Poetry Friday: “Let Them Play With Words,” my Kids Discover interview

On April 23, 2026April 30, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry17 Comments

As I mentioned last Friday (and the week before, as well), I was invited to visit two schools here in New Hampshire over the course of five days, as their writer-in-residence. I spoke to all the classes about poetry and creative writing, and we all worked on creating our own poems right on the spot.

But amidst all the goings-on of speaking, writing, and dreaming (and book-signing!), I also had the opportunity to sit down with one of the teachers, Thom Smith, for a blog interview! Thom, I learned, writes for Kids Discover, an online company that creates science and social studies-based nonfiction educational books.

He asked if I’d be interested in chatting about poetry and its value in the classroom – how to teach it, why we should teach it, why too many teachers are intimidated by it – and I said, Sure!

We talked about rainbows, dust bunnies, basketball and Poe – and a lot more, too, like allowing students to choose what they read, to choose what to write about, and to choose how to write about it.

Some kids love (or need) structure, so forms like ballad stanzas and cheritas will be what they gravitate towards. Others need wide opens spaces free of form, syllable count, and complete sentences! For them, free verse is perfect. It was quite a conversation, so I hope you’ll check out his blog post.

Today’s poem actually comes from Thom, himself. As a developing poet he has written on myriad topics, including an industry near and dear to many of us here in the Granite State:

Where Dairy Cows Grow

dairy cows wait, lined up in a row
in a barn, on the farm, where dairy cows grow;
.
they wait for the farmer to bring them outdoors
to a sky without walls, to a field without floors;
.
they live on a hill where their view is unmatched –
the mountains are glued to the meadow that’s patched
.
with buttercups, dandelions, big black-eyed susans… (continue reading HERE)

Irene Latham is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup at Live Your Poem, where she is celebrating her new book Some Starry Night by channelling Emily Dickinson!

(If we’ve not yet connected on Instagram, please find me! I’d love to keep in touch. From new releases to blog posts to poetry and more, Instagram is a great way to learn more about your interests, and to connect with the folks who interest you.)

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love sharing with students my love of poetry, the writing process, dinsoaurs, and lots of other things! So if you think you might be interested in having me visit your school – either in-person or virtually – check out all the presentations I offer below, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic things! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right! (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud

Poetry Friday: A year of RAINBOWS, and the PF Roundup!

On April 2, 2026April 9, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry56 Comments

Welcome to National Poetry Month!

Has it been one year already? Indeed, it has!

I’m so excited to be hosting Poetry Friday AND celebrating the one-year Book Birthday of my debut children’s poetry anthology A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025)!

Feel free to leave your links in the comments, and I’ll round them up old-school style.

Rainbows is my 12th book, and although I’ve contributed to numerous anthologies by other folks over the years, this is the first anthology I’ve created myself, and it was a dream-come-true.

In advance of the book’s publication, I did a lot of blog interviews, and I remember one of the most common questions was, “What was the hardest part of putting the book together?” Many folks assumed it was tracking down the poets to see if they would contribute to it; that, I can tell you, was the easiest part!

All the amazingly talented individuals in the book are friends and acquaintances of mine, and we all knew each other in some way, shape, or form through Lee Bennett Hopkins and his anthologies. Although he didn’t know it at the time, I had always planned to dedicate the book to him (he had agreed to write the flower poem for me), so when he passed before I was able to sign the contract, I decided the book would be a memorial to him as much as a dedication.

It was only fitting that so many of his friends joined together to create this book – and I’m honored they were willing to do so:

What was the most difficult aspect of creating this book? The RESEARCH! Even the submission process was easier – and that’s saying something. I sent my proposal to a couple of Lee’s past editors and Kathleen Merz at Eerdmans reached out to me just a few months after I’d emailed her.

The research, though…

Oh, my gosh – the research. There were so many things I discovered that I had never known about, like moonbows, pilot’s glories, Caño Cristales (the river of Five Colors), the Gouldian finch, and so many more! I couldn’t include everything, so I needed to weed through the subjects and pick the most intriguing, with the most captivating stories. Like this one:

*^{© 2025 Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, all rights reserved; click to enlarge}*

Georgia Heard’s “Garden of Stars,” about the Rainbow Nebula in the constellation Orion, is the final poem of the collection – and what amazing artwork by fellow New Hampshirite Jamey Christoph! (That’s right, a couple of NH boys put this thing together!)

If you haven’t picked up a copy, I hope you’ll at least check it out at your local library. For a 56-page children’s book with 22 poems, sidebars, illustrations, a glossary, and reference details to learn more, it’s a heck of a deal at less than $20.

(By the way, THANK YOU to School Library Journal for spotlighting all the NCTE Notable Poetry Books for this year – including Rainbows!)

Again, leave your links below and I’ll be sure to share them throughout the day!

TODAY IN THE KIDLITOSPHERE:

Janice Scully offers two springtime flower poems (and a recently-published esophagus poem!) at Salt City Verse.
Tracey Kiff-Judson is celebrating two of my favorite subjects – dinosaurs and poetry – with author/poet Suzy Levinson.
Over at Jama’s Alphabet Soup, Jama is kicking off National Poetry Month with a spotlight on Andrea Poto’s newest poetry collection, and also be sure to check out her April 1 list of all the kidlitosphere NPM happenings!
The annual Progressive Poem is back for another year, and today Patricia Franz adds her line!
Denise Krebs is taking part in a project called Ethical ELA and shares two new poems at Dare to Care.
Michelle Kogan is feeling inspired by backyard birds this month, and shares a new poem about the red-bellied woodpecker.
Today is Holy Week for Christians worldwide and Alice Nine is celebrating with a collection of poems various poets.
At Poetry Pizzazz (I always want to call it Poetry Pizza, which would be awesome), Alan J Wright has answers on his mind – and responds poetically!
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, one of my ‘Rainbows’ contributors, is sharing poems about sounds all this month, and offers a spring morning poem at The Poem Farm.
I’ve never heard of an ars poetica before, but Heidi Mordhorst shares one today at My Juicy Little Universe!
Mary Lee at A Year of Reading also offers up her response to the Inklings’ ars poetica challenge.
And Catherine at Reading to the Core shares her ars poetica, which is inspired by personal as well as meteorological challenges.
At Poems for Teachers, Laura Purdie Salas shares a heartfelt, original poem about cyberbullying.
Irene Latham’s newest book arrives next week and she interviews her co-author today at Live Your Poem.
Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect is having fun with poems this month – using Mad Libs, magazines, haikubes, and more!
At Imagine the Possibilities, Rose is writing a tanka every day this month and shares her “Birdsong” today.
Recycling, revising, and rethinking are on Carmela’s mind (along with Amaryllis!) at Teaching Authors.
Not to be outdone, Margaret at Reflections on the Teche also shares a student poem – and one of her own originals!
Tabatha is having fun with lists (“If you like that, you might like this…”) at The Opposite of Indifference.
Ekphrastic poetry combines poetry with art, and that’s what Diane is doing at Starting Again in Poetry.
At NewTreeMom, Diane Anderson also shares an ekphrastic poem, in tanka form.
Speaking of poetry and art, Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge is beginning a video series on ekphrasis today – and our PF friend Patricia Franz kicks it off!
Last, but never least, Jone MacCulloch is celebrating NPM with student poetry!

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Celebrating National Weed Appreciation Day 2026 with John Agard

On March 26, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry20 Comments

Honestly, I had no idea this coming Sunday was National Weed Appreciation Day until I stumbled upon it online. (thanks, internet!) But I knew there just HAD to be an appropriate poem to go with it.

Sure enough, John Agard, the esteemed British Guyana children’s writer and poet, came to the rescue:

Weeds

For just happening to be
in the wrong place
you are well maligned

labelled parasite
invader trespasser
in short non grata

the unwelcome guests
with no plan to depart
in the near future.

The laidback scroungers
who make their bed
wherever they creep.

But with such poetic
names to live up to… (continue reading HERE)

– © 2009, John Agard, all rights reserved
.

I love this poem, and I hope you’ll read the rest of it.

Marcie Flinchum Atkins is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup and is celebrating twilight – both the time of day AND her new book, When Twilight Comes, her new nonfiction picture book!

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Welcome, spring!

On March 20, 2026March 20, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry17 Comments

It’s been one of the coldest winters on record here in New Hampshire, so the first day of spring is a welcome sight!

I’ve been out straight the best couple of weeks with school visits (in fact, I just wrapped up a 5-day writer-in-residency at a local elementary school – whew!), and was wondering what to post today when I realized this sunrise photo was speaking to me.

It’s certainly not your typical sunrise photo – looking more ominous and foreboding than cheerful and promising – but it was certainly an arresting sight, had you seen it in person.

During my residency, I worked with every class in the school; I shared some of my poetry and that of friends like Georgia Heard, Laura Purdie Salas, and others, introduced students to some of the many ways one can write poetry, and then we all worked on group projects creating our own poems! It was a lot of fun for me and for the kids, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of their incredible writing in the next couple of weeks

(If you’d be interested in learning more about my school/library visits, please send me an email so we can chat!)

Today, however, we have more poetry throughout the kidlitosphere, and Tanita Davis is rounding it all up at her blog So Many Books, So Little Time, where she is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup with a challenge to write an ovillejo poem: a classic Spanish form you’ve likely never heard of, that’s been around for hundreds of years, and was popularized by Cervantes! Jump in!

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Celebrating Women’s History Month with astronomer Caroline Herschel

On March 5, 2026March 5, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry15 Comments

You may have heard of William Herschel, the German-born astronomer famous for his discovery of the planet Uranus as well as his pioneering work in developing the use of telescopes and astronomical spectrophotometry in his search of the cosmos.

You may not, however, have heard of his sister, Caroline, who worked closely with him most of her life. An astronomer in her own right, she not only discovered several comets (including 35P/Herschel–Rigollet, due to return to the Earth in 2092), but was also the first woman scientist to receive a salary!

And yes, that may seem like a strange distinction, but way back in the late 1700’s, even men often didn’t receive salaries for their scientific work – so when she began receiving wages for assisting her brother, it was a big deal.

So, being the astronomy fan I am, and wanting to recognize Women’s History Month in a poetic fashion, I thought I would share this poem, penned by a woman born in my own birth city, Baltimore, MD:
.

Planetarium

…..Thinking of Caroline Herschel (1750—1848)
…..astronomer, sister of William; and others.

A woman in the shape of a monster
a monster in the shape of a woman
the skies are full of them

a woman …..‘in the snow
among the Clocks and instruments
or measuring the ground with poles’

in her 98 years to discover
8 comets

she whom the moon ruled
like us
levitating into the night sky
riding the polished lenses

Galaxies of women, there
doing penance for impetuousness… (read the rest HERE)

– © 2016 The Adrienne Rich Literary Trust
.

Known for her powerful, feminist, and often political poetry, Rich passed in 2012, leaving behind a cataloque of deeply personal yet widely accessible poems inspired both by her politics and her personal relationships. I was particularly taken with this poem, due to its subject matter and broader context. I hope you like it.

More poetry can be found at today’s Poetry Friday Roundup, where Karen Edmisten is hosting the festivities with an original poem insired by the work of current US Poet Laureate Arthur Sze.

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love chatting with students about creativity, poetry, the writing process, dinsoaurs, and lots of other things! So if you think you might be interested in having me visit your school – either in-person or virtually – check out all the presentations I offer below, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: More student poetry (MY student, that is!)

On February 19, 2026February 21, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry18 Comments

My daughter has always been an artist.

When she was barely 2, she drew a hand picking up stones – it looked like lines and squiggly circles, but that’s what she said it was. I tested her a week or so later, and she confirmed this to be true! I realized that even at that young age, she was drawing with intention. (You can read more about this, along with the poem I wrote to go with it, HERE)

Since then, she has continued to show great skill – and she hasn’t even hit her teens yet!

(By the way, those two pencil sketches were drawn in about 30-35 minutes, each – how that’s even possible, I’m not sure)

You can understand, therefore, why I was so happy to learn that one of her school projects was to write a poem – and she did a fantastic job!

Using photos from IPAC’s “Astropix” website, the students were told to write “Astropoetry,” poetry about the cosmos – from stars and planets to nebulae and black holes. My daughter found a photo she liked, and then wrote her poem:

Untitled

It’s a galaxy full of dots, a flowing void with eyes.
A giant glittery ocean, an overwhelming sky
pink and pretty, shiny and bold –
a glass of pink lemonade, calming and cold.
It’s just like summer, with clouds and such.
A colorful scenery, the perfect touch.

– © 2026 Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

I don’t recall that she’s written a poem before, as she has only begun truly enjoying reading in the past year, now that she’s discovered manga. She’s always been a good reader, she just never enjoyed it – so I’m happy this seems to be lighting a fire. Her older brother (who used to claim he didn’t like poetry, sigh) started writing poetry when he was around her age, so who knows what either of them will end up creating in the future. I’m eager to find out!

For today’s complete Poetry Friday Roundup, head on over to Chicken Spaghetti where Susan Thomsen is hosting the festivities with a draft of an original poem celebrating ‘winter flurries.”

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: “Zombies in Love”

On February 12, 2026February 13, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry22 Comments

With everything going on in the world – and the fact that today is Friday the 13th – it just feels like we need something completely preposterous. Allow me to present…
.

Zombies in Love

My girlfriend’s a zombie.
Our true love is grand.
Whenever we’re walking,
we always hold hands.

When she first caught my eye
I knew we’d never part.
She gave me her love,
and I gave her my heart.

.
(And just in case you didn’t catch the double-entendres, you might want to re-read that.) 😉

Happy Valentine’s Day, though – I hope you liked it!

Speaking of love, I do want to take a quick moment and send some “love” to the folks at the Children’s Department of the Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library in Philadelphia. They showed some “love” for my book Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) by sharing the book on their Facebook page.

I also want to thank our Poetry Friday friend Jama Rattigan for sharing the news about MY friend, Charles Ghigna, and his new book The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Poems (World of Eric Carle, 2026), featuring illustrations by (of course) HIS good friend, the late, great Eric Carle.

(Charles and I wrote Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021) and have collaborated on several of my anthologies)

From subjects like baby animals and rainbows (YAY!) to fun, toddler-appropriate activities like hand-clapping and swinging, this board book is a colorful addition to the youngest libraries.

Be sure to check out Jama’s review today, and for even more poetry, check out the complete Poetry Friday Roundup at Life on the Deckle Edge, where Robyn Hood Black is hosting the festivities with an original haiku borne from her love of retreats, collages, and journals!

I am booking school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Looking back at a “Winter Morning”

On February 5, 2026February 7, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry22 Comments

This winter has felt like one of the coldest winters I can recall. Temperatures have been below freezing for what seems like weeks – we had a couple of days that got above freezing the third week of January, but other than that, it’s just day after day and night after night of single digits and teens.

Today, it actually hit 28F and I thought it was a heat wave!

So I spent some time looking back at some of the winter poems I’ve shared in the past and discovered one of my favorites, originally posted six years ago in 2020. (Pre-COVID – boy, those were the days…)

Considering the weather, I thought this perfect to share today:

It might be frigid, but it has been a busy week, at least. I’ve got a new wordless picture book manuscript I’m working on (thank you, StoryStorm!), a new anthology proposal I’m putting together, more school visits to coordinate, and I needed to make a few special visits to local bookstores (and a library!) to sign stock.

Oh, and of course, I graced a couple of covers with shiny new seals…

(Thank you again to NCTE for designating Rainbows a 2026 NCTE Notable Poetry Book, and the Northern Lights Book Awards, recognizing Stargazing as the Best Picture Book in their Mindfulness Category!)

Molly Hogan is hosting today’s Poetry Friday festivities at Nix the Comfort Zone, where she accepted an Inklings’ challenge to write a poem after Wendell Berry’s “Like Snow,” so head on over to check out her poem and the complete Roundup!

I am booking school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: “Schoolapalooza” turns 1-year-old!

On December 18, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry14 Comments

Things have been so busy lately, between NCTE, book festivals, and the holidays, that I just realized I missed the one-year-mark for a fun anthology from the folks at Bushel & Peck!

Schoolapalooza: A Silly Alphabet of 26 Schooltime Poems (Moonshower, 2024) – one of several anthologies I was part of last year – arrived Dec. 3, 2024, and I was thrilled not only to have a poem included, but to see my name on the cover!

I’ve previously shared my contribution, a poem entitled “Irony,” as well as “Thesaurus Storm,” a poem by my friend Rebecca Kai Dotlich. So today I thought I’d share a poem from another friend, Irene Latham, who know a thing or two about anthologies herself. I love its simplicity and aLLiteration:

*^{Image © 2024 Moonshower/Bushel & Peck, all rights reserved}*

I am as big a supporter of local indie bookstores as anyone, but I would be remiss if I didn’t let you know that Amazon is offering this book at a nearly 30% discount for a limited time – so if you haven’t picked up a copy yet and are considering doing so, now might be the time to do it!

Also, in case you didn’t know it, this Sunday is National Flashlight Day – which corresponds each year with the winter solstice, of course (the shortest day of the year). And if you’re wracking your brain trying to figure out what children’s book might be the perfect accompaniment for this fantastic holiday, I know of one.

Well, I need to get baking my Christmas cookies! If you know me, you know I bake nearly 800 of them each year – so I will bid you farewell for this year. Have a wonderful holiday season (Christmas, Solstice, Kwanzaa, Festivus – whatever you celebrate) and I’ll look forward to seeing you in 2026!

Michelel Kogan is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup with Peace and Light at More Art 4 All, so be sure to stop by and say hi.

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Biker-dude Swifties and hot-shot derby drivers: What I learned at the State Fair, Part XII

On November 13, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry8 Comments

I just realized that we are a mere two weeks away from Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and only six weeks from Christmas!

Good grief, where does the time go??

I had meant to share my annual recap of the state fair by now, but with all the book festivals and events taking place this fall, it somehow got completely past me. (It apparently got completely past me last year – because I somehow never even posted about it in 2024) So I’m making sure I take care of that now!

As you may know, I’ve worked at the local state fair as the PA announcer for the past 15 years. If you need to know where the bathrooms are or the time of the next cattle pull, I’m your guy.

And as has been tradition here at the ol’ Triple R, I try to share some of my experiences, insights, and surprises. In previous posts I’ve written about water-powered jet packs, the benefits of chainmail socks, and why environmentalists hate truck pulls. This year was no less enlightening:

1.) Never judge a book by its cover. On one of the first days, I glimpsed a fellow walk past me covered in tattoos and leather. Scruffy beard. Wallet on a chain. If you saw him, you’d assume biker dude. And maybe he was. But his Taylor Swift concert T-shirt really threw me.

2.) Giant pumpkins are always one of the biggest draws. Even in a year adversely affected by an exceptionally dry summer, resulting in smaller-than-usual gourds, folks still can’t wait to see what the local farmers accomplished.

3.) It’s extremely satisfying watching a hot shot get taken down a notch. At the beginning of the demolition derbies, drivers come out onto the track and park along a concrete wall, so that all the particpants are in a line prior to the start. One night, a driver decided to show everyone how cool he was by zooming in as fast as he could, careening through the dirt and mud, nearly losing control, and eventually stalling in the middle of the track. Tried and tried and tried to start it; nothing. Laughter ensued.

Finally, he got it going and drove toward the concrete wall – and hit it so hard he stalled again. More laughter.

And when the countdown ended and all the cars pulled out of their spots to begin the derby…he stayed there. Parked. Unable to move because his vehicle refused to start. His team, not laughing. I wonder if he’ll do that again.

4.) After the first candy apple was invented, it would be another 50 years before someone came up with the caramel apple:

5.) It’s interesting how some couples look like they belong together, while others are shockingly different. Many of the couples I saw were very obviously couples: if the woman looked like she had just finished a fashion shoot for Glamour, the guy would often look like he’d just stepped out of GQ.

However, there were exceptions. One couple that caught my attention appeared to be polar opposites: she was giving off Allure vibes, sporting full makeup and a tight dress, while he was more of a Field & Stream, camo jeans kind of dude. To each his own, right?

6.) Garden tractor racing is a thing. Officially known as lawn mower racing, this sport is not only a ‘thing’ – it’s an organized thing, with associations all across the country. And it’s more exciting than you might expect; depending on the class, these guys can get up to 60 miles per hour!

7.) I’m faster than a speeding locomotive. Ok, well, “speeding” might be a bit of an exaggeration. (“Locomotive” is probably a stretch, too)

The Northeast Kingdom Express offered train rides to and from opposite gates at the fair, and as I was walking to the administration office it approached me – and I left it in the dust. I’m just that fast.

Next up: I’ll attempt to outrun a bullet and then leap a tall building in a single bound. Wish me luck.

8.) The fair a great place to find humor where you least suspect.

I couldn’t help but wonder what this word ending in “ious” used to be. It couldn’t have been “delicious” – othewise, why cover it up? Some of my guesses included “suspicious,” “tedious,” “nefarious,” “insidious,” and “amphibious.” My favorite? “Impervious.” Try inserting your own and see what you think!

I hope you enjoyed this little retrospective! For today’s poem, I’m dusting off a little fair food poem I posted about 4 years ago while – coincidentally – working at the fair!

“…then again, maybe I should go back for some pizza”

I love the fair, but most of all, the food is hard to beat –
it’s barely 2pm, and yet I’ve had so much to eat!
I started with a burger, had a corn dog and some fries,
and then hot buttered popcorn in a box of massive size.

I feasted on the fried dough, ate a funnel cake or three,
and downed as many deep-fried foods as there could ever be.
Of course I needed ice cream, so I stopped to have a scoop;
I even scarfed a giant, cheesy bread bowl full of soup!

Ate cotton candy, caramel apples, schnitzel on a stick.
I polished off a pulled pork sub entirely too quick.
I’ve eaten all the sausage my poor stomach will allow;
so really, all I want –
is just a garden salad now…

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Carol Labuzzetta at her blog The Apples in My Orchard!

Speaking of fall fairs and festivals…

If you’re in the New England area, I hope you’ll join me and 60 other children’s authors and illustrators at the 2nd annual Newton (MA) Children’s Book Festival this Sun.! This free event is a wonderful opportunity to purchase books for all the young people on your holiday list.

Going to NCTE 2025??

I’ll be participating in a panel presentation with Georgia Heard, Allan Wolf, and Poetry Friday friend Carol Varsalona on Sat., Nov. 22 from 1:15pm – 2:30pm in Room 705!

FREE YOUR STUDENTS (AND YOURSELF) WITH FREE VERSE:

How does one “dream boldly?” By creating stories and poetry that are authentic and unique! Often when we think of reading/teaching poetry, we think of the classic poetic devices: rhyme, meter, syllables. Remove those elements, however, and students are free to write whatever they want, however they want. We’ll reveal the freedom that comes from free verse!

Also on Sat., I’ll be signing copies of A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) at Eerdmans’ booth #931 at 11:30am and at the Classroom Library Company booth #1016 at 3:30pm!

*^{NCTE poetry fans: Stop by whenever you’d like, and say HI!}*

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!