Poetry Friday: Sweet Thang's Allison Whittenberg

It's Poetry Friday! Follow me to the corner of  "52nd and Spruce" to read Allison Whittenberg's poem at flashquake, an online literary journal.

A poet, playwright, and children's book author, Whittenberg is one of 28 writers and illustrators who will be featured at the Brown Bookshelf blog during the month of February. That blog's "28 Days Later" initiative is a "celebration of vanguard and emerging children’s authors of color."

Whittenberg's novel for nine to twelve year olds, Sweet Thang, was a Washington Post "Book of the Week" back in June. The Post's write-up began,

Charmaine Upshaw is 14, and she's discovering, the hard way, that life just isn't fair.

She's smart and funny, but that doesn't matter much because she still has to share a bedroom with her annoying, tap-dancing brother, Leo (totally unfair). When a favorite aunt dies (again, not fair), her spoiled 6-year-old cousin moves in. With an extra mouth to feed, Charmaine's mom has to go to work, leaving Charmaine to care for her cousin. (Could life get more unfair?)

Continue reading the review here.

On a serendipitous note, in the same issue of flashquake is "Tidal Chart," a poem by the kidlitosphere's own Mitali Perkins.

The Poetry Friday roundup of posts is at Mentor Texts today.

Comments

[Jules]

Thanks! Two great poems offered up . . .

[Susan T.]

Hey, Jules. I thought it was great to see Mitali's poem at that site, too.

[TadMack]

HOW EXCITING! Thank you for blowing Mitali's horn -- how did I miss this!

[Mitali Perkins]

Wow, Susan. I thought nobody but my mother would ever read that poem. I've always been fascinated that the tides, the moon, and our cycles dance together every month. After participating in Poetry Fridays and learning more about the intricacies of the genre, I blush to think I ever tried my hand at it.

[Carla Sarratt]

Susan, thanks for the link to Allison's poem and Sweet Thang review as I am preparing her 28 Days Later spotlight.

[Susan T.]

TadMack, I thought it was lots of fun when Mitali's name popped up in that journal, too.

Mitali, I'm fascinated by the tides, too, and enjoyed your poem!

Carla, I can't wait to see all the 28 Days Later posts. The whole project sounds great!

[cloudscome]

I enjoyed both of those poems today Susan. Thanks for highlighting them and the journal flashquake. I'm glad to see Whittenberg is part of 29 Days.

[Susan T.]

You're welcome, Cloudscome. I like the way flashquake presents each work on the page, with the art. It was such a happy surprise to find Mitali there, too.