Poetry Boost

For POEM SHARE, children's poets from across the county present their favorite poems for Poetry Month and beyond. This year, POEM SHARE is back with some greatest hits! Here are some favorite poem videos that celebrate amazing animals.

Did you know that giraffes can go for days without taking a drink?! Learn more fascinating features of giraffes as Rebecca Gardyn Levington shares her poem "Giraffes: They're Tall, But That's Not All." 

In the next POEM SHARE, Matt Forrest Esenwine reads "Elegant Danger," his poem about a small but fierce creature of the sea, the peacock mantis shrimp. Matt's poem is from A Universe of Rainbows, his poetry anthology illustrated by Jamey Cristoph.

Take a stroll on a quite night and listen for frog song in this Poem Share by poet and songwriter Eric Ode as he presents "The Frog." Then discover more wonders of the wetland in Eric Ode's collection Otters, Snails, and Tadpole Tails. 

Get the wiggles out with this Poem Share by poet, reading specialist, and teacher consultant Rose Capelli while she reads "How to Wiggle Like a Worm." Try using this poem and others from HOP TO IT: POEMS TO GET YOU MOVING, edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, as brain breaks. A dose of poetry is the perfect way to get kids energized and refocused. 

This POEM SHARE is by science and nature children's author Leslie Bulion.  Leslie takes us on a journey to the Galápagos Islands to learn the fascinating antics of the Galápagos penguins. "Galápagos Penguins" is from Leslie's  book Galápagos: Islands of Change, about the amazing land and sea ecosystem of the Galápagos Islands. 

What animal do you find amazing? Write a poem about it!

About Michelle Schaub

Michelle Schaub is a language arts teacher and award-winning children's poet. She is the author of the picture book poetry collections Leafy Landmarks: Travels with Trees, Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmers’ Market and Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections. She is also the author of several picture books in verse, including A Place for Rain, Dream Big Little Scientists, and Kindness is a Kite String: The Uplifting Power of Empathy. Michelle loves visiting schools and speaking at conferences on the power of poetry to boost literacy. Find out more at:  https://www.michelleschaub.com/. 

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