Poetry Friday: Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry

Celebrate Poetry Friday with Vern Kousky's delightful owl, Otto. A secret poet eventually scorned, he finds his voice with the realization that, "Poetry should be shared with everyone." He quotes T.S. Eliot, Joyce Kilmer, and more, while writing his own words. "The more the owls listen, the less they feel like laughing."

"Dear Moon, you must be lonely
so high up in the sky.
I'm sure your heart's so heavy,
sometimes you want to cry."

Enjoy Otto the Bard, today!

Otto the Owl Who Loved Poetry
Vern Kousky
Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015

readertotz Newsflash: The Very Big Wiggle

On March 5, 2015, Penguin Young Readers will launch THE VERY BIG WIGGLE Tour, a month-long national car and costume tour to celebrate Eric Carle’s classic picture book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Beginning at The Reading Bug in San Carlos, CA, the caterpillar costume will travel across the country in a custom Volkswagen Bug on a route shaped like Carle’s iconic character. The car will make over twenty stops at libraries, independent bookstores, and Barnes & Noble locations, before arriving in Western Massachusetts the weekend of March 20^th, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day. Celebrate Caterpillar's 40^th birthday!  

Use #VHCday, and check out tour stops at http://penguinontour.tumblr.com. To join the photo contest, submit images to The World of Eric Carle Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/theworldofEricCarle), or tag the page in your posts. 

Since its publication in 1969, 38 million copies of the book have sold worldwide and it has been published in over 60 languages. Today, every 30 seconds, somewhere in the world, a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is sold.

Happy Birthday, Caterpillar!