POETRY FRIDAY- AUTUMNBLINGS

AUTUMNBLINGS by Douglas Florian

This is not a new book (it was published in 2003), but it's a new to me book, and it's just really, really lovely, perfect for this time of year, when there is just the beginning hint of fall crispness in the air, and the parks are dotted with football teams.

The poems in AUTUMNBLINGS are mostly short, simple, and really clever snapshots of the season. Older kids will enjoy Florian's word play; on almost every other page, readers encounter words like hi-bear-nation, owlphabet, and tree-son. Many of the poems are list poems, and after I shared the book, with a third grade class, eight-year-old Kaelan took it upon himself to let us know how he feels about being back in school:

"What I Love About Summer"

Swimming,

No school,

Play all day

Stay up all day and night,

Hot!

I love summer.

Kaelan

Then, just like Florian, he turned it around:

"Why I Hate Fall/Autumn

School in,

Homework,

Going to bed early,

Have to go to school

every day,

ALL day long,

I can't wait until summer!

I may have to buy this book! And I am definitely going to check out WINTEREYES and SUMMERSAULTS!