Poetry bonanza Monday: Niamh’s challenge for you and an invite from me!

On Sunday it is Storylines Family Day in Auckland.

Come and say hello and sign my poem notebook. I want to get heaps of signatures from poetry fans. This is where you will find me:

 

10 am Limelight Room Reading some of my poems  (do come and help make an audience at this EARLY start! I plan to have some giveaways.)

10.30 am Dorothy Butler Stand signing books

11.00 am in the Poetry Zone Limelight Room reading the poems you make up/ giving tips

11.30 Paper Plus Stand  Owens Foyer   signing books

noon until 12.30      in the Poetry Zone  Limelight Room reading the poems you make up/ giving tips

1 until 1.30  LImelight Room  Doing a book talk with Leonie Agnew and Sacha Cotter on becoming an author

1.30 until 2pm  Paper Plus Stand Owens Foyer  signing books

2 until 2.30 I am busy being a Judge

2.30 until 3pm  Lower NZI At the prize giving for the competitions

 

 

y o u r       c h a l l e n g e:

Last week I invited you to come up with a challenge. Thanks for sending in so many good ideas.

I have picked challenges that Niamh sent in. She is aged 11 and goes to Selwyn House School in Christchurch. She sent in four challenges and I picked two to share. I loved these and want to try them too! I will send Niamh a copy of The Letterbox Cat as a thank you. I also especially loved Maddie’s challenge and might use her’s another time.

One: write your favourite word in a poem
rule —  it has to appear at least 3 times

Two: create a tree or flower of your own invention
rule – describe what it looks like or what it does in a poem

Paula’s tip: give your poem a sound check before you send it.

 

DEADLINE for your Niamh’s-Poem Challenge: Wednesday September 2nd

Send to paulajoygreen@gmail.com. Include your name, year, age and name of school. You can include your teacher’s name and email.

PLEASE say it’s for the Niamh’s-Poem challenge. Put in the subject line of the email please.

I will post my favourites and have a book for a poet (Year 0 to Year 8).

a little rosie rosie poem that is oh so cool!

When I was at Storylines Family Day in Auckland I had a box where children could post poems for NZ Poetry Box.I am now posting the winner. See below for the prize.

I really love this little poem by Emma. Emma is in Year 1 and aged 5. Hip hooray Emma, this is a beautiful poem. I do hope you send in some more. Even 5 year olds can go in the competitions.

 

Rosie Rosie lives

in a crack in my garden

Rosie Rosie is an ant

 

Thanks to Scholastic Emma will get a copy of There’s a Hole in My Bucket. The story is beautifully illustrated by Jenny Cooper and the song is sung by The Topp Twins. (Scholastic, 2013).

‘The last chance to make it’ and Esther’s first poem

I thought I would post the two poems that won the Bring a Poem to Read competition at Storylines.

 

This was Ruby’s. She is in Year 5 and goes to Oratia Primary School. She read it beautifully. I thought her poem had great movement.

The Last Chance to Make It

Sweat dripping

clawing for the ball

ball in my hands

I release the ball

the ball flies through the air

I watch breathlessly

the last chance to make it.

 

This was Esther’s first poem. She is 6 and goes to Churchill Park School. It sounded really fun read aloud.

 

Here comes Santa Claus

in his sleigh

 

‘Ring ring ring’ go

the reindeer’s bells

 

dropping presents

everywhere.

Here are some of my favourite poems from the Mystery Box Poem Competition at Storylines (5 to 7 years)

Ruby won the senior Bring a Poem to Read (see my last post) and Esther won the junior poem. Esther’s dad said it was the first poem she has written so that was pretty special. She is Year 1. Here is a photo of her with her dad.

 

These were some of our favourite poems  in the Junior section of the Mystery Box Poem Competition.

Max (6) wrote this perfect little poem:

The Beach

We live near the beach

I like the way it smells

and I like finding things

most of all the shells

 

Kay (6) wrote this cool poem about the moon. Every word is just right:

The Moon

Some people think the moon’s made of cheeses

but it’s made of rock.

It lives with stars all twinkling

bright in the black, night sky.

 

I love Bella’s (5) little star poem. It sounds good when you say it aloud:

Stars, Stars

In the sky

twinkling

happily

in the sky.

And finally Harry’s (6) poem that made me laugh too!

 

Something Funny

I might laugh at books,

cows, bottoms and tickles.

Funny dances,

Moo!

Here are some of my favourite poems from the Mystery Box Poem Competition at Storylines (8 to 12 years)

  

Lots of children came and joined in the fun at the Poetry Corner at the Storylines Family Day in Auckland. Elena and I were so busy we didn’t get a change to hear any of the other authors but it was great to have lots of hugs with all my favourite writers.

 

You can see Mira, Ruby, Jared, Travis and Evan writing mystery box poems here:

Here are some of the winners and favourite poems in the senior section (8 to 12 years).

Ruby (aged 8) was one of the winners of the Senior section. She has used great detail and I do like the ending!

Kitten

Soft playful little grey ball,

twirling around the floor,

big furry ears twitching,

small grey paws patting along the floor,

she makes me happy.

 

 

Mira (10) was a winner with this poem. She had to write about something cold. I like the ending as it put a smile on my face and she has picked some delicious words.

Snow

Freezing snow tingling your spine,

The snow is a creamy white that shines,

Throwing snowballs and making a snowman,

The snow is no place to get a good tan.

 

I also liked this Ruby’s (9) poem about her favourite food. Watch out for the ending! Unfortunately she didn’t get to hear me read it out but everyone loved it. But she won the bring a poem to read competition. Here she is with her sister Ava.

My Favourite Food

Egg sandwiches

chocolate fish

strawberry milkshakes

hot cocoa

sausage rolls,

my mum slept in while I made lunch.

 

Anna (10) wrote this marvelous poem. It is mysterious and atmospheric:

Sun

Temperature rises

Beads of sweat stain my forehead.

Falling to the ground,

Red, hot, burning skies.

Floating on clouds, running away

Sun owns lonely skies.

 

Travis (12) wrote this poem that I loved. Simple poems can say a lot!

Starry Night

Dancing across the sky

With a twinkle in their eyes

Sparkling, glowing, never slowing

It’s a starry, starry night.

 

I love the rhyme in this poem by Kylie (11):

Fire

Blazing red flames

Burning the wood

Trying to escape

The black, metal grate

 

 

Bring a poem to read to us

Elena de Roo and I are hoping to see you in our Poetry Corner at the Storylines Family Day in Auckland tomorrow. It is at the Aotea Centre. Do bring a poem to read at 11 o’clock.

And you can come and write a poem for the Mystery Box Poem Competition.

I will be reading some poems at 10.30 and with Elena at 12.30.

It should be a great day with lots of New Zealand children’s authors buzzing about doing gret things.

Storylines Family Day in Wellington cancelled

Due to today’s earthquake The Storylines Family Day in Wellington is cancelled.

Do pass the message on.