I’m happy to say that an article I wrote about the importance of stories in children’s literature has been accepted by The California Reader, published by California Reading Association. No publication date yet but I assume it will appear sometime in 2026. On a recent podcast interview by SAM BOMMARITO, we talked about the need for good stories for young readers and that prompted me to write an article on the subject. I sent it to The California Reader and it was accepted within twenty-four hours. I am honored.
I’m glad to say that BARBARA LOOTS (rhymes with coats) has now been added to Poetry from Daily Life Free Video Library. Her column appeared in the newspaper series on August 18, 2024. We caught up with Barbara on an island in Ontario, Canada and she recorded the column for the library.
Barbara, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, is another poet who found her calling early and was writing poems by 3rd grade. She says she even made a book of her poems but her piano teacher suggested that she keep practicing the piano. Favorite audience? “I like to write for people with a sense of humor.” Two books that gave her pleasure to write are Road Trip and The Beekeeper and other love poems. She says a unique fact about her is being herself. Hard to argue about that! Barbara currently has poems online at Asses of Parnassus, Light Poetry Magazine, and Pulsebeat. She is also in the current issue of Light as the Review Editor.
Barbara and I worked together as editors at Hallmark Cards in the 1960-70s. I’m delighted to reconnect these many years later as poets working on the same project. Thank you, Barbara! And thanks to all who will take a moment to send this link along to others who enjoy good poems and learning about the poets who write them.
I hope you have enjoyed the long weekend. We’re still stuffing on leftovers and looking forward to every meal. As I told you last week, BRIAN SHIPMAN has now finished recording and posting the final eight contributions to Poetry from Daily Life Free Video Library and I want to make sure you know about each of them. I’ll start with REBECCA KAI DOTLICH.
Rebecca lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. She began to find the fun and magic in words as a child and her ally was her dad, who wrote silly poems for her and with her. She attended Indiana University in Bloomington, has served twice on the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children Committee and others and is an award-winning author of more than twenty books for children. She often teams with Georgia Heard to conduct poetry workshops.
Did you enjoy the poems contributed in November that were inspired by the word “aware”? I did. My thanks to poets BRYN STRUDWICK (from England), ROBERT SCHECHTER (twice), SUSAN BICKEL, ROBIN HARRISON WILLIAMS, SU HUTCHENS, WILLIAM PYLES, DEBORAH WILLIAMS, and one other (whose name is not made clear in the post. I’m grateful to you all for joining in the monthly exercise with me.
I’ve chosen to repeat a word previously used almost sixteen years ago in January 2010 — TIME. It’s a good word filled with all sorts of stories. I look forward to reading the results! Know anyone out there who might enjoy posting an effort here? Send out the word!
Children's Author David L. Harrison's Blog 