[New post] Poetry Friday: Celebrating the 7th anniversary of ONE MINUTE TILL BEDTIME
Matt Forrest Esenwine posted: " It was Nov. 1, 2016 when U.S. Children's Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt's children's poetry anthology, One Minute Till Bedtime (Little, Brown for Young Readers), hit bookshelves across the country. Was it really seven years ago? I was very proud to" Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme
It was Nov. 1, 2016 when U.S. Children's Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt's children's poetry anthology, One Minute Till Bedtime (Little, Brown for Young Readers), hit bookshelves across the country.
Was it really seven years ago?
I was very proud to be one of the more than 130 poets included in the book, not only because it was such a beautiful, well-received book (illustrated by New York Times illustrator Christoph Niemann), but because it was the sixth book of children's poetry to which I had contributed. Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) would not be published until the following year, so for someone whose career was just beginning to take off, every anthology was a huge step for me.
And what a step it was! I found myself sharing pages with folks like J. Patrick Lewis, Jane Yolen, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nikki Grimes, Charles Ghigna, David Harrison, Marilyn Singer, and many others I now call friends.
Over the years, Pat and Lee invited me to participate in several of their anthologies, I co-wrote Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021) with Charles, co-wrote an animal poetry collection with David (that is still out on submission), and have worked with Jane, Nikki, and Marilyn on a couple of my own projects. This children's poetry community in which I've found myself has been like one big supportive family, and I'm grateful for all the guidance and friendship I've received.
(c) 2016 Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, all rights reserved
The premise of the book is that it's comprised of short, 60-second(ish) poems for kids to add to the end of their day, after the kids have been read to and are tucked in bed. When a child asks, "Can we read one more thing?" you can pull this out! If you have yet to pick up a copy, I hope you'll consider doing so.
I also hope you'll stop by Buffy Silverman's blog, where she is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup with a celebration of snowflakes, maple trees, and her new book, On a Flake-Flying Day!
VIRTUAL or IN-PERSON, I'm booking author visits for the 2023-24 shool year!
I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students' ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I'll be discussing dinosaur breath or origami sea turtles!
If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library,or other organization, please email me at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!
Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!
You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don't Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I've been part of!
Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They'll contact me, I'll stop by and sign it, and then they'll ship it! (Plus, you'll be supporting your local bookseller – and won't that make you feel good?)
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