On Saturday, I had the privilege of touring the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi. The de Grummond is one of the largest research centers for children’s literature. Following a workshop centered around children’s book writing, a small group of us gathered around the boxes pulled out by curator, Karlie Herndon. I took a number of pictures of favorite children’s book illustrations. This cover “sketch” by E. H. Shepard was the about 5 by 8 inches, small and delicate.
Today, Katrina Morrison at Ethical ELA invites us to revisit the Etheree form, named for its creator Etheree Taylor Armstrong. The form is ruled by a syllable count from one to ten.
Toad
Rat, Mole
in color
sing from the page
a long ago tune
inviting young readers
to skip stones across stories
adventures in the great wild wood.
Illustrators capture our heroes,
and our imaginations for all time.
Margaret Simon, draft
I hope you will be inspired to write your own poem today about this work of art. Leave your poems in the comments and return to encourage other writers.
The Kidlit Progressive Poem is with Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm.
Reflections on the Teche 
What a treat to see these illustrations and the original work of illustrators. The Kerlan collection is here at the U of M. It has a wonderful collection as well. I use to check out books of authors and illustrators work to show to my students. Great fun!
There was a separate showing of Will Hillenbrand and he was there in person to tell us about his process. I love learning about illustrators.
Three
Good friends
Toad, Rat, Mole
Sing by the stream
Smiling and laughing
Each one so different
Yet all united as friends
Friendship bringing them together
Sharing harmony to show us how
To value each other and live in peace
Diane, I love this! How you tied each line to the other showing us what friendship can do for us. Thanks for writing today.
Diane, you captured so much of the good in this book, how to be friends and respect others even in diversity. I love Wind in the Willows.
Margaret, for sharing your visit to this collection and giving us inspiration with the Ethrree. I love the tribute to illustrators. I hope you will write about the workshop, too.
Oops… of course. it was supposed to say thank you!
Ah this book always stirs a memory for me.
I
was in
third grade when
I checked out Wind
In the Willows and
pretended to read it.
Twenty years later I bought
a charming copy, with art by
Michael Hague. I read it aloud to
my third grade class—every sweet and true word.
What a wonderful memory!
Oh, dear, Margaret, I’m so sorry for that! I have no idea how that happened. I was still editing and finishing my comment. Please delete the extras for me. Your poem about illustrators and the illustration, of course, brought me back to my own sweet copy of this book. I love “to skip stones across stories”
[…] one more from Margaret Simon’s Blog post for This Photo Wants to be a Poem, that I didn’t have time to post for I had to run off to teach… Thanks again! Stop by her […]