Tag: teaching poetry

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The Groovy Granny: ‘Destined to become a family heirloom’

What readers are saying about The Groovy Granny:

“Destined to become a family heirloom.”

“The opening poem, ‘Gadget Snow Pants,’  is pure genius.”

“I can’t wait to read it to my  grandkids and tell them that a special little girl drew all of these amazing pictures. They are going to LOVE it!

“Priceless!”

“Echoes of Seuss, but the humor is all Heather Grace Stewart.”

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on ‘The Groovy Granny,’ on Twitter, my Facebook page, and in the comments section at the link above.

Sales in the first three weeks went so well I decided to add the ISBN at the back (this is an important code to make cataloguing the book easier), and added some  reader reviews to the new dust jacket. All three books are available here: http://www.blurb.com/user/store/HeatherGS   Please share this link with others –grandparents, teachers and parents –who might be interested in “The Groovy Granny.”

Signed copies are also available via Paypal, just email me at writer@hgrace.com to make arrangements.

Thanks for reading and sharing!

Heather & Kayla

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Giggle Poems by HGS, with Art by Kayla Stewart,5

Giggle Poems by HGS, with Art by Kayla Stewart,5.

Kayla has been drawing up a storm every day after school. “Mommy, can I illustrate another one of your kids poems?” she’ll say, the minute she’s in the door. We’re having a lot of fun with this project. I swear I don’t do any of the drawing (except in one case, with ‘The Groovy Granny,’ I helped her draw Granny’s ipod).

This is how it works: I read her one of my children’s poems out loud, and when it’s done, she’ll excitedly toss out ideas about what she wants to draw. I’ll encourage her and remind her of certain important elements in the poem.  That’s the extent of my hand in this! So far, all I’ve written on her masterpieces is the words “chair pose,” which she asked me to write. You don’t mess with talent like this!

I’ve posted a few over at A Children’s Poetry Place–please go take a look and share this with anyone you think would be interested in it…

Giggle Poems by HGS, with Art by Kayla Stewart,5.

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“Poetry, Ahhhh!” –Not “Poetry, Arghhh!”

I’ve always been in love with poetry –but I loved words at a very young age, and my first experience being told to write a poem was a very positive one. My grade one teacher took us to the local arena, and when we returned, she asked us to write an “expressive limerick” about it. Then she explained that meant, “just write what you felt.” I wrote down, “I felt grand!” and away I went, titling the poem, “At the Arena.” Now an avid inline skater and a published poet, I’d like to think I was a natural at both skating and poetry (and I actually come up with a lot of my ideas for my poems while inline skating along the river.)

I also think the way poetry was first taught to me gave me such a positive experience that I didn’t ever fear it. All of my creative writing teachers let me be expressive. They didn’t force the rules. They taught me what I “should” do for a certain type of poem, but let me throw in my own style, too.

I’ve met (or cyber-met)  a lot of people from many walks of life while on this journey of writing and promoting my poetry. Many tell me they didn’t think they liked poetry–feared it, even– until they came across mine –and somehow, it spoke to them, and they realized it wasn’t as intimidating or as dull as they’d imagined.

Do you remember the first time you were told to write or recite a poem? Tell me about it. Were you intrigued, or scared out of your mind? Thinking about your experience, what do you think teachers and poets need to do to excite children about poetry, so that feeling stays with them for a lifetime?

I’ll be visiting some schools this year as part of the League of Canadian Poets’ ‘Poets in the Schools’ program, and I think your stories will help me keep the children engaged.

I’m asking this question on my Facebook Author Page too–come join in the discussion!

Heather Grace, 5, "At the Arena"