YOU JUST WAIT: A Poetry Friday Power Book for tweens and teens, features 12 PowerPack sets that contain five elements: 1) a PowerPlay prewriting activity; 2) a previously-published Outside Poem (in this case, from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School); 3) a new original Response Poem; 4) a new original Mentor Text poem; and 5) a Power2You writing prompt. PowerPacks = a fun and inspiring approach for a wide variety of readers and writers. Curious? Take a look!
The twelve Outside Poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School (an NCTE Poetry Notable) were written by Robyn Hood Black, Joseph Bruchac, Jen Bryant, Margarita Engle, Julie Larios, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, Charles Ghigna, Avis Harley, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Charles Waters, and Virginia Euwer Wolff. The way they are joined together here with twenty-four new poems by Janet Wong, they form a story featuring Paz, an Asian-Latina soccer player with dreams of stardom in college, the Olympics, and ultimately the World Cup; Lucesita, her feisty movie-loving cousin; and Joe, an older brother with dreams of the NBA. Sylvia Vardell’s inventive PowerPlay activities make it easy for writers to get inspired, while her Power2You writing prompts extend learning. Vardell also created extensive back matter resources for readers and writers.
What People Are Saying about YOU JUST WAIT:
“Imagine a completely original way of writing verse novellas . . . Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell have once again broken barriers with their bold, innovative approach to teaching poetry. I am thrilled to be included!” —Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor-winning author of The Surrender Tree
“YOU JUST WAIT is a must-have resource for middle-school teachers, the perfect invitation for teens to explore text-to-self connections through poetry. Comprehensive tools for implementation accompany excellent Poetry Friday selections, and Janet Wong’s brilliant connective tissue provides wonderful mentor pieces.” —David Bowles, Pura Belpré Honor-winning author of The Smoking Mirror
“Great spirit! Great fun! Let’s write!” —Pat Mora, Author of Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love; Founder of Día: Children’s Day, Book Day / El día de los niños, El día de los libros
“Every poem tells a story. Every page invites connection. Young readers will find their fingers itching to respond to these verses and to add their own poems and stories.” —Carol Jago, Longtime English teacher & Past President of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
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Author Bio
Sylvia Vardell is Professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Woman’s University and has taught graduate courses in children's and young adult literature at various universities since 1981. Vardell has published extensively, including five books on literature for children, as well as over 20 book chapters and 100 journal articles. Her current work focuses on poetry for children, including a regular blog, Poetry for Children, since 2006. She is also the regular “Everyday Poetry” columnist for ALA’s Book Links magazine. Sylvia Vardell’s other professional books include: Poetry Aloud Here: Sharing Poetry with Children (2012) and The Poetry Teacher’s Book of Lists (2012).
Janet Wong is a graduate of Yale Law School and former lawyer who switched careers and became a children’s poet. Her dramatic career change has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN’s Paula Zahn Show, and Radical Sabbatical. She is the author of 30 books for children and teens on a wide variety of subjects, including writing and revision (You Have to Write), creative recycling (The Dumpster Diver), diversity and community (Apple Pie 4th of July), cheating on tests (Me and Rolly Maloo), and chess (Alex and the Wednesday Chess Club). Janet Wong’s poetry books for children include: TWIST: Yoga Poems (2002) and Good Luck Gold (1994).