Poetry Friday - Revisiting Poetry Challange

Last year on the first Friday in February Jenn, Lisa and I challanged each other to create poems with the highest average Scrabble point value per letter. We are making it an annual event and would welcome anyone and everyone to join the challange. I'm reposting my entry from last year to give you the idea. The one rule we've added is a minimum of 125 letters (which would have made my entry too short).

An HP Ditty

Wizardly quizzes
Quidditch game flights
Phoenix quilled wand
JK's dazzling delights

Average letter score (title not included): 2.8194 (203 points, 72 letters)

Links to last year's other entries: Jenn's entry

Lisa's entry

The 2010 Scrabble challange is next Friday (Feb. 5) for anyone interested.

This week Poetry Friday is hosted by Anastasia Suen. Thank you Anastasia!

SCBWI-Illinois Jan Dundon/Mary Harris Russell Program

Jan Dundon and Mary Harris Russell

Today's presentation by Jan Dundon (Anderson's Bookshop) and Mary Harris Russell (Chicago Tribune children's book reviewer) was fantastic. I left feeling excited, enlightened and energized to write.

Both touched upon the ALA awards (to be announced Monday):

Mary Harris Russell predicts: Newbery to THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly; honors to WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead and CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Philip Hoose. Prinz to MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD by Francisco X. Stork (and this is a book she really likes).

Anderson's Mock Newbery winner: 11 BIRTHDAYS by Wendy Mass

There were a couple books that Jan talked about that I'd really like to mention:

1) MIRROR MIRROR: A BOOK OF REVERSIBLE VERSE by Marilyn Singer, il Josee Masse (due out 3/4/2010) I can't even describe how the author can write a verse, presents the same lines in reverse order on the neighboring page and they both sound wonderful, with unique feeling. This is the book I wrote "WOW!" next to (instead of using a simple asteric).

2) 14 COWS FOR AMERICA by Carmen Agra Deedy w/ Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, il Thomas Gonzalez. True story that will touch deeply about a gift to our hurting nation following 9/11. The book is published by Peachtree. Web site: www.14cowsforamerica.com

3) ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS, Neil Gaiman, il Brett Helquist Jan called it a very different style book from Neil Gaiman. It is based on Norse mythology. That's enough to interest this writer since my own father was born in Sweden. Then add Mr. Gaiman's talent -- I want the book.