Poetry Friday
Thursday, 10 September 2020

Happy Poetry Friday, everyone! Now that A PLACE AT THE TABLE has launched, I am working on a new middle grade novel. This one is in verse (at least for now). The floods that destroyed the historic street near our old house is part of this book’s story. Also incorporated into my WIP — memories […]

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Happy Poetry Friday, friends and readers. Next Tuesday, August 11, Saadia Faruqi and I celebrate the launch of our co-authored middle grade novel, A PLACE AT THE TABLE. During one of our *many* conversations about the book (before, during, and after we wrote it), Saadia and I discussed a poem called “My Best Friend Is […]

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Friday, 24 July 2020

I missed National Doughnut Day this year. It’s celebrated on the first Friday in June. Doughnuts are not my favorite sweet (that honor goes to the lowly cookie), but they play a significant role in two of my middle grade books. In TAKEDOWN, Mickey’s family tradition is to go out for donuts when she or […]

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Thursday, 9 July 2020

It’s Poetry Friday. I’ve been away from my desk for several weeks because of a death in our family. The global pandemic has affected how we grieve, because it affects how we gather … or don’t. It has been difficult to say goodbye without friends and family around. Our family is finding solace in our […]

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It’s Poetry Friday! This week’s host is Jama Kim Rattigan at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. She is celebrating National Chocolate Cookie Day. Stop by for some treats and all of this week’s Poetry Friday links. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many events have been cancelled. From big-arena concerts (I had tickets to see Ringo Starr in June) […]

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Happy Poetry Friday, everyone. How are you doing in these times of social distancing and self-quarantines? I have a DIY writing prompt for educators and parents to share with kids at home today. And I also have a BIG announcement! Announcement first: Due to the number of children who are learning at home right now, […]

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Happy Poetry Friday, everyone. Despite the social distancing, book festival cancellations, and school closures, I’m glad we can meet online as usual to share our love of poetry. 2020 is an important year for me. Ten years ago, in February 2010, my first book was published. You can read about  Mountain, Log, Salt, and Stone (CityLit […]

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Thursday, 27 February 2020

Happy Poetry Friday and happy almost Leap Day! Do you know any Leap Day babies? How do they celebrate? 2020 marks a huge anniversary for me. Ten years ago this month, my first book was published. You can read about my poetry chapbook, Mountain, Log, Salt, and Stone (CityLit Press, 2010) in Part 1 of […]

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Hi, Poetry Friday friends. Are you ready for a robot invasion? I have a new robot friend. Its name is Po-M. Po-M Bot is helping me with this week’s post. We recently received a book from a robot-loving friend, author-illustrator Michael Rex. It’s called FACTS VS. OPINIONS VS. ROBOTS. As an educator, I love this […]

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Thursday, 6 February 2020

This week, I’d like to thank Margarita Engle for her activism and advocacy during her term as Young People’s Poets Laureate and beyond. I recently read her sweeping history of Latin Americans in what is now the United States, Dreams from Many Rivers: A Hispanic History of the United States Told in Poems. I shared […]

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Laura Shovan

Laura Shovan is the author of the award-winning middle grade novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. Her second book, Takedown, is a Junior Library Guild and PJ Our Way selection. Look for A Place at the Table, co-written with Saadia Faruqi, in 2020. Laura is a poet-in-the-schools Maryland.

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