A Beginner's Guide to Being Human: Adventures in Learning with Matt Forrest Esenwine

Matt Forrest Esenwine joins Dr. Diane to talk about A Beginner's Guide to Being Human. Matt is a radio host, voiceover artist, poet, and picture book author, whose works include Once Upon Another Time, Flashlight Night, and I Am Today, as well as anthologies like Lee Bennett Hopkins’ Night Wishes and Construction People. Along the way, we talk poetry, inspiration, and fun ways to connect poetry into the curriculum. Plus we discover what rainbow eucalyptus is. Follow the show notes for a chance to win a copy of Matt's latest book. Entries must be received by 10/26/22.

[00:50] A Beginner's Guide to Being Human. What makes this book so special? What is creative nonfiction? And how does the book introduce kids to emotions, feelings, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and opposable thumbs?

[04:48] An excerpt from A Beginner's Guide to Being Human and a conversation about the book's impact for kids and their adults (grown ups apologize!). Click to view the video excerpt and see the pages shared.

[11:30] Inspiration Calls! Coming soon, Everybody Counts and The Thing to Remember about Stargazing,

[13:13] How did Matt go from radio to children's books?

If you're given an opportunity, even if it's something that you're not sure that you've ever done before, you're not sure you're going to be able to do, say yes. Use the opportunity and figure out a way to do it.

[18:33] Poetry as the "Stepchild of Children's Literature" (thank you, J. Patrick Lewis) We discuss ways to inspire teachers and students to fall in love with poetry, to play with poetry, and to build connections with poetry across the curriculum.

[27:00] Ever heard of a rainbow eucalyptus? Me either, but you're about to know what it is as Matt shares the process and the short free verse poem he wrote for the National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry

[33:45] School Visit Questions -- How Long Does It Take To Write a Poem?

[37:10] More sources of inspiration!

[40:06] Hope for the future. It's the source for I Am Today, a recent book about a child who recognizes an injustice and discovers they can do something about it.

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*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.