 4/09 ― 4/27 *Enter for a chance to win a Kindle e-reader for kids plus many more cool prizes!* The day is finally here! The Haiku Hype Kids Poetry Contest is now open to submissions. Teachers and librarians can send in their students' entries (grades 3-5). Please read the guidelines carefully and follow all the steps. Guidelines: (The contest is open to students in grades 3-5) 1. Teachers and librarians can email submissions to: rosie.pova@yahoo.com with a subject line: HAIKU HYPE SUBMISSION [teacher's name] or use the Contact page form. 2. Entries should be typed in the body of the email or attached as Word doc. only, please. NO picture files and NO PDFs. 3. This one is optional, but strongly encouraged :). We would love to hear from teachers and librarians so please leave us a comment on this blog post and share your experience with the students writing their haikus, any challenges, memorable moments, funny quotes etc. We would love to know how this contest inspired the kids and what it was like for your class to participate. Thank you in advance for taking the time to leave a comment! ................................................................................................................................................................. *Teachers and librarians whose students participate will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a $15 Starbucks gift card! Overview: What is Haiku? "Haiku" is a traditional form of Japanese poetry. Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme. Here's a Haiku to help you remember: I am first with five Then seven in the middle -- Five again to end. Because Haikus are such short poems, they are usually written about things that are recognizable to the reader. Animals and seasons are examples of recognizable topics children might enjoy exploring. (Source: http://www.kidzone.ws/poetry/haiku.htm) Make Us Feel the Haiku Hype! The following will be the judging criteria for the submissions: 1. Write about something familiar: nature, seasons, animals, objects etc. 2. Write your haiku in a way that will evoke a strong emotion in the reader 3. Let your haiku poem create a vivid image or capture a special moment or action 4. Make sure your haiku has 3 lines with 5-7-5 syllables (I know the modern haiku is changing and is more "relaxed" but we are sticking with the traditional form for the purposes of this contest. If you'd like, you can review haiku variations in class with your students.) * * * As the founder of the Haiku Hype contest I must be feeling the haiku hype myself, correct? And I am! So let me share a couple of my latest haiku poems with you: Jump and splash – what fun Puddles always make my day I'm a mud magnet # # # Your paws in my hands A lick on my runny nose – You are a true friend ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Download the Haiku Hype flier for your classroom below: 
                  As mentioned above, participating teachers and librarians will be entered in a drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card!  1st Prize Winner: Kindle e-reader for kids * * * 2nd Prize Winner: Bundle of books + Swag + Author Skype Visit for the class * * * 3rd Place Winner: Bundle of books + Author Skype Visit for the class * * * 4th Place Winner: Author Skype Visit for the class * * * 5th Place Winner: Book * * * 6th through 10th place winners each get a certificate + bookmarks ***Note: This contest is meant to inspire kids to write and express themselves creatively and in a positive manner. The contest will also encourage young writers and poets to share their work with others, which is an important part of the creative process. So, kids, even though the amazing prizes we're offering here are a great incentive, it's not about the winning--because if you've created something beautiful and touching that didn't exist before, that's already a win--but it's about connecting with your creative nature. You never know how that might change your journey through life! *** ~Rosie J. Pova Judges:  Rosie J. Pova is a multi-published Amazon best-selling children's author, poet, and the founder of two children's writing contests―KWEST and Haiku Hype. Her latest picture book, Cybils Awards nominated, Sarah's Song, illustrated by Emma Allen, was the Kirkus Reviews Editors' pick in February 2018. Kirkus also called it "a heartwarming book." Sarah's Song (ages 4-8) is a story of a granddaughter coming to terms with her grandmother’s failing health and how that affects the special bond the two share through dancing and singing. Rosie's other works include, If I Weren't with You (ages 4-8) which is on the SCBWI Official Recommended Reading List for TX/OK and a humorous sci-fi middle grade novel titled, Hailey Queen Pranking Makes Perfect: The Alien Encounter (ages 8-12). Rosie is passionate about writing in a manner that will impact her readers. She loves visiting schools to encourage children to read, write, get in touch with their creativity, and inspire them to dream big and follow their passions. No matter what kind of story she writes―funny, sweet or silly―Rosie hopes to move her readers and warm their hearts. Learn more about Rosie's school author visits here. To order Rosie's books, click on the covers below.       Raven Howell Raven is the author and poet of several children’s books, and most recently authored Shimmer, Songs of Night (Spork), and A Star Full of Sky (Daffydowndilly Press) which won the Royal Dragonfly and Pinnacle award for Best Children’s Poetry book. She writes poetry for a variety of magazines such as Highlights for Children, Ladybug, Bumples, Stinkwaves, Fun for Kidz, Cricket, Spider, Buds, Babybug, Hello Highlights, and High Five. Her work is included in anthologies, DVD’s and CD’s. Raven has received awards for poetry from the SCBWI and Poetry Soup, and enjoys presenting children’s writing workshops in libraries and to classrooms. She lives in the Northeast with her husband, Elsie, their terrier, and a mischievous Ragamuffin cat named Lilac. Raven delights in keeping track of her college bound kids, spending sunny days seaside, and munching on warm butterscotch chip cookies out of the oven. Visit her website: www.ravenhowell.com To order Raven's books, click on the covers below.    Heather Macht, author of YOU MAY JUST BE A DINOSAUR (Pelican, 2015), THE ANT FARM ESCAPE! (Pelican, 2018), and REX THE...WE DON'T KNOW (Pelican, 2019), is an active children's author who has been creating stories since the third grade! She earned her AA in fine arts from Florida State College at Jacksonville and held a career in the I.T. world before becoming a full-time writer and mom. Macht’s an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and lives with her family in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. In her spare time, she dwells in poetry and picture books and enjoys painting. For more, visit www.heathermacht.com To order Heather's book, click on the cover below.   Jennifer Cole Judd has dreamed of joining the circus, but for now she’s content with writing children’s poetry and books and perfecting her juggling act with her children and little dog. Her poems and stories have appeared in several children’s magazines. She coedited and contributed to An Eyeball in My Garden, a spooky middle-grade poetry anthology featuring fourteen children’s poets. Circus Train is her first picture book. Jennifer currently resides in Texas. Learn more: www.jennifercolejudd.com To order Jennifer's book, click on the cover below.
A big THANK YOU to our kind, generous contributors who donated amazing prizes for the contest!  Author Nancy Churnin is donating a 20-min Skype visit! Nancy Churnin is the theater critic for The Dallas Morning News and author of THE WILLIAM HOY STORY, HOW A DEAF BASEBALL PLAYER CHANGED THE GAME (Albert Whitman), on the 2016 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids list, the 2017 Texas Library Association's 2X2 and Topaz lists, the 2018 Illinois School Library Media Association's Monarch Award Master List and Connecticut's 2018 Charter Oak Children's Book Awards list. MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN (Creston Books), a finalist for the 2018 Children and Teen's Choice Book Awards, is a 2017 Junior Library Guild selection, a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2018 and a Silver Eureka Award-winner. Coming out in 2018: CHARLIE MAKES HIS SHOT: HOW CHARLIE SIFFORD BROKE THE COLOR BARRIER IN GOLF in January; IRVING BERLIN, THE IMMIGRANT BOY WHO MADE AMERICA SING in June and THE QUEEN AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE in October. In 2019: MARTIN & ANNE. A native New Yorker, she's a graduate of Harvard University, with a master's from Columbia University School of Journalism. Visit her at www.nancychurnin.com  Author Gayle C. Krause is donating a signed copy of her book, Rock Star Santa Gayle C. Krause is a PAL member of SCBWI, KIDLIT, INK, a past member of the Historical Novel Society and the Poet’s Garage. She’s served on the Rhyming Revolution Selection Committee, choosing the “best” rhyming picture book for 2015, 2016, and 2017.She also serves on the YA Advisory Board for Clear Fork Publishing. A Master educator, she’s taught Children’s Literature to prospective teachers at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Ms. Krause writes poetry, fantasy, contemporary, and historical fiction for Young Adult, Middle Grade, and young children. Her newest picture book, DADDY, CAN YOU SEE THE MOON? will be released this Veteran’s Day from Spork/Clear Fork Publishing. Visite her at www.gayleckrauze.com  Author Kena Sosa is donating a 20-min Skype visit! School librarian by day and writer by night, Kena Sosa adores words. She also loves playing the drums. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake University and her master’s degree in bilingual education from Southern Methodist University. Her first children’s book, Rey Antonio and Rey Feo, was born of the celebration of her childhood in San Antonio. Her second book, Kindertransport: A Child’s Journey, is about the escape of children on the Kindertransport train just before the outbreak of World War II. Kena Sosa has lived in Japan and Mexico, but sharing stories with her two sons and other eager readers has been her favorite adventure yet!  Author Melissa Stoller is donating a signed copy of her chapter book, The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island plus swag Melissa Stoller is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Book One: Return to Coney Island and Book Two: The Liberty Bell Train Ride (Clear Fork Publishing, 2017 and Summer 2018); and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush and Ready, Set, GOrilla! (Clear Fork, Fall 2018). She is also the co-author of The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (HorizonLine Publishing, 2009). Melissa is an Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Regional Ambassador for The Chapter Book Challenge, an Admin for The Debut Picture Book Study Group, and a volunteer with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators/MetroNY. Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer and editor, and early childhood educator. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees at The Hewitt School and at Temple Shaaray Tefila. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, three daughters, and one puppy. When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring NYC with family and friends, traveling, and adding treasures to her collections. Visit Melissa at www.melissastoller.com  Author Becky Villareal is donating a 20-min Skype visit! Becky Villareal was born in Dallas, TX in 1954 to missionary parents who traveled around Texas serving various communities. She has been teaching early childhood in the Dallas Independent School district for twenty years. For the past seventeen years, Becky has been completing family research on her mother's and father's families. The grandmother of three enjoys writing and spending time with her family. She also enjoys a good cup of coffee, a quiet place to write, and a warm purring cat on her lap while she's typing.  Author Raven Howell is donating a signed copy of her books: Simmer Songs of Night and A Star Full of Sky Raven is the author and poet of several children’s books, and most recently authored Shimmer, Songs of Night (Spork), and A Star Full of Sky (Daffydowndilly Press) which won the Royal Dragonfly and Pinnacle award for Best Children’s Poetry book. She writes poetry for a variety of magazines such as Highlights for Children, Ladybug, Bumples, Stinkwaves, Fun for Kidz, Cricket, Spider, Buds, Babybug, Hello Highlights, and High Five. Her work is included in anthologies, DVD’s and CD’s. Raven has received awards for poetry from the SCBWI and Poetry Soup, and enjoys presenting children’s writing workshops in libraries and to classrooms. She lives in the Northeast with her husband, Elsie, their terrier, and a mischievous Ragamuffin cat named Lilac. Raven delights in keeping track of her college bound kids, spending sunny days seaside, and munching on warm butterscotch chip cookies out of the oven. Visit her website: www.ravenhowell.com  Author Shelley Kinder is donating a signed copy of her picture book Not So Scary Jerry Shelley Kinder lives in Indiana with her husband and their four little monsters. When not writing or cleaning up monster messes, Shelley enjoys family time, reading, photography, and occasional art projects. Not So Scary Jerry is her first picture book. The Masterpiece, her second picture book, is set for release in August. Visit her at www.shelleykinder.com  Author Heather Macht is donating a signed copy of her picture book You May Just Be a Dinosaur Heather Macht, author of YOU MAY JUST BE A DINOSAUR (Pelican, 2015), THE ANT FARM ESCAPE! (Pelican, 2018), and REX THE...WE DON'T KNOW (Pelican, 2019), is an active children's author who has been creating stories since the third grade! She earned her AA in fine arts from Florida State College at Jacksonville and held a career in the I.T. world before becoming a full-time writer and mom. Macht’s an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and lives with her family in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. In her spare time, she dwells in poetry and picture books and enjoys painting. Visit her at www.heathermacht.com  Penny Candy Books is donating a copy of H Is For Haiku: A Treasury of Haiku from A to Z by Sydell Rosenberg with illustrations and lettering by Sawsan Chalabi PENNY CANDY BOOKS is a small independent press whose books spark big conversations between kids and their adults. Our mission is to publish children’s literature by and about people and subjects that speak to a broad range of human experience. Please visit us at www.pennycandybooks.com or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Let the Haiku Hype begin! 
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 I am so happy to have this wonderful lady join the team! Poetry is in her blood and I'm grateful that she'll be helping me with the contest. Let's meet my third guest-judge, children's author and poet, Jennifer Cole Judd! Before we get to Jennifer's interview and learn what she's up to and what advice she has for the young poets, I'd like to remind you that the contest is not open yet. You can certainly have your students start writing their haiku, but send us your entries when the contest opens on Monday, 4/09/18 and no later than 4/27/18. Here's Jennifer Cole Judd! 1. Are you excited about being a judge on the Haiku Hype Poetry Contest for Kids? How do you feel about helping kids get inspired to write? Yes, absolutely! I love writing poetry, and haiku are so much fun to write. I especially love motivating kids to find their inner poets. I have done several poetry workshops and presentations at schools to inspire a love of poetry in kids; poetry packs a punch in a small space, so it's a great way for kids to express themselves and share emotions, ideas, and messages in a powerful way. 2. What advice can you give the students, teachers and librarians who might consider participating in the contest? Read lots of haiku! Look around in your environment for inspiration. Lots of haiku are about nature, but you can write funny, thoughtful, or emotional poems on just about any topic. Think of things you love--sports, animals, a best friend, recess, a snow day, funny TV shows, teasing a sibling, ice cream. . . the sky is the limit. And whatever the topic, always think outside the box--be creative! 3. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a writer. What are you currently working on and what are you looking forward to? What are your latest news that you can share with our readers? I wrote poems as a young child, and have been writing children's poems for many years for magazines such as Cricket, Spider, and Highlights High Five. I have two books published; one is an anthology of spooky poems, one is a picture book. I am currently working on several picture book manuscripts, two of which are out on submission right now. My picture book, Circus Train made Amazon's Holiday Toy List for 2017, which was exciting, and I am looking forward to having some poems published this year in Cricket magazine. Thank you, Jennifer. I can't wait for the contest to open so we can start reading all the haikus the kids will write. Yay!  Jennifer Cole Judd has dreamed of joining the circus, but for now she’s content with writing children’s poetry and books and perfecting her juggling act with her children and little dog. Her poems and stories have appeared in several children’s magazines. She coedited and contributed to An Eyeball in My Garden, a spooky middle-grade poetry anthology featuring fourteen children’s poets. Circus Train is her first picture book. Jennifer currently resides in Texas. Learn more: www.jennifercolejudd.com  As the circus train rolls into town, excited children and their parents get in line for their chance to experience the Big Top. Clowns paint faces and people scurry to their seats. Then the show begins, wrapping readers in all the wonders of the circus. Dancing elephants, flipping trapeze artists, and pie-throwing clowns captivate both young and old. Jennifer Cole Judd’s text is a treat for the ears with its simple, evocative rhymes, while Melanie Matthews’s delightful illustrations capture the fun and spectacle of the circus. Ages 2-6.
 Soon it will be time to hop on the Haiku Hype train! As we all get ready for a fun ride, it's my pleasure to introduce to you our second guest-judge who will help me evaluate the submissions. She's a children's author and a poet who will bring her expertise to the team and offer her argument for picking the top favorite poems. In other words, I've got one more person to have a virtual pillow fight with when the time comes to select the winners :) So, without further ado, please welcome Heather Macht! Here's a short interview with Heather where you can find out more about her, her work and read Heather's advice to the contestants: Q: Are you excited about being on the judge panel of the Haiku Hype Kids Poetry Contest? How do you feel about helping kids get inspired to write? A: Hi, Rosie! I'm very excited to be a judge on the Haiku Hype Kids Poetry Contest. Not only is poetry my favorite thing to read, it's also my favorite thing to write. Needless to say, I'm SO excited to help everyone get inspired to write poetry and see what this talented group of kids comes up with! Q: What advice can you give the students, teachers and librarians who might consider participating in the contest? A: My advice is simple: go for it! Getting creative and thinking outside the box is extremely fun and rewarding. Not only will you flex your academic muscles (as you try to keep within the syllable count) you'll also boost your imagination. And, as Albert Einstein once said: "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." How can you argue with that? ;) Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a writer. What are you currently working on and what are you looking forward to? What are your latest news that you can share with our readers? A: My journey, I distinctly remember, started in the third grade when I turned a science project about dinosaurs into a creative writing assignment. Of course, this was not approved by the teacher (and I may have gotten into a wee bit of trouble), but I continued writing and eventually got a book about dinosaurs published! My first picture book, YOU MAY JUST BE A DINOSAUR, which mixes fun dino-facts with silly scenarios, was released in 2015. I have two more picture books: THE ANT FARM ESCAPE! and REX THE…WE DON’T KNOW, being released in 2019, and couldn’t be happier. I have so many new stories in the works right now, and I’m really excited about them. Some of my favorites revolve around fun monsters, so stay tuned for upcoming news! Thank you, Heather! I love how you persisted with your dino story and it paid off so wonderfully. And I completely agree with you and Albert Einstein about the power of imagination and where it can take you--the possibilities are limitless. I hope everyone takes your advice and just goes for it! If you'd like to read some haiku poems by Heather, visit her blog here where she shared a haiku poem a day for Poetry Month in 2016 to celebrate nature and expression.  Heather Macht, author of YOU JUST MAY BE A DINOSAUR (Pelican, 2015), THE ANT FARM ESCAPE! (Pelican, 2018), and REX THE...WE DON'T KNOW (Pelican, 2019), is an active children's author who has been creating stories since the third grade! She earned her AA in fine arts from Florida State College at Jacksonville and held a career in the I.T. world before becoming a full-time writer and mom. Macht’s an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and lives with her family in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. In her spare time, she dwells in poetry and picture books and enjoys painting. For more, visit www.heathermacht.com.  Do you think that you may be a dinosaur? If your claws puncture kickballs, you use a whole tree to brush your teeth, and your tail spikes always rip through your pants, it’s possible that you may just be a dinosaur. Apatosaurus chomps and Velociraptor romps in this hilarious, informative rhyming picture book. Bright illustrations show children the tail-thumping chaos a Spinosaurus could cause trying to find dinner in a refrigerator and why a T. rex should never, ever try to take the school bus. Featuring information on dinosaurs’ sizes, diets, health, and social lives, You May Just Be a Dinosaur is a prehistoric parade of the funniest, punniest, chummiest dinos you’ll ever see in the schoolyard.  Stay tuned for the reveal of
Mystery Judge #3  April is poetry month and for a while, I've had something very special in the works that, as I envision it, will revive poetry celebration among children. It will also, I hope, encourage poetic expression, especially at times of overwhelming emotions with which kids might be struggling. This nationwide event I've been preparing is meant to support budding poets and attract new ones, who may not have thought of themselves as very creative or poetic up to this point. I'd like to challenge all children to try and discover the joy of writing, in this case, by creating their very own haiku. I've given my readers a little preview of my upcoming Haiku Hype Kids Poetry Contest, but there are more goodies and surprises to be revealed. The anticipation is growing and so. . . Today, I'm unveiling one important part of the event. I'd like to introduce the first of our mystery judges! Please welcome children's poet, author and artist, Raven Howell! I wanted to ask Raven a few questions so our readers and future contestants get to know her better. Here's what Raven shared with us: I am excitedly looking forward to reading the contest haiku submissions - every one will be appreciated, and it's such a joy to be on the judging team. Children and students most often pull out the most fabulous ideas and create little poetic masterpieces if they give it a try. I've found the child that feels hopeless as a writer or "not good at that type of thing" usually ends up writing a unique and appealing poem, using a quirky word or interesting phrase or theme! To inspire kids to write, they should know they don't necessarily have to consider themselves great writers. There are so many forms of poetry to have fun with, bending words and scribbling ideas one has pondered over. My advice to students, teachers and librarians participating in the contest is to read and absorb at least one really good published haiku poem and let the spark from it take you to your own 3-liner! I'd also add that when possible, perhaps some of the submissions could be published or posted―whether that's in the school paper, a flyer in the library announcing the "haiku hype" writers, a FaceBook page, or on the bulletin board in the classroom. That motivates! Here's a classic famous haiku known for its simplistic beauty and the way it stirs the senses: An old silent pond... A frog jumps into the pond, splash! Silence again. -Basho Matsuo I have several haiku poems published in my book, Shimmer, Songs of Night. Presently, one of my writing projects involves tanka which is another interesting and challenging poetry form to check out and try writing! With my agent's suggestion and guidance, I'm also working on a concept board book series written in prose. I have several upcoming rhyming picture book releases on the horizon, and I just became newly signed with a publisher for a children's book about the seasons that is written in a long poem format―and this is my first announcement on it! Meanwhile, I can't wait to read haiku from this fabulous upcoming contest! What a terrific opportunity for young aspiring writers and to those who just want to have some fun. I have no doubt we will be receiving some poetry gems! Thank you so much, Raven! It's great to have you on board. Congratulations on all of your success―I am honored to get your first announcement for your newest book contract happen on my blog. I can't wait to see the seasons book and for the world to have it! Well, I've got more mystery judges to reveal soon so stay tuned.      Raven is the author and poet of several children’s books, and most recently authored Shimmer, Songs of Night (Spork), and A Star Full of Sky (Daffydowndilly Press) which won the Royal Dragonfly and Pinnacle award for Best Children’s Poetry book. She writes poetry for a variety of magazines such as Highlights for Children, Ladybug, Bumples, Stinkwaves, Fun for Kidz, Cricket, Spider, Buds, Babybug, Hello Highlights, and High Five. Her work is included in anthologies, DVD’s and CD’s. Raven has received awards for poetry from the SCBWI and Poetry Soup, and enjoys presenting children’s writing workshops in libraries and to classrooms. She lives in the Northeast with her husband, Elsie, their terrier, and a mischievous Ragamuffin cat named Lilac. Ravendelights in keeping track of her college bound kids, spending sunny days seaside, and munching on warm butterscotch chip cookies out of the oven. Visit her website: www.ravenhowell.com
 The wait is finally over and we have the results! Yes, it's time to announce the winners. But before I do, I'd like to thank every child who wrote a story and participated ― you are brave, creative, and you took action! You should be proud of yourself. It might seem like a small step, but it's a really important one because "Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." ―Gail Devers The judges and I had a great time reading each and every story! We all pulled for our favorites, arranged and rearranged our choices, discussed and reconsidered the submissions according to the evaluation criteria. As a reminder, the stories were judged based on the following: connection to the theme (Pets), originality, twist, use of literary devices, creativity and overall appeal of the story/writing. We saw strong writing, imaginative plots, and we really loved the twists! So picking the winners was not an easy task, but we had to stick to the rules. (We still couldn't help it and threw in some extra recognition in the end.) Once again, thank you all for entering the KWEST Contest and a special thank you to all the teachers and librarians who assisted the students in sending their submissions. We hope you'll participate again next year when we'll make the competition even bigger and better! I know you're all impatient to find out who the winners are. Just one more announcement before I reveal the results. In April, which is poetry month, I am opening a poetry contest called Haiku Hype. I'll be giving away a kids Kindle e-reader plus a bunch of other cool prizes! Teachers will have a chance to win something, too. So stay tuned for guidelines when I announce the opening of the contest and be ready to jump in. It'll be fun!  Participate in Haiku Hype in April for a chance to win a Kindle for kids! Teachers and Librarians who submit their students' poems will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a Starbucks gift card. Don't miss this amazing contest.  And now...Drum roll, please!   Sprinkler by Parker N. (3rd Grade, Van Elementary, IN) Once upon a time I had a hamster named Sprinkler. I build hamster tubes they ran all over the house even outside! Sooner or later he was loving the tubes. Rumble! Rumble! Crash! Crack! Boom! The hamster tubes broke and Sprinkler got out. We looked everywhere he wasn't anywhere. Until I heard Spat! A truck just came by red was on the road. He's gone. He couldn't be gone he couldn't. Two days later I heard rustling in the bushes then a small hamster comes out Sprinkler your back Mom Sprinkler is back!  Life by Chloe L. (3rd Grade, George H. Mitchell Elementary, MA) My name is Jack. I live on the streets of New York. You might feel bad for me. Nothing to eat, being shivering in the cold in the winter, but life is not that bad. Enough hot dog carts to steal food from. Enough rain water to drink. Enough love from pigeons when they purposely drop poop on your head. On winter nights I sleep in the dumpster because there might be some leftover coffee. Life was good. One day my life changed. I woke up to the sweet smell of hot dogs. I followed the smell as dawn began to rise. All of a sudden, I was in a van. A girl named Megan was taking me to her apartment. She is the most kind girl I know. I know what you are thinking, "Why wouldn't I run away from a stranger?" I was a street dog. I could now imagine being a pet. Now I like it. Life is good.  Yes pet No pet by Braelynn Jones (3rd Grade, Van Elementary, IN) Pets. Pets pets pets. A lot of people have pets. They come in all shapes and sizes. They come from all over the world. Also they come in all kinds of different breeds. Dogs, cats, birds. You name it. "Mom dad!" "I want a pet." Yelled Suki. "But you're to young." Mom said. "No I'm not." Replied Suki. "Tell you what." Dad said. "You have to show us you can take care of a robot first then we'll make a decision." "Yay." Suki yelled. So Suki and her parents went to pick up the robot in the shop. When they got home Suki went to work with the robot. She played with it fed it led it on a walk. Also dad wasn't very happy when he found out Suki fed the robot his nails and bolts. After Suki's trial with the robot her parents made the decision. "Can I please have a pet." Suki pleaded. "No!"  The Blue Fox by Alaina N. (3rd Grade, Van Elementary, IN) Once there was a blue for he lived in a small cave house on the east side of foxvill. So let me tell you how I feel about being the only blue fox in the world yup it's me the blue fox. When I was born my mom thought that I was sick so she took me to the doctor he said there was nothing wrong with me so I went home. When I got older I went to school it was horrible everyone made fun of me. When I was walking home one day a giant grabbed me and brought me to there house. They put me in a cage in a big room. Then another giant came in and looked at me the held me and hugged. I was a pet now and it was weird. Then I noticed that the giant that was hugging me was blue too! I live with the giant now. I love it.  Doggy Daycare Blues by Kristin W. (3rd Grade, George H. Mitchell Elementary, Bridgewater, MA) How is a little Chihuahua like me supposed to survive in Doggy Daycare with a dog like Max? He's the meanest German shepherd in Daycare. Minding my own business, I went to lie down on the dog bed. Max pushed me out of the way and jumped on the bed while laughing at me. Later on at lunch, Max's food fell into the water and was no good. Even though Max isn't very nice to me, I pushed my food over and offered to share. Max was surprised by my offer but happy to have some food to eat. After realizing how mean he was to me, Max apologized for the way he had been treating me. That afternoon Max and I played together will all the toys. I said to Max "It was a good day, see you tomorrow." I guess Doggy Daycare wasn't so bad after all. Max and I are now best friends. ~ ~ ~ (*No edits have been done―stories typed as received ** None of the judges had any affiliation with the schools or teachers submitting and judging was done blindly.) HONORABLE MENTIONS: Macy the Lazy Cat by Hope H. (3rd Grade) A Cat's Tale by Jillian K. (3rd Grade) Toy Animals by Braeden S. (3rd Grade)   Note to the teachers and librarians from the winning schools: Please have children who placed in 1st through 3rd place pick their choice of prize from the appropriate box in the prizes chart (find it here) and send me their preference, i.e. Amazon or Toys R Us gift card, choice of book etc. Also, please send me your school's mailing address and name of teacher/librarian recipient. If I don't hear from you in the next three days, I'll just pick for the students and mail the prizes. Prizes and special certificates will be on their way to the winners soon! Thank you all again! A huge shout out to the wonderful judges for their time and contribution. Kids, keep writing, reading, and creating!  The KWEST contest is now open! I am happy to introduce this new feature on my blog for elementary school students in grades 3-5 that will run periodically (no set schedule for now). This is a nationwide competition for creative writing with a theme, a twist and , of course, PRIZES! Teachers and librarians will have 30 days from the contest opening date to submit the best entries that they select to send me (see rules for the stories below). Please use the contact form at the bottom of this post and include the following with your submission: --The student's first name & last name initial --What grade they are in --The name of your school --The city and state Prizes awarded will be for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. UPDATE: We are adding 4th and 5th place prizes as well! (Check below for the current list.) Speaking of prizes . . . Third place will get one of my books of their choice (valued between $10.99-$16.99). Second place prize is a boy or girl Lego set (valued between $15-$20). First prize is a $25 Amazon or Toys R Us gift card (winner's choice)! The three winning stories will be posted on my blog and bragging rights awarded with a special certificate :) UPDATE: Author and Contest Judge, Jenna Grodzicki, will also donate a copy of one of her books to each of the first three winners! Are you excited yet? Here are the story crafting rules: 1. Write a short story of no more than 160 words with a title, a beginning, middle and end. (Title not included in the word count.) 2. The story MUST have a twist of some kind (like a surprising ending). 3. The story must be related to the theme announced for each competition. It's time to announce the theme for this installment . . . and it is . . . PETS! Any type of pet -- real or imaginary. You can make your story funny, sweet, scary, clever, gross etc. Just remember to have a twist at the end. Judging will be handled by our panel of professional writers and educators (listed below). Stories will be evaluated based on craft, execution, originality, use of literary devices, and how clever and surprising the twist is. The contest closes on 2/16 at 11:59 p.m. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments. There's a PDF file attached with the contest rules for teachers and librarians to print and distribute to students, just add the date you'd like the entries turned in, then submit to me no later than 2/16/18. I can't wait to read your submissions. Good luck! Now, ready? Set! Go! *By submitting, you agree to allow me to post the winning story on my website and use excerpts for promotional purposes. The contest is now closed. The judges are reading and evaluating submissions. Results and winners will be posted soon!
 Judges Panel:
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Check out the list of cool prizes!!!   Last week, I suddenly felt in such a giving mood that I started something I call #MissionJoyGiveaway. I'll explain in a moment, but let me first say this. This idea has been circling in my mind for quite a while now – every time I think about my calling, my purpose, my mark in the world and the ripple effect I want to create through what I love doing most, which is writing and creating books for children. But I haven't been able to fully grasp the "how" in executing it. How can I speak the right words at the right time to the kids who desperately need them? How will I find my audience? How will I deliver my message? When I was little, I was very sensitive to words spoken to me. I often longed to hear words of encouragement, understanding, validation . . . from the people closest to me. But I never did. So when I became an author, I knew that I wanted to make an impact. I knew that words were free while they were priceless, and that the right words could be powerful enough to affect a life. At the same time, I felt stuck and bummed by not reaching enough people or not reaching the right people, because I was somehow restricted by outside circumstances (or so I believed) or personal limitations: lack of marketing skills, not enough time, not enough resources etc. How can I have my message heard if it's not reaching people? And then came divine intervention. It all clicked. Words are free. They're priceless. Asking gives you the answers you need. I got it! I can spread joy through my words without worrying about resources or marketing skills or overwhelming tasks. Sooo . . . #MissionJoyGiveaway was born! Forget about the fancy-schmancy gadgets as gifts. Let's go back to "the sticks and the stones" (they're still around, even after all this technology that surrounds us). So are the words and the handwritten letters. I can send those gifts out – personal, meaningful, inspiring. And I know who to ask in helping me find the recipients.  I reached out to a group of elementary school librarians and asked them to message me if they could think of any needy student or one who wishes for a book, but might not get one, or a child going through a tough time who could use a personalized card/letter of encouragement from a children's author. Or perhaps a whole class that might need to get excited about reading, books or writing. Anything that I can do to make a difference with a note, a kind word, or a book. Soon after I posted, I got my first message. It was about a first grader who had just lost her mom to cancer, lives in poverty and will be moving in with her grandma. Heartbreaking. I have just the right book for her, Sarah's Song, to accompany my letter and I hope those give her some small joy or a bit of peace as she's going through this painful time. 
When I shared my idea for #MissionJoyGiveaway with a writer friend, she told me about another family in need – a single mom of four who recently lost their house and all their belongings in a fire and are now living in a hotel. My friend said, "The kids can sure use a book to read as they are getting bored in that hotel room." They will be getting some books from me, as well. Books are also going to Inova Life with Cancer in Virginia and I will keep writing notes and letters throughout this month. 'Tis the season and it makes me jolly to be able to help in some small way. I'd like to extend an invitation to anyone who'd love to be a part of this, especially my fellow authors: Please join me in #MissionJoyGiveaway and reach out to your communities and beyond to seek kids in need and send them notes, letters or books. Brighten a child's holiday this season! Let's spread the word and the joy with #MissionJoyGiveaway  Callie Metler-Smith is my publisher and the owner of Clear Fork Media Group, Stamford American, and Clear Fork Publishing. She also owns a bookstore, she's a busy mom, author, illustrator, and a business lady. Callie wears many hats, I don't know how she does it all, but it's amazing to know her! It's always fun talking to Callie, so it's a pleasure to interview her on my blog for people to get to know her -- she's up to something new and exciting every time! And today, she'll share details about a special project in the works -- you're getting the scoop directly from the source. Q: Welcome Callie! I'm so happy to have you over and chat about the upcoming anthology, A Hug for the World, which is an amazing collaboration of so many talented creatives, including you, not only as the publisher, but as a contributor as well. So let's dive in and talk about the idea for the anthology? How was the concept born? What prompted the creation of the book? A: The anthology actually came about in several stages. A few months ago before Hurricane Harvey had happened, I got a submission of a short story for kids from one of my authors, Sascha Terry. Sascha's story was amazing, but it was too long to really be a picture book and too short to be a chapter book. I told him I thought it would be best as a short story in a bigger book. The same week, one of my son's friends died suddenly. She was only a week away from her 12th birthday and the circumstances were very sad. It made a huge impression on my son and I voiced my concern to several of the authors about kids being forced to grow up too fast with bullying and other factors in the world. After some discussion several mentioned having stories or art that matched the theme . . . A Hug Felt around the World. We kicked it around and then Hurricane Harvey happened. It deeply impacted several of our own authors and illustrators and it seemed like a natural fit to continue with the idea. The project was renamed "A Hug for the World". We felt the world was fitting because the contributors are from not only all over the United States, but all over the world such as Poland, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Q: Tell us more about what's included in the anthology? What can readers expect? What's the most awesome thing about it and how is it different than anything else you've done/published so far? A: Readers can expect a little bit of everything. There are many poems for children, short stories, and many pieces of art from the Clear Fork Publishing family. Not only did our authors and illustrators contribute but some of our in office staff did. The best part is that each person's contribution is true to their personal style. The most amazing thing is to see all of that talent combined in one place. Q: How many contributors are there? Can you mention some names? A: We have around 60 contributors. It is hard to single out my favorites because I love all of them so much, but Poet Johnny Moore kicks us off with his poem "A Hug for the World" with an illustration by Vanessa Newton, Carina Povarchik provided our breathtaking cover and Cindy Vattathil provided a beautiful illustration for our title page of the Houston skyline. The whole anthology is basically a who's who of the Clear Fork Publishing Family. There is also a wonderful poem by Rosie J. Pova! Q: What is your goal and hope for A Hug for the World? What do you what to say to the readers and your customers? A: My main goal for A Hug for the World is to add beauty and hope to the destruction that was Hurricane Harvey. It is Clear Fork Publishing's way of doing our part to help in the best we way we know how to. I also want it to say to readers that there is so much good that can come out of bad things, and I think the common theme of Hope, Love, Peace, and a hug carry through the whole book. Q: Where can people order the book? A: The book will be available through the Clear Fork Publishing website here or on Amazon and Barnes and Noble's websites.  A Hug for the World Q: What else are you working on that your can share with us at this time? An exciting project or two? A: We have so many great books that have just come out and several slated to come out before the end of the year. I'm personally very excited about the release of my first Picture book called "Ben's West Texas Snow" which is set to be released in November. We also have a fantastic poetry book called "Shimmer" that will release on October 17th. Q: What is your vision for CFP for the next five years? What do you hope to accomplish going forward? What do you work toward that is important for the house? A: CFP's main goal over the next 5 years is to continue to produce books we believe in and add diversity and creativity into the marketplace. I've mainly been busy building a focus as we move forward of defining more what our voice is in the world as an independent publisher. I would love to see Clear Fork grow into some of the smaller houses that I love and carry in my bookstore such as Sleeping Bear Press. We have been so blessed to have some wonderful editors join our team in the last year. Q: Any advice to writers and illustrators who might want to submit to you in the future? I'm always looking for unique work and love seeing people's creativity. While we are currently closed to picture books, I'm hoping we will be able to open at some point around the first of next year. Thank you, Callie, for taking the time to do this interview. I hope readers all over the globe get to read A Hug for the World and feel the love, peace, and hope. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Callie Metler-Smith is the owner of Clear Fork Media Group in Stamford, Texas. She has owned the Stamford American (a small community newspaper) since 2009 and Clear Fork Publishing since 2014. When not working at her corner of the Stamford Square, she spends time with her husband, Philip, her sons Logan and Ben, and her niece Sadey.  If the classic picture book structure is your favorite and you want to stick with it, make sure you hit all the important points when drafting your story. Here's an easy model to follow – apply it to your manuscript spread by spread, find what's missing or where your pace is disturbed, then modify, mold, and master! [For a 32-page picture book, you'll have fourteen spreads in which to fit your story.] 1. Introduce your main character (MC) and show us something interesting or special about him/her: skills, quirks, relationships etc. This is also where you set the expectation of tone, type of story, and voice. 2. Establish the MC's normal world. What's the setting? Does the setting play a special role in your story? 3. Develop MC even further. What does he/she want? You might introduce a secondary character. 4. Inciting incident: something happens that disturbs the "normal" and prompts the MC to take action. The MC needs to do something about it, either to restore the balance or to take a step toward their goal/desire that they've had at the beginning. 5. First try: MC fails and the situation gets worse. This failure also brings a little change in him/her. It helps the MC learn more about the world or himself. 6. Second try: MC fails again. Tension escalates. MC has a bit of a different perspective. He learns something from this failure, too. 7. Third try: MC fails once again. This time it seems like all is lost and there's no way out of the mess. 8. MC reflects on the situation and contemplates his next move. MC gets past the defeat, finds hope, and the motivation to try again. 9. MC gathers his/her strength and skills learned from previous experience and makes a decision to solve his/her problem in a different way. 10. The preparation: does the MC need to gather supplies, resources or dig deeper to ensure success this time? 11. Final battle. The MC makes the biggest effort here, using all of his/her previous lessons learned and new resources. 12. MC wins! He/she solves the problem. You can use a twist, a surprise, or a clever solution here. The most important thing is that no one else solves the problem for your MC. It should not feel like a coincidence, either. The more original this part is, the more of the "golden factor" your book will have. Don't use the first idea that comes to mind. Search further and think outside-the-box. 13. A satisfying ending. MC might not get exactly what he/she wanted, but what they need. Tie it back to the beginning. 14. MC is changed as a result of his journey. Show the "new normal" for your MC with a hint of what the future might look like for them. Finish on a positive, hopeful or humorous note, depending on the tone and type of story. Make sure it matches what you've established for the story's world from the get-go. That's it! There's some wiggle room here and there, but overall this model should give you some guidance on how to develop your classic structured picture book. This is only the frame to get you started with your draft. As for the rest of the elements that make for a great picture book, like an original idea, vocabulary, voice, literary devices, imagery, page turns, illustration potential etc., those are subject to future posts. Happy creating! Leave a comment and share your biggest challenges, advice or thoughts on crafting your classic structured picture book.   You can't wait any longer? Are you this excited? I know I am and so, as promised, it's time for Sarah's Song cover reveal . . .  Ta-da!  I know I'm partial, but I give it two thumbs up! Thank you, Emma Allen, for the beautiful art! It's a great honor to have you as a partner for this book and I can't wait for us to share it with the world (releases 9/05/17, will be available for pre-order soon). I believe kids will give it two thumbs up, too.  |
About the Author
Rosie J. Pova is a prolific children's writer, a wife and a mother of three.
Ever since childhood, Rosie has had a passion for writing and has been fascinated with the power of words. She has written essays, short stories and poetry in Bulgarian and French as a young girl, but as a grown-up, her writing gave way to family, jobs and just life. Until 2004, when she revisited her love for story-making, a few years after becoming a mom. Rosie is originally from Bulgaria now living in Texas with her husband and three kids. She writes primarily for children of all age groups, as well as poetry. Rosie dreams of inviting many readers into her make-believe worlds and hopes to touch hearts with her words. Rosie J. Pova is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency. Archives
April 2018
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