Words on the Move

I used elements of concrete poetry in my new verse novel, Little Cat’s Luck (due out in just five days!). It was my idea to use concrete verse in this book, though I needed the help of a designer to get the effects I wanted. Trying to twitch a word, for instance, when you are limited to what you can do through your Word program, is complicated and a bit tedious, and the final effect you get is not always satisfactory.But my editor, Kristin Ostby; Managing Editor, Jenica Nasworthy; and Designer, Hilary Zarycky, did a marvelous job of carrying out my ideas and making them visually appealing and readable. (Readable is all important when you begin playing with the way the words land on the page.) My goal was to add an element of fun without getting so creative as to make problems for my younger readers.Have you used concrete poetry in your classroom? My Teaching Guide and book trailer, found here, both explore the idea in greater depth. And you might want to also check out this interesting blog post from the International Literacy Association.I’m hosting a giveaway of the book starting on February 9^th, the publication date. Be sure to watch my Facebook page (or go to my website on February 9^th) for updates about how you can participate.