Out Standing in the Rain

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Out standing in the rain,

a long way away,

I saw the sea come in.

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The books:

OUTSTANDING IN THE RAIN by Frank Viva – A rollicking, rhyming tale of a day at the amusement park. The bold illustrations include cut-outs for interactive fun.

A LONG WAY AWAY by Frank Viva – Take an imaginative trip from outer space down to the bottom of the sea. Or, start at the back of the book and reverse course.

Thanks to author Frank Viva. I think this is the first time I’ve used two books by the same author in one poem.

I SAW THE SEA COME IN by Alvin Tresselt and Roger Duvoisin – “Early in the morning, while the soft gray fog still hung in the sky, the little boy went down to the sea.” A timeless classic about the wonder of exploring.

Bluebird

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Bluebird busy in the garden,

measuring

the perfect nest.

❀

The books:

BLUEBIRD by Bob Staake – Wordless picture book about a lonely boy and a true-blue, bluebird friend.

BUSY IN THE GARDEN by George Shannon and Sam Williams – Twenty-four poems from the garden, with happy illustrations.

MEASURING by Marcia S. Gresko and Michael Jarrett – Part of the I CAN DO MATH series, introduces basic measuring tools with a rhyming question/answer format, and colorful photographs.

THE PERFECT NEST by Catherine Friend and John Manders – A crafty cat builds the perfect nest to trick an unsuspecting chicken, but then nothing goes according to plan.

Dandelion Seed

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The dandelion seed

up and down

over the green hills –

miles to go.

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The Books:

THE DANDELION SEED by Joseph Anthony and Cris Arbo – Where does a dandelion seed go when the wind takes it? Much farther than you would guess.

UP AND DOWN by Oliver Jeffers – In the sequel to LOST AND FOUND, a boy and a penguin learn about flying and friendship.

OVER THE GREEN HILLS by Rachel Isadora – Beautiful story and illustrations tell the tale of a young boy’s walk to see his grandmother in the South African countryside.

MILES TO GO by Jamie Harper – A day in the life of a preschooler and his little car, with fun illustrations.

Fair Weather

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Foals in the field,

the summer cat out the door –

fair weather.

❀

The books:

FOALS IN THE FIELD by Ben M. Baglio – One of the fun Animal Ark series chapter books. Mandy and her veterinarian parents care for a pair of foals, and help a neighbor in the bargain.

THE SUMMER CAT by Howard Knotts – What if you find the perfect cat, but it belongs to somebody else? Picture book with pen and ink illustrations.

OUT THE DOOR by Catherine Matthias – Early reader that follows a little girl through her day, from out the door to home again.

FAIR WEATHER by Richard Peck – Historical fiction – a girl and her family travel to Chicago for the 1893 World’s Fair.

Sandpipers

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Sandpipers back and forth

when the tide is low –

now it is Summer.

❀

The Books:

SANDPIPERS by Edith Thacher Hurd and Lucienne Bloch – Nonfiction picture book with a lovely rhythm and classic illustrations.

BACK AND FORTH by Lola M. Schaefer – The many ways we use the term “back and forth,” explored in photos.

WHEN THE TIDE IS LOW by Sheila Cole and Virginia Wright-Frierson – Waiting for the tide to recede, a child and mother converse about the wonders they will find when the tide is low.

NOW IT IS SUMMER by Eileen Spinelli and Mary Newell DePalma – A little mouse is looking ahead to Autumn, but his mother shows him the fun of Summer all around him.

Question for a Rabbit

Itty-bitty book spine poem. Or maybe the start of a longer poem…

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Little white rabbit,

do you have any carrots?

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The books:

LITTLE WHITE RABBIT by Kevin Henkes – A gentle picture book about wondering by beloved Caldecott Medal winner Henkes.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CARROTS? by Leonard Kessler and Lori Pierson – Early Reader – Two bunnies go looking for carrots, and learn what other animals eat along the way.