Wishing you a pleasant, meaningful weekend

Hi everyone,

I’m taking off a couple of days to goo foff. Don’t know what we’ll do yet. Our buddy from Kansas City, Elaine Fry, is in town so it will be good to see her.

Yesterday on Facebook I caught a glimpse of David Harrison Elementary from the air, which gave an excellent view of the size and scope of the building plus the beautiful setting, but it disappeared before I could capture it. I want to track it down for my records and also to show you.

I hope you’ve seen the poem I did for Tim Rasinski’s post for Memorial Day — https://www.facebook.com/timothy.rasinski/posts/10222982685889230?notif_id=1622144539782656&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged&ref=notif — and the library post — https://thelibrary.org/kids/blogs/article.cfm?aid=6560 — about my summer reading workshop next week on the 2nd and 3rd.

Until Monday or so, be well and safe.

David

Thank you

Hi everyone,

Tim Rasinski asked if I had a Memorial Day poem in my files so he could use it on his post today. I didn’t have one so I wrote a poem for him. You can read it at https://www.facebook.com/timothy.rasinski/posts/10222982685889230?notif_id=1622144539782656&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged&ref=notif Thank you, Tim.

Going to see “my” kids!

Hi everyone,

It’s going to be a good day. At 12:00 I’ll participate in a Zoom meeting with editors at Shell Professional Books and my writing partners in a new book to be with Laura Robb and Tim Rasinski. We already have an agreement to write the book but need to address more of the details prior to a contract being drafted and sent our ways in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Missouri to sign. I can’t start my part before I finish work on the current project with Scholastic, but I’m now within a few weeks from completing that one and eager to begin work on something new.

After the noon meeting I’ll just have time to make a 1:00 visit to David Harrison Elementary School! Yes!! First time I’ve been there this school year, and the last day of classes is tomorrow. Whew! I was worried I wouldn’t get to see the kids and teachers this year but this afternoon I’ll be walking with the principal, Shawn DeWitt, up and down the halls, poking my head into classrooms to wave or pause to say hello. It will be so good.

Last evening Sandy and I went out to eat at a restaurant managed by our grandson Tyler Williams, and a lovely young college student (Regan) who served us (beautifully) was not only a former Harrison student, when the school opened in 2009, she was a 3rd grader and helped cut the ribbon to officially mark the occasion. Is that cool or what?

Good to the last drop

Hi everyone,

We had a great weekend from start to finish and want to thank you all for sending anniversary wishes. We read and relished each one. They really meant a lot to us and added so much to the pleasure of the occasion. We topped it off with a good visit with Robin and Tim to see the new roof on their back deck (thank you, Tim, for the take-home sliders for lunch today) and capped it all with champagne (thank you, Jeff and Jennifer) poolside enjoying the night sounds and views of Goose Lake.

Now to work and a busy week. On Tuesday, Kathy Temean features THE DIRT BOOK on her wonderful blog. On Wednesday, Laura Robb, Tim Rasinski, and I have a Zoom meeting with our editors at Teacher Created Materials about the new book we’re about to start with them. And on Thursday a short piece I wrote about why children should write poetry will be posted on the Springfield-Greene County Public Library blog.

Meanwhile, it’s time to polish the first twelve poems for the Tim Rasinski-Mary Jo Fresch collaboration for Corwin and get in another lick or two on a trade book proposal I’m hot to finish. On we march.

A new book soon to be underway

Hi everyone,

On Friday we (Laura Robb, Tim Rasinski, and I, received confirmation of an offer to come on a new book we’ve proposed together. I’ll provide more details when we have them, but for now I’m celebrating the thought that an exciting new book for classroom elementary teachers will soon get under way.

If I can finish current commitments on schedule, I might get started on my parts by July or August,. Hooray!