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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Book Spine Poems

Slice of Life Challenge - Day 25 - Hosted by Ruth and Stacey of Two Writing Teachers

I have seen several people create book spine poems in the last couple of weeks.  Until this SOL challenge, I had never heard of them before.  As a kindergarten teacher, I'm not sure this would be a form of poetry that I would use in my classroom as a teaching tool, but certainly as a type of poem I could read and expose my students to.  So, here is my attempt to create something new out of all those great titles sitting on my children's bookshelves at home.  This pile comes from my son's shelf.  I'm not sure I love it, but here is my first try!  An ode to the snow days we DID NOT have this winter:


After I made that first bookspine poem, I didn't publish the slice right away.  It just didn't feel done and I had nothing left to give it just then.  It has been hanging out there as one of those "maybe someday I will come back to this" slices.  I thought more about book spine poems yesterday after reading Grade4Wizard's slice about stacks of books and I decided to give it another go.  I hit up the book shelf again...this time with my middle daughter in mind.  These were her baby books, now outgrown and passed along to my youngest daughter.  I still picture her sitting with them piled high around her when I see them.


One last attempt...from my oldest princess's bookshelf.

Well, now I can say I've tried it!  I won't quit my day job to become a full-time book spine poet, but it was fun to try anyway.  It's certainly harder than it looks! 

9 comments:

  1. You've done yourself proud with the titles of your kids. My favorite is the second one.

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  2. It's addictive , isn't it? I love your collection. "Find the Magic, Find the Treasure" in book spines, in writing poems every day. My book spine poem was created using my writing books: http://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/on-writing/

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  3. I like these! I keep meaning to try it, too. I had never seen these poems before this challenge, either. Just one of many new ideas discovered!

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  4. So glad you tried them! After the first one, when you weren't quite so satisfied, now do you see that they are unique to the situation. Each of these tells a different story from your vantage point at least, and to me, they show unique characters. I love the challenge of making given words (titles) work with what I want to say. Yours are terrific, Robin!

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  5. After reading your first one, I was scared and sure I would never try this! By the end of your third, I am sure I will stink at it, but I kinda wanna try! :)

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  6. Those are so fun! I had also never heard of these until this challenge. I guess I've just been afraid to attempt it. You have made me really want to try. Thanks!

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  7. Fun, I love how you did one inspired by each of your children. I liked how you repeated the first line in your snowy day poem. I don't remember seeing that in a book spine poem before, but it is so effective.

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  8. They are harder than they look. I agree. The middle one was my favorite!

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  9. Thanks for the inspiration to go try this. I too found them first due to the challenge and have thought about it, now to search my shelves.

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