It’s Picture Book Month, and that means writers and readers are celebrating picture books with exhibits, class and skype visits. But mostly, people are celebrating by reading, which is the best way to celebrate anything. Over at the Picture Book Month International, authors and illustrators like Jerry Pinkney, Aaron Becker and Deborah Heiligman are talking about why picture books are important.
And because it’s Poetry Friday, I’m dusting off that part of my brain and adding my two cents (or sense?) in verse…
Pages
Picture books are Look! Look!
They are Again.
They are the stories you tell yourself
when your alphabet is still
a jumble of shapes
and P comes after U.
They are hours on a shag rug.
They are Where the Wild Things Are.
Picture books are castles and mermaids and underpants.
They are hungry pigeons and purple crayons.
They are the start of a new day
and the end of an old one.
They are almost ready for bed.
They are Just one more?
They are Yes.
Poetry Friday this week is hosted by Random Noodling. Be sure to check out the round up!
I’m also throwing out the Kinks’ song Picture Book, just because I love it so. (They’re really talking photo albums, of course, but I’m co-opting it anyway.)
Picture books for starting the day!
Your poem is a sweet reminder but also it’s putting out what is to me a new mighty fine idea.
I bet your picture books are grinning at you today.
And you SAW The Kinks? In person? That was an experience – thanks for the video clip.
Yes to picture books, Madelyn. Yes to your poem. Yes to the Kinks. Yes. Yes. Yes.
What a delightful poem! You captured picture books perfectly!!
Thank you, Bridget~
A poem about the joys of picture books and the Kinks? Perfection, Madelyn! I love the lines: “They are the start of a new day / and the end of an old one.” So true. =)
Yay! Thanks for note and glad you had music to start your day.
I saw them just once, and I always forget how good they are. Then I listen and I wonder why I’m not listening all the time!
Thanks, Tabatha!! I struggled with it.
Thanks so much! You have made my return to Poetry Friday lovely.
Very nice! I love the way you wove those picture books into the poem. And who would have thought to link the Kinks?! Love it.
Love your poem, Madelyn! The ending is so perfect.
Picture books are definitely YES! Love your tribute in verse. 🙂
Thanks for the video, too — takes me way back to when I saw the Kinks perform in Hawaii. I was mad for them too!
Picture books can be the one quiet thing a kid has. Thanks for the celebration of picture books. Can I also say how much I love the Kinks? Right after viewing the clip above I went to YouTube and watched “Come Dancing.”