Poetry Box bubble time: Ruth Paul gets all muddy and PG offers some muddy challenges

 

 

 

 

Ruth Paul is a superb illustrator and she is also a terrific word whizz. Listen to her share her muddy sludgy poem and you will discover why! You can check out her YouTube channel Ruth Paul Picture Books here.

I LOVE this poem. The words sing and dance and sizzle.

 

Things you can do:

*Just enjoy listening to the poem

*Jot down your favourite words in the poem and make a word picture

*Do you have muddy mud outside? Have you ever made a mud pie? Try!

*Invent a recipe for MUD CAKE or MUD CASSEROLE or MUD FRITTERS

*Make muddy handprints or footprints on a piece of paper (big or small). Let it dry and then add to it – you could draw paint collage things to make a picture.

*Write the muddiest story in the history of the universe. Stories can be short! Or longer!

*Write a muddy muddy muddy poem. Hunt for muddy words. Listen to the sound of the words. What words sound amazing together as Ruth’s did? Say it aloud. Video yourself reading your poem (send with parental permission)

*Tell me about something muddy that happened to you.

 

 

send to  paulajoygreen@gmail.com

please include your name age and name of school

don’t forget to put MUDDY challenge in subject line so I don’t miss it

don’t put your surname on drawings or paintings or collages (Poetry Box policy)

 

You can also try:

My thank our supermarket workers challenge

Listen to me read Aunt Concertina and offer a cool challenge

Listen to me read my poem ‘Lick Lick Riff’ dog poem and offer a doggy cat tiger bat any animal challenge

Check out David Hill’s wonderful photo challenge

Listen to Swapna Haddow read her book and try a rabbit challenge

Try Johanna Aitchison’s hunt the teddy challenges

 

 

There is no deadline while we are living in our bubbles! Every Friday I will post some work by children. I will always answer your emails but not straightaway. If I haven’t replied after 5 days nag me as I may have missed it.

kia kaha

keep well

keep imagining

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poetry Box Bubble Time: Poet Johanna Aitchison sets a teddy challenge for the holidays

 

 

 

Panda and Blondie Go to the Beach

“Blondie,” says Panda, “I want to go to the beach!”

“Me, too,” says Blondie, “Let’s go to the beach!”

Blondie finds her hat, her bikini, her floatie, her towel.

Panda finds  his cap, his goggles, his shorts, his towel

“But Panda,” says Blondie, “it’s starting to rain.”

“Oh, yes,” says Panda, “that looks like the rain.”

They stand on the veranda, and look out at the rain.

They hold out their paws, and grab onto the rain.

They run from the veranda and dance in the rain.

They jump on the tramp and do flips in the rain.

Then Panda and Blondie get tired and go back

to the veranda, flop down in their chairs, take a nap.

 

Johanna Aitchison

 

 

Johanna suggests:  Write a poem about what Panda and Blondie do at your house.

You could also imagine where Panada and Blondie go! Write a poem and do a picture of you like.

Or write a poem or do a picture, a painting or collage of your teddy.

Make a 60 second movie starring your teddy.

Make teddy biscuits.

 

send to  paulajoygreen@gmail.com

please include your name age and name of school

don’t forget to put teddy challenge in subject line so I don’t miss it

don’t put your surname on drawings or paintings or collages (Poetry Box policy)

 

You can also

Try my thank our supermarket workers challenge

Listen to me read Aunt Concertina and offer a cool challenge

Listen to hear me read my poem ‘Lick Lick Riff’ and offer a doggy cat tiger bat any animal challenge

Check out David Hill’s wonderful photo challenge

Listen to Swapna Haddow read her book and try a rabbit challenge

 

 

There is no deadline while we are living in our bubbles! Every Friday I will post some work by children. I will always answer your emails but not straightaway. If I haven’t replied after 5 days nag me as I may have missed it.

 

kia kaha

keep well

keep imagining

Poetry Box bubble time: Fifi Colston will be posting daily resources for children on her website

Fabulous children’s author and creator extraordinaire, Fifi Colston, is going to post daily resources for children. This is the first one. You will need to go to her website to try them out.

 

 

 

 

Day one:

Now here is my first offering. Below is a pencil illustration from the book
‘Where’s My Stick?’ I wrote and illustrated with Pukeko Pictures for Book Hungry Bears.

Click on the picture of Maxie the terrier below and print it off to colour in.
Now- here’s the thing, kids, add more!
I want you to draw extra things in the picture, change some of the drawing, make a new world for Maxi. Get drawing!

Something from nature: what else do you find on a beach that lives in the sea or on the shore?
Something man-made: cars, bikes, boats, fishing nets, drink bottles, rubbish?
Something to play with: what would you take to a beach?
Something silly: what would you never expect to find there?

Then write me a short story about the picture you created.
It might be something like ‘Maxie was surprised that her stick was actually a rainbow unicorn horn…’
You make it up, and see what you come up with. I can’t wait to get your pictures!

Send them to me at my facebook page Creative Fifi and I’ll publish them for you. Don’t forget to put your name and age on it!

PS big kids are more than welcome to do this too

You will need to go to Fifi’s website to click on dog!

Poetry Box noticeboard: Listen to STORYTIME podcasts at @RNZ National

I nearly always listen to these at 6 am on Saturday and Sunday at RNZ National

You can go here to hunt for some treasures! Don’t think you’ find any poetry but may be one day!

 

 

Poetry Box bubble time: Listen to Swapna Haddow read her fabulous rabbit story and then try a rabbit challenge

Nestle back and listen – I just did – Swapna Haddow is really good on different voices!

 

 

From Swapna Haddow:

All I remember ever wanting to do as a child was to be able to run the wrong way up a slide. And when I finally managed that, at the age of seven and three-quarters, my dream was to be a writer.

When I was eight years old I wrote my first book. I wish now that I had saved my finished novella because I can barely remember what it was about. It seemed like a good idea at the time to trade it in for two stickers and a couple of marbles. I have been an aspiring children’s writer ever since.

However, I took a six year detour into Medicine but decided at the end it was not for me. I probably should have left a lot earlier as I have always been squeamish of blood and not all that keen on early starts.

One good thing did come of my university years; I had my first taste of being published. I wrote a paper for the Balint Society on my experiences as a student psychotherapist and though it was incredibly boring, I did get a free holiday to Lisbon and more importantly, it stoked the fires in my heart for seeing my work in print.

 

You can read more about Swapna and discover all her fabulous books here

You can spot her books on the shelf behind her!

 

 

 

Paula suggest some rabbit things you might like to try:

You might like to do some rabbit drawings, painting, collages, comic strips

You might like to write a rabbit poem or make up a rabbit story or rabbit fable.

With parental permission you can send me videos (embed on YouTube or Vimeo) and audios (MP3 or MP4).

Do you have a rabbit you could video and then make up a rabbit poem or story about it?

You could write a wee postcard letter to Swadna and i can post on blog

 

You can also

Try my thank our supermarket workers challenge

Listen to me read Aunt Concertina and offer a cool challenge

Listen to hear me read my poem ‘Lick Lick Riff’ and offer a doggy cat tiger bat any animal challenge

Check out David Hill’s wonderful photo challenge

 

 

There is no deadline while we are living in our bubbles! Every Friday I will post some work by children. I will always answer your emails but not straightaway. If I haven’t replied after 3 or 4  days nag me as I may have missed it.

 

kia kaha

keep well

keep imagining

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poetry Box Bubble Time: for our supermarkets from our children

 

Woolworths Supermarket in 1964

 

 

 

A supermarket challenge for children

 

I want to say a big thank you to our supermarkets. The people working there are working so hard to stock the shelves and make sure we can buy the food we need.

I want them to keep safe and keep well.

It makes me sad that sometimes people have been mean to them.

I love cooking so I love shopping for food in my local supermarket. Michael will be the one who goes out in our family so I won’t be doing this for awhile.

I would like to post supermarket poems, stories, letters, drawings, collages even a wee video or two.

How you do this over to you! I will pick some to post on Fridays.

 

send to  paulajoygreen@gmail.com

please include  your name age and name of school

don’t forget to put David Hill challenge in subject line so I don’t miss it

don’t put your surname on drawings or paintings or collages (Poetry Box policy)

 

Listen to me read Aunt Concertina and offer a cool challenge

Listen to me read my poem ‘Lick Lick Riff’ and offer a doggy cat tiger bat any animal challenge

Check out David Hill’s wonderful photo challenge

 

 

There is no deadline while we are living in our bubbles! Every Friday I will post some work by children. I will always answer your emails but not straightaway. If I haven’t replied after 3 or 4  days nag me as I may have missed it.

 

kia kaha

keep well

keep imagining

Poetry Box Bubble Time: David Hill sets a photo challenge

 

 

David Hill invites you to write and draw:

Who is this boy? What’s he reading? Where is he? What is his life like? What is the house like? What does he eat? Where are his faavourite places? What do you think he will grow up to be? Write a poem or a description or draw a picture to show any of these things.

 

send to  paulajoygreen@gmail.com

please include  your name age and name of school

don’t forget to put David Hill challenge in subject line so I don’t miss it

don’t put your surname on drawings or paintings or collages (Poetry Box policy)

 

There is no deadline while we are living in our bubbles! Every Friday I will post some work by children. I will always answer your emails but not straightaway. If I haven’t replied after 5 days nag me as I may have missed it.

 

 

kia kaha

keep well

keep imagining

Poetry Box bubble challenges: my Friday picks of children’s work play

 

Most days I will post challenges and audios or videos for you. Every Friday I will pick some of the work you send me to share. I am getting a lot of emails so if I have missed yours (wait for a couple of days) let me know! I am so excited to get your work (I like to call it play!).

You can try my bubble challenges any time this month and every Friday I will post some of your work play.

I have picked things from TWO challenges.

First: I have picked a collage drawing Ella sent me in response to my Aunt Concertina challenge.

You can still listen to me read the story and do the challenge.  You can do a drawing or painting and or write something to go with it. The writing can go any way you like. I don’t usually post surnames.

Ella is 9 and goes to Waianiwa School in Southland. She thought Aunt Concertina would like all the old things within the city but it would still have a deluxe view for Evalina. I agree!

I told Ella I went to Paris and paid to go up the Eiffel Tower but I discovered I was afraid of heights and the world started spinning so I walked down thousands of steps looking at the inside wall!

 

 

 

 

SECOND I have picked work from children who responded to my Lick Lick Riff poem challenge:

 

 

Daniel L reads his poem ‘Astrid the Licky Cat’, Age 11, Year 7, Hadlow School

 

 

Little Little Dog

I’m a little, little dog
I’m an old, old dog
I’m a miniature dog
I’m a haired, haired dog
I’m a brown, brown dog
I’m a small, small dog
I’m a German dog
I’m a wirehaired dog
I’m a long, long dog
I’m a loving dog
I’m a smooth, smooth dog
I’m a perfect dog
I’m a friendly dog
I’m an amazing dog
I’m a nervous dog
I’m a cheerful dog
I’m a brown eyed dog
I’m a dark spotted dog
I’m a meat, meat dog
And I am a beloved dog

Zandre S, age 12, Mokoia Intermediate.

 

I’m a really really fluffy cat. I love to hunt all around and I like to sleep on the ground. I’m a dog a really really silky coat dog I love to play having lots of fun I hate to hear when the game is done.I am mouse a pretty short furred mouse I love to sneak around the house running running I love to do my friend rat also does too.

Izabell C, age 11, Te Awamutu Intermediate

 

 

A family sent these from East Taieri School, Mosgiel, Otago: Arnelle 6 years
Elzanne 8 years, Ruan Hamman – 9 years:

 

MY NAUGHTY DOG

My dog is a very naughty dog
he always gets told off
one of his favourite things to eat
Is spicy beef stroganoff

Whenever my mum bakes a chocolate dessert
he likes to gobble mine up,
Oh how I wish, I wish
That my dog was still a cute little pup.

He thinks it’s funny to poop on the floor
Ignoring what I say,
I try to teach him a lesson
But he just swiftly runs away

He’s just so gross, This dog of mine
he likes to go through all of our bins
And can you believe
My annoying dog, Likes to eat all my vitamins!!

When I’m singing my favourite song
he sits there and loudly barks
And my dad is always growling
Because he scratches the wall and leaves marks

Oh my dogs a naughty dog
what more can he be
I don’t know what more to tell you,
If he leaves its fine with me!!!

COURTNEY SMITH. AGE 10. EAST TAIERI SCHOOL

 

Thank you!

 

Kia kaha

keep well

keep imaging

keep playing

Poetry Box Live: Paula Green reads Aunt Concertina and her Niece Evalina and sets a challenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aunt Concertina and her Niece Evalina Paula Green, illus Michael Hight, Random House

 

 

 

Every Friday I will post some of the things children send me from around New Zealand.

Today I am reading a book that is dear to my heart as it comes from the bedtime stories I told my daughters Georgia and Estelle when they were little. And Michael Hight, my partner, did the gorgeous artwork. You can see two of the paintings on my study wall. And yes! I do have loads of books – these are all poetry. I will show you some of my favourites over the next month or so.

This is the perfect book when we are staying at home becuase it takes us all over the world! Sit back and listen (around 20 minutes).

 

Today’s challenge is to think of somewhere else a superlative place Evalina might have gone and do a drawing, or even a painting, and some words to go with it. Then email it to me if you like. I will email you back and I will post some on a Friday.

There are no deadlines – you just send when you feel like it and see what I pick to post on Fridays.

 

 

send to  paulajoygreen@gmail.com

please include  your name age and name of school

don’t forget to put AUNT CONCERTINA in subject line so I don’t miss it

 

kia kaha

keep well

keep imagining

 

 

 

 

Poetry Box Live: Paula Green’s Lick Lick Riff and poem invite

 

 

Welcome to the first episode of Poetry Box Live where I (and other children’s authors) read you stories and poems, set you challenges, invite you to send things to Poetry Box.

 

I squirm at the sound of my voice on the radio or TV so I never listen back – but this feels like a good thing to do when we are all at home for a month or so.

This is my study and on the back wall you can see two of my partner Michael Hight’s paintings from my book Her Aunt Concertina and her Niece Evalina (Random House).

Today I read a poem from my new book Groovy Fish (The Cuba Press) and then challenge you to write one of her own.

You can send the poem to me or even do you own video of the poem (embed on YouTube or Vimeo with permission from a parent or guardian. You can do a drawing to go with your poem if you send me the text.

 

Send to: paulajoygreen@gmail.com

Deadline: Thursday 7 pm

Include your name, age and name of school

So I don’t miss your email: Put Lick Lick Riff poem in subject line

 

Check in each day to see what happens next!

 

Kia kaha

Paula Green