Laura Purdie Salas
Stampede! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School
These 18 funny and imaginative poems observe students in their natural habitat and reveal their unusual behavior, crazy communication, and very healthy appetites. Whether they’re in the classroom, on the playground, or in the cafeteria, school brings out the animal in all of them. And if you look carefully as you turn the pages, you may even glimpse some of the wild side in yourself!
Learn more at the Stampede! website: www.stampedebook.com. Sample poems: Read the inspiration for the book and also click to read two sample poems here: http://stampedebook.com/The_Poems.html
Why would grandparents want to buy my book for their grandkids? I think this is a fun poetry book to share. Some adults find poetry intimidating, but this collection is extremely accessible and fun to read together. In my recent school visits, I’ve found that kids love to look at the pictures and guess which animal the kid in the poem is going to be compared to. And grandparents can read the poem and ask their grandkids to help out with some animal sound effects (the monkey and elephant sounds are especially popular!).
It’s a great way to share poetry, and also a good conversation starter about the highs and lows of school life. Many of the poems are funny, but they also cover a wide range of emotion, including embarrassment, nervousness, and grouchiness–all emotions that most grandkids and grandparents have been known to experience at one time or another!
Stampede! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School
Illustrated by Steven Salerno
Clarion Books, April 2009
Ages 4 to 8
32 pages
$16
Laura Purdie Salas is the author of more than 50 books for kids and teens, including STAMPEDE! POEMS ABOUT THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL and SHRINKING DAYS, FROSTY NIGHTS: POEMS ABOUT FALL. She loves to introduce kids to poetry and help them find poems they can relate to, no matter what their age, mood, and personality. She has also written many nonfiction books. See more about Laura and her work at www.laurasalas.com. Read her blog at http://laurasalas.livejournal.com/, and see a list of her other books at http://www.laurasalas.com/pdfs/Other/Book%20List.pdf
For more information about Jim, please see www.jimwhiting.com. To inquire about availability of specific titles or to send a comment, write him at jimruns3@gmail.com.