Small Poems

SPRING FORWARD

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? The time “changed” this week and the clocks were set to “spring forward” so everyone had to wake up an hour earlier to be on time. This new “spring forward” time is called “Daylight Saving Time” but what is really saved? Nature doesn’t change because we reset our clocks. That’s my SPRING FORWARD story, seen in this photo taken by Diego PH.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SPRING FORWARD story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

BASKETBALL

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? It’s March–and that means it’s time for March Madness, the college extravaganza of fast and fun basketball delight for women and for men. Selection Sunday is in ten days! I have my fingers crossed for my favorite teams. That’s my BASKETBALL story. (Basketball closeup photo by Akshay Gill.)

Now it’s your turn! What is your BASKETBALL story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

LEAP DAY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? It’s Leap Day today, the extra day we add to the calendar every four years. Why do we do that? Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, says that “it actually takes Earth 365.242190 days to orbit the sun.”

It’s a math problem with a .242190 remainder. So every four years, we add up those remainders and add a day to the calendar. That’s my LEAP DAY story, with this fun photo composite created by Myriams-Fotos.

Now it’s your turn! What is your LEAP DAY story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

PUDDLE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? There are lots of puddles on the ground today after last night’s rain. Why not have some fun (as seen in this photo taken by Nathan Dumlao)? That’s my PUDDLE story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your PUDDLE story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

UNDERGROUND

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? There was another volcano eruption in Iceland last week, the third one in three months. According to the Smithsonian, “Iceland has 35 Holocene volcanoes.” And the Holocene began “11,000 years ago” so clearly, volcano eruptions in Iceland are nothing new. I just find them fascinating. This photo by Jelle de Gier was taken in Fagradalsfjall in 2021, the same place where the new eruptions occurred. That’s my UNDERGROUND story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your UNDERGROUND story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

RIVER IN THE SKY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? It’s the rainy season (shown in this photo taken by Olya Adamovich) and the atmospheric rivers just keep coming! I don’t remember having all of this rain when I was growing up, so I looked it up atmospheric rivers and found this amazing diagram at NOAA:

And the reason I didn’t remember so much rain? Kaitlyn Trudeau, a data analyst for Climate Central’s Climate Matters program, says, “Atmospheric rivers existed before carbon emissions began trapping heat and warming our planet, but their impact is different now: Simply put, climate change is making them worse.” That’s my RAINY WEATHER story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your RAINY WEATHER story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SPAMMERS

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? The phone (as seen in this photo taken by Nicolas Thomas) rings all day with calls from unknown numbers. These unknown callers NEVER leave a message. They just call and call, hoping I’ll answer — and be fooled by their lies. That’s my PHONE story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your PHONE story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

ICE ACROSTIC

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Look outside and it’s very easy to see that winter is here! The temperatures are so extremely low that the weather forecaster has been saying that the numbers are *not* a typo. That means ice is everywhere . . . just like this photo taken by Jody Confer. That’s my ICE story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your ICE story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SECOND SEMESTER

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? It’s fun to be with family over the holidays. Now that January is here, the second semester of school has started. Waking up in the dark to go to school isn’t fun, but it feels so good to be with friends at school again (as seen in this photo taken by WOSUNAN). That’s my SECOND SEMESTER story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SECOND SEMESTER story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

JANUARY SKY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? When I see butterflies, it reminds me of spring. However, now we live near a grove where the monarchs come for the winter (as seen in this photo on Pixabay). It’s always a delight to look out the window in January — and surprise! — see a monarch flutter by. That’s my JANUARY SKY story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your JANUARY SKY story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2024 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

BABY BORN IS 25!


Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Both of my children were born in the winter months, so when I wrote this 140 word picture book poem about a baby’s first year, I began with the cold winter weather. Here is the first page of Baby Born:

This book came out in 1998 as a lift-the-flap book. Then it was published as a board book. The 20th anniversary edition was reprinted in paperback . . . with NEW pages in the back that had questions to encourage conversations between young readers (soon-to-be siblings) and their caregivers. And now on that winter day that started the story — Baby Born is 25 years old!

Now it’s your turn! What is your NEW BABY story? Can you write a small poem about it? When were you born? What memories did your family share with you about your birth?

Can you illustrate the I am thankful for my family DIY mini-comic? Download it from my mini-comics library in the cloud using these directions:

  • Click on the mini-comic in the library and a new screen will open.
  • Enter your contact info and the library app will email you a link.
  • Print your comic on 8.5×11″ paper in full-color or gray-scale (black ink only).

The folding mini-comic gives directions that include scissors. (See more detail on Marek Bennett’s page, including the YouTube video below).

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SOLSTICE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Winter solstice begins in the Northern Hemisphere today. The first day of winter is the shortest day of the year, allowing us to see more starlight than daylight — if it’s not cloudy. (This amazing starlight photo was taken in Banff, Canada by Ryunosuke Kikuno). That’s my SOLSTICE story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SOLSTICE story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SOMETIMES

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? I’m starting seeds in tiny peat pots indoors during this cold weather. If they grow, I plant the seedlings in a pot (as seen in this photo by congerdesign). Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. The only way to find out is to try. That’s my SOMETIMES story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SOMETIMES story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

RAIN

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Even when the weather report says it will rain, it usually only rains hard enough to get the windshield wet just a bit. When we have hard rain, as seen in this photo by Valentin Müller, I know it will help fill the reservoir so we have water for the rest of the year. That’s my RAIN story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your RAIN story? Can you write a small poem about it?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

FIRST SNOW

Welcome to Poetry Friday!

Q. What is Poetry Friday?
A. Poetry Friday is a poetry blog post roundup.

In June 2007, blogger Susan Thomsen at Chicken Spaghetti explained it in her essay for the Poetry Foundation, Thank Goodness It’s (Poetry) Friday.

A welcoming and diverse community, a core of perhaps 35 bloggers, has coalesced around the poetry sharing, with more joining all the time. Each week, one regular or another volunteers to round up links to all the posts so that participants are listed in one spot.

Mary Lee Hahn, the current manager of Poetry Friday, sums it up:
What is the Poetry Friday roundup?
A gathering of links to posts featuring original or shared poems, or reviews of poetry books.

And now for the poems . . .


Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Thirty years ago, after our first snow of the year, as seen in this photo by Chandler Cruttenden, I slip-slided my way down the icy driveway to our mailbox — and found my first acceptance letter! A new poetry magazine wanted to publish my poem!

A 1998 news article in the Greensboro News & Record shares the publisher’s origin story: “A North Carolina couple, Jack Nestor and Arlene Furman, have hit upon a great way to entertain and educate young children. Four years ago the Carrboro couple began publishing Shoofly, a quarterly audiomagazine for children ages 3 to 7. Each cassette features 45 to 60 minutes of stories, lively poetry and songs sure to delight young listeners.”

My poem was written on an MS-DOS word processor and published on a cassette tape — and neither of those technological advances are in use today. Things have changed a lot in the last thirty years. 🙂

Now it’s your turn! Share a link to YOUR poem below:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

CONVERSATION


Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? I knew we had owls living nearby because I could hear them calling in the dark, but I was never sure which kind until this week when we looked it up in an old bird book and discovered that the call and the massive body size (18-24″) both belonged to the great horned owl. (You can see how big they are in this photo by Amber Dawn.) The conversation that three of them had in the predawn hours by our house on Tuesday was the inspiration for this poem. That’s my CONVERSATION story — and my third November #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your CONVERSATION story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

VETERAN’S DAY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? In November we remember our dead. The month begins with Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrated on November 1 and 2, on All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The following week, on November 11, we remember all of the veterans who served.

Our Veterans Day tradition began with Armistice Day at the end of World War I. The first Armistice Day ceremony took place on began “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” in 1918. At the time, they thought they had just ended “the war to end all wars” but that’s not how it turned out.

In France, the November 11 observance is still called Armistice Day. In England and the Commonwealth, it was renamed Remembrance Day. The name was also changed in the United States. “On June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars” and the name was changed to Veterans Day.

As you can see in this photo by Keturah Moller, this important holiday remembers the many sacrifices that others made for us. That’s my VETERAN’S DAY story — and my second November #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your VETERAN’S DAY story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

NOVEM IS NINE IN LATIN

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? According to Dictionary.com, “November derives from the Latin root novem- meaning “nine,” because in the Roman calendar there were only 10 months in the year, and November was indeed the ninth month.”

Konstantin Bikos and Vigdis Hocken explain, “According to tradition, Romulus, the legendary first king of Rome, oversaw an overhaul of the Roman calendar system around 738 BCE. The resulting calendar, whose structure borrowed heavily from the ancient Greek calendar system, had only 10 months, with March (Martius) being the first month of the year. The winter season was not assigned to any month, so the year only lasted 304 days, with 61 days unaccounted for in the winter.”

Now we have 12 months in a year and November is the 11th month — but the name was never changed! That’s my NOVEMBER story — and my first November #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! All this month, I’ll be writing November poems — and you’re invited to join me! Choose any poetic form you like and share your NOVEMBER story poem in the comments of this November 2023 #smallpoem Challenge post. I look forward to reading it!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SOLAR ECLIPSE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? After that show in the sky on Saturday, as seen in this photo by Pete Linforth, I had to write a solar eclipse poem. It was cloudy at our house that day, so I relied on the internet for photos. This week, however, the sky has been clear and the sun comes up so late that I saw a sky full of stars this morning. (No special glasses needed for that!) That’s my SOLAR ECLIPSE story — and my third October #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SOLAR ECLIPSE story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

PUMPKIN KIN

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? As this photo by Maddy Baker shows, it’s time to visit the pumpkin patch. The pumpkins are ready to go, but which one is best for our house? Hmm… That’s my PUMPKIN story — and my second October #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your PUMPKIN story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

OCTOBER 2023

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? This photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel shows the beauty of fall that we see each year. Change is the only constant! That’s my OCTOBER story — and my first October #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! All this month, I’ll be writing October poems — and you’re invited to join me! Choose any poetic form you like and share your OCTOBER story poem in the comments of this October 2023 #smallpoem Challenge post. I look forward to reading it!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

MOONQUAKE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Did you know that the moon expands and contracts as the temperature changes? The instruments that detected this landed on the moon in 1972, but this seismic activity fact wasn’t “discovered” until this year when new algorithms were developed to examine the old data. Whoa!


I’ve written two books about earthquakes, so I knew that earthquakes were caused by plate movements. But there are’t any tectonic plates on the moon (as seen in this 2015 NASA photo). Seismic activity on the moon is thermal! That’s my NEW DISCOVERY story — and my fourth and final September #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your NEW DISCOVERY story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

EQUINOX

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? According to the Farmer’s Alamanac, “The fall equinox and the first day of autumn arrives on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 02:50 A.M. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere.” It also says, “The equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide.” (Subtract 3 hours for Pacific Time and it will be 11:50 PM on Friday, September 22, 2023 on the West coast.) At that moment, autumn is officially here.

I found this great 2019 equinox photo taken by Jack Taylor. (It won’t be a full moon at our autumnal equinox this year. We’ll have our final 2023 supermoon instead on September 29th.) That’s my EQUINOX story — and my third September #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your EQUINOX story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SUNSET

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Now that autumn is almost here, the sun comes up later and later and sets earlier and earlier — as seen in this photo taken in the NEOM Nature Reserve. That’s my SUNSET story — and my second September #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SUNSET story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

AUTUMN 2023

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? I don’t like waking up in the dark, but that’s what starts happening every September before autumn officially arrives on the 22nd. The sun comes up later and later, as seen in this photo by Federico Respini).

Now it’s your turn! All this month, I’ll be writing September poems — and you’re invited to join me! Choose any poetic form you like and share your AUTUMN story poem in the comments of this September 2023 #smallpoem Challenge post. I look forward to reading it!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

LABOR DAY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Labor Day is this weekend. It’s a time to remember American workers past and present as shown in this photo by Jonathan. The photo reminds me of my grandparents who both worked an airplane factory in California during World War II. (Yes, my grandmother was a Rosie the Riveter lady!) The P-51 Mustangs they built inspired my picture book, AIR SHOW. That’s my LABOR DAY story — and my final August #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your LABOR DAY story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

HURRICANE!

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? When my father worked for NASA, we lived through many hurricanes in Florida (as seen in this photo taken by David Mark) but I never expected to see a downgraded hurricane (now a tropical storm) in the Southern California town we moved to next — as the residents were also getting Earthquake Early Warning alerts on their phones! (The news media called it a hurriquake!) That’s my STORM story — and my fourth August #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your STORM story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

TEETH

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Going to the dentist before school started was a childhood ritual (shown here with this colorful photo taken by Renata Ferro). At one of my elementary schools, we also used those red plaque disclosing tablets to test how well we brushed. (It was messy, but very effective at getting the point across!) That’s my TEETH story — and my third August #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your TEETH story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

SCHOOL STARTS SOON

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? We’ve lived in places where school started on the first Monday of August and in places where school started in the second week of September. When an empty school building (like this photo taken by Zachary Keimig) would finally fill up varied quite a bit. In our current district, the teachers go back today and the students go back on Monday, so we’ll see the buses and the carpool lines in our neighborhood soon. That’s my BACK-TO-SCHOOL story — and my second August #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your BACK-TO-SCHOOL story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

AUGUST 2023

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? The month of August began with an amazing event — a supermoon! — just like this historic 2018 photo of the Superstition Mountains in Arizona taken by Ganapathy Kumar. Even more amazing is the fact that there will be TWO supermoons in August, something that won’t happen again until 2032.

Now it’s your turn! All this month, I’ll be writing August poems — and you’re invited to join me! Choose any poetic form you like and share your AUGUST story poem in the comments of this August 2023 #smallpoem Challenge post. I look forward to reading it!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SHOES

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? I buy new walking shoes every July — because I wear them out! Just like the shoes in this photo by Arek Adeoye, my “old” shoes still look nice on the outside, but inside they are worn out! (Every six months my legs let me know —ouch!— it’s time for a new pair.) That’s my SHOES story — and my final July #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SHOES story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

HEAT WAVE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? It’s been so-o-o-o hot (as seen in this photo by Jarosław Kwoczała) that I had to write about it. The thermometer in this photo shows 103 degrees Fahrenheit, but that number doesn’t include the heat index, which makes it feel even hotter.

I’ve lived through many summers when the low temperature for the day was 80 degrees and the high was well over 100 — for days. (CNN says this weather may last until August. Yikes!) That’s my HEAT WAVE story — and my third July #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your HEAT WAVE story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

HIKING

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Hiking in the forest has always been a favorite summer activity for my family, and hiking in the redwoods, as seen in this photo by Dan Meyers is even better. That’s my HIKING story — and my second July #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your HIKING story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

JULY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Whoosh! The summer days are flying by — and it’s already July! I lived near the ocean as a child, so when I think of July, I always think of the beach — and the hot, hot sand — as shown in this photo taken by Ulrike Mai.

Now it’s your turn! All this month, I’ll be writing July poems — and you’re invited to join me! Choose any poetic form you like and share your JULY story poem in the comments of this July 2023 #smallpoem Challenge post. I look forward to reading it!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

MOON HISTORY

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? After I saw the “two words” line in Linda Mitchell’s Clunker Exchange, I knew I had to use them for Irene Latham’s “Moon in June” challenge.

My first published picture book was Man on the Moon, an Apollo 11 story, and the 1997 cover (below) shows Neil Armstrong’s boot touching the moon. I wrote a short MOON HISTORY poem (with 2 words on each line) and then went looking for a NASA photo like the book cover.

The NASA photo one I found, however, had a different story than the poem I had written. The caption for this photo said: “One of the first steps taken on the Moon, this is an image of Buzz Aldrin’s bootprint from the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon on July 20, 1969.”

I loved the picture so much, I wrote a new poem! That’s my “two words” (for Linda) / “Moon in June” (for Irene) poem — and my fifth (and final) June #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your MOON HISTORY story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

BOOKS

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? I signed up for the Summer Reading Club every year as a child, reading indoors and outdoors (like this photo taken by Aaron Burden) all summer long. That’s my BOOKS story — and my fourth June #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your BOOKS story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

SUMMER SOLSTICE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? We lived near the ocean when I was a child, so the summer solstice in June always reminds me the sea as shown in this photo taken by Vlad D. That’s my SUMMER SOLSTICE story — and my third June #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SUMMER SOLSTICE story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

BASEBALL

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? I spent many afternoons in the dugout or behind home plate, rooting for the batter to make a hit. Every point counted, especially in June as the regular season was winding down. That’s what you see in this photo by Eduardo Balderas. That’s my BASEBALL story — and my second June #smallpoem.

Now it’s your turn! What is your BASEBALL story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

JUNE

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? What does June mean to you? For me, June is the beginning of summer, that wonderful time of the year when we camp out under the stars and share secrets. That’s what you see in this photo by BHossfeld. That’s my JUNE story.

Now it’s your turn! All this month, I’ll be writing June poems — and you’re invited to join me! Choose any poetic form you like and share your JUNE story poem in the comments of this June #smallpoem Challenge post. What is your JUNE story? I look forward to reading it!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

FLAG

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Memorial Day is almost here and although some see it as a getaway weekend, that’s not my view. As you can see in this photo by Chad Madden, for me, Memorial Day is a time to remember the service of members of my family and so many others. For me, this weekend is about the flag and the price so many paid for our freedom. That’s my FLAG story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your FLAG story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved

UP! UP! UP! SKYSCRAPER

Writing a Small Poem

What’s the story? When my “building a house” small poem became the Raise the Roof picture book, I thought I was done with construction books, but my architect husband was working on a skyscraper and that made me curious! How did they make tall buildings stand up straight? (The Tower of Pisa is leaning to one side!)

This question led to more and with his expert advice, a new small poem became the picture book Up! Up! Up! Skyscraper! My clever editor wanted the last page of the book to fold up into a completed skyscraper, so the facts aren’t in the back after the poem like so many other books. In this book, the facts (and lots of labels) written in prose accompany the poem page by page.

I was so pleased when the California Reading Association gave this book a 2017 Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award. Then it made Amazon’s Children’s Architecture Books Top 100 list, so they filmed a preview video for it! That’s my SKYSCRAPER story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your SKYSCRAPER story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

CONNECTED


Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? On Monday morning, the computer said it was “offline” so I waited for it to connect . . . but that didn’t happen. Many tech suppport calls later, I discovered that the boxes and cables that connected to the internet were only supposed to last for four years (and ALL of them were much older than that)!

Two days later, a tech came out and replaced the old boxes. We were back online (as seen in this photo by Thomas Jensen). I didn’t realize how much of my day was connected to the internet until I didn’t have it! That’s my INTERNET story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your INTERNET story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

MAN ON THE MOON

Writing a Small Poem

What’s the story? After years of hearing “No” when I sent out my book manuscripts, I heard “Yes” three times in three months! Hooray! I was going to be a published author at last. I was told that it usually took two years for a book to be published, so I kept writing new books and settled in for the long wait.

To my surprise, Man on the Moon, the book illustrated by the mother with a new baby, came out the following year! The 1997 cover (above) shows Neil Armstrong’s foot touching the moon. Five years later, the paperback came out with a new cover (below) and this version of the book is still in print today.

My father worked with NASA in the early days, so my goal was to tell this true (free verse) story to young readers like the ones I had taught in Kindergarten and first grade. I was quite pleased when it was reprinted in two classroom readers: one from Pearson Education and one from National Geographic.

Way back when, I did virtual school visits for classrooms that had read Man on the Moon in their readers. Now I’m doing them again because NASA is going *back* to the moon with Artemis. That’s my MOON story.

Now it’s your turn! What is your MOON story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

TUTOR

Writing a Small Poem

What is the story? Here is my small poem in What Is a Family?, a middle grade anthology from Pomelo Books that was published on March 30th. Like last year’s middle grade poetry anthology What Is a Friend?, all of the poems in this anthology were ekphrastic poems, poems inspired by art.

I started tutoring in high school, sitting at a kitchen table just like the one in this photo. Now after teaching elementary school, middle school, and college, I’ve come full circle and am working one-to-one again. Only this time, I’m sitting at a table with a laptop using Zoom! (For my day job, I work as a developmental editor with adults who write books for children and teens.)

Now it’s your turn! What is your TUTOR story?

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.