #SealeyChallenge #holocaust #poetry #art #kidlit

How wonderful it is . . . to be a child or an adult reading to children. or just by yourself, from this largest poetry anthology of the amazing Jane Yolen. #SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit

Fourteen young Americans + 14 poets who tell their story + 10 poetry forms = one fantastic poetry collection highlighting the voices of our youth. They speak the truth. We should listen. #kidlit #SealeyChallenge #poetry #picturebooks

My best day? Any day reading poetry, picture books, novels, and writing any and all of those. In this collection of poems for children (and adults) you will find hope, possibility, and inspiration. #SealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry #picturebooks

"If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work." –Thich Nhat Hanh #smile #attitude #amwriting

Small poems for the small wonders that surround us. You would think that short poems wouldn't have a lot to say, but oh, not so. Find a copy and turn to "seashells" on p.148 or "library" on p, 163. Amazing! #SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit #pbpoems

Birthday bouquets, thoughts, a living with wholeheartedness!

I love rainbows! How could I not pick up this lovely book? I love poetry. I received even more than rainbows. Poems brought them to life, and then, I learned about moonbows, parhelia, rainbow birds, bugs, caves, and mountains. #SealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry #picturebooks

Military families move—often. Told through free verse and tanka poems, a young girl finds the poems her mother wrote when she was the same age as her stored in a box in the attic. #SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit

Three cheers for teachers!!! I have had this funny, true-to-life, inspiring collection of poems sitting on my shelf. Occasionally, I scour the pages looking for memories of my classroom, all those children who taught me more than I expected. #TheSealeyChallenge #teachers #poetry

Giraffes Can't Dance! What? Well of course . . . Wait a minute. Is it possible? Can they? You'll have to read this picture book poem and revel in the delightful illustrations to find out! #TheSealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry

When a thunderstorm rolls in Grab a poetic picture book full of rhyme, onomotopeia, and scientific facts about thunderstorms. Then, curl up with your favorite child, who might just be you! #TheSealeyChallenge #kidlit #nonfictionpb #poetry

Gratitude 33 poems to inspire any child (or adult), all reflecting gratitude, with each written in a different poetic form. A beautiful addition to any bookshelf at home or in the classroom. How do you give thanks? #thesealeychallenge #poetsofinstagram #poetry #kidlit

A lyrical reminder . . . The Statue of Liberty stands as a light for all of us, those who first lived on US soil and those who came hundreds of years ago—and who come today. ~~ . . . as her light leaps, loops, weaves, and dances, creating shared hope for all. ~~ #TheSealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry

Lyrical verse and original poems by Gwendolyn Brooks create a song flowing in and out of the years from her birth in 1917 to her passing in 2000. ~~ Sing a song for Gwendolyn Brooks. Sing it loud—a Chicago blues. ~~ #The SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit #kidlitart #PBBiography

We can all be poets. #TheSealeyChallenge #poetry #poetsifinstagram #poems

What happens in nature at night? From owls to moths, spiders, efts, and bats, poems tell the night stories of creatures in the forests and woodlands. Informational sidebars link poetry to facts and science! #TheSealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit #nonfictionpicturebooks #picturebooks

"The truest thing that we have in this country at this time is little children . . . If they think you've made a mistake, kids speak out." —Fannie Lou Hamer A biography told in lyrical verse, accompanied by stunning collages, will move your heart & open your eyes to injustice. #TheSealeyChallenge

Tatyana Finney brings to life the words of Emily Dickinson in this precious picture book. It is never too early to begin the enjoyment of Emily Dickinson! #thesealeychallenge #poetry #kidlit #kidlitillustration #kidlitart #childrensbooks #picturebookillustration #picturebooks

"Clack. Clack. Swish—Pull back. Bobbin and heddle, foot pedal, no slack. Words have sounds, and the late Katey Howes knew exactly how to make them sing the song of the loom. #thesealeychallenge #poetry #kidlit #kidlitillustration #kidlitart #childrensbooks #picturebookillustration #picturebooks

A small book of lively rhyming poetry for #TheSealeyChallenge _____ Horn went "Beep!" Engine purred. Friendliest sounds you ever heard. _____ Sometimes, the simplest rhymes and stories bring the biggest smiles. #poetry #kidlit #picturebooks

“With bread all sorrows are less.” — The character Sancho Panza in Don Quixote

I needed this today. Anyone else? #writerfriendschallenge #writingcommunity #writer #writerssupportingwriters #writershelpingwriters #writerslifeforme #WriterGram #hellowriterfriends #inspiredtowrite #writerfriends #writersofinstagramcommunity#findmywritingcommunity #amwriting

We all speak words we soon regret, hurting those we love. Our emotions, unhinged, we search for ways to mend the broken bond. Through poetry and relatable language, children find a way to say “I’m sorry.” #poetry #kidlit #forgiveness #SEL

Listen . . . John Cage found music in the ordinary and dared us to listen, too. Poetry is music, and this poetic picture book does both, plus giving us a glimpse of musical experimentation and the fine art of listening. #TheSealeyChallenge Day 6 #poetry #music #BeautifulNoise #JohnCage

Poetry in the garden? Why, of course! Pink and white vinca welcome this poetic picture book on day 5 of #TheSealeyChallenge. #poetry #kidlit

HELLO, SUN What I love about poetry and children's picture books is the simplicity, the conciseness, the making every word compete for its place in the text. No small feat! "Hello, sun! Goodbye night. Sunrise chill, pale dawn light." #thesealeychallenge #poetry #kidlit

The first time I heard Rebecca Gardyn Levington read her book, I cried. She wrapped up all the anxiety and fear lurking inside into a poem of resilience. Mariona Cabassa captured the hope embedded in the words through her breathtaking illustrations. #thesealeychallenge #poetry #kidlit

The long, hot, humid days are the perfect time to remember the smells of fir trees, wintery breezes, and the magic of Christmas. Deborah Kogan Ray's beautifully illustrated poem by e.e. cummings, “Little Tree,” and the words and images filled my heart with joy. #the sealeychallenge #kidlit #poetry

Poetry lives in children’s picture books, lulling them to sleep, exciting them to jump and sing, and sharing the wonders of nature. Melissa Stewart’s poem, to “nature’s nightlight” and Jessica Lanan’s gorgeous illustrations remind young and old to thank the moon. #thesealeychallenge #kidlit

Every morning, I make a list. Somewhere in my youth and childhood, this daily habit became a lifelong obsession. There is something oddly satisfying about checking off or crossing out a “to-do.”

Hi! I write picture books, poems, essays, and grocery lists. My new portrait comes from the amazing Erin Siska (@erinsiska.bsky.social) just in time for my birthday month. Thanks, Erin. #kidlit

My Starter Stack for The Sealey Challenge As a fledgling picture book writer and poet, I chose to use this challenge to delve into the deep well of children's poetry and the many poem picture books, rhyming and free verse. #thesealeychallenge #kidlit #picturebookpoems #poetry #poems

Can't wait to learn and meet up with fellow picture book creators! This will be bat-crazy fabulous! #SCBWI #writersconference #atxscbwiconf25 #austinscbwi

Can a scent take you back in time? Yes! “Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.” —Helen Keller

I agree!!!!

“I am dust, the dust of North Africa. I am more than the grit in an eye, The smudge of a finger, the grime that swirls down the drain. For I connect continents.” —From A RIVER OF DUST, Jilanne Hoffman, illus. by Eugenia Mello bit.ly/3GJoKuN

Kelli's pick is SHELL SONG by @sharonfj.bsky.social. "This book finds beauty amongst terrible trials with the grandfather's shell collection. You won't leave this book without feeling changed." See it here: bookshop.org/a/11334... #amwriting #amreading #picturebook #kidlit #booksky

“Sing like no one’s listening, love like you’ve never been hurt, dance like no one’s watching and live like it’s heaven on earth.” —Attributed to Mark Twain #music #singing

What I'm reading . . . Read to a child today and learn the strategies for building literacy at home, in families, and community. #literacy #reading #parents #democracy #libraries #books

"My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky" —William Wordsworth kathrynleroy.com/rainbows-whe... #amwriting #hope #rainbow

What I'm reading . . . THE MEMORY KEEPER OF KYIV by @erinlittekenauthor. I can't stop thinking about sunflowers and the pain, the suffering the love, compassion, and strength that keeps us going despite all odds: driven by hope. #historicalfiction #amreading #Ukraine

Follow my virtual journey to Arizona in today's "Bits & Pieces" post. “The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.” —Shirley MacLaine

When a fawn finds refuge at your front door, the expression "doe eyes" takes on a new meaning. The doe bedded down her fawn for safety. She returned. Small miracles in an ordinary day. #wildlife #deer #miracles

I'll give you a clue . . . "look up!"

Well-written, succinct, and valuable post on a critical component of our writing journey! #kidlit #picturebooks #amwriting #critiques kirstenwlarson.com/2025/05/28/f...

Today's prompt from The Book of Alchemy. Natalie Warther asked the reader to select a text to erase. I chose her essay," Poetry by Erasure" on p.102. This was my first erasure poem. I never had the courage to try. New love. #poetry #BookofAlchemy

Change is good, refreshing, and an opportunity to grow. Goodbye "Inspiring Your Best." Hello "Bits and Pieces" weekly post serving up kindness, joy, and hope. Be kind. Be Brave. Be You!

“Thankful that tomorrow trusts those that tend to tender things.” ~ Selma Wordless Wandering Wonderful Wednesday selmamartin.com/wordless-wan...