Kathryn LeRoy
@kathrynleroy.bsky.social
650 followers 460 following 160 posts
Writer. Photographer. Learner. Believer in hope, the strength of the human spirit, and always, possibility. Be kind. Be brave. Be you. #SCBWI #12x12PB
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kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Science can seem out of reach, but THIS IS HOW YOU KNOW shows how scientific discoveries begin with our natural curiosity about the world around us. A wonderful book for discussion of science in our everyday lives. Congratulations @kirstenwlarson.bsky.social and Cornelia @cornelia-illo.bsky.social
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
My little rocking chair
My little Golden Book of Poetry
My first poems
I will never forget them.

Thank you, #SealeyChallenge, for serving as the vessel for my month-long adventure and study of some of the best children's poetry in anthologies and picture books.

#SealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry
A wooden rocking chair with a colorful children's poetry book resting on the seat, set against a backdrop of curtains.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
This collection of poems and drawings was created by the children from the Terezin Concentration Camp. Each drawing and poem will break your heart and astonish you with the hope, resilience, and creativity of these children.

#SealeyChallenge #holocaust #poetry #art #kidlit
A vibrant butterfly rests on purple flowers beside a book titled "...I never saw another butterfly..." about Terezin concentration camp art.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
How wonderful it is . . .
to be a child
or
an adult reading to children.
or just by yourself,
from this largest
poetry anthology of the
amazing Jane Yolen.

#SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit
Cover of "In and Out the Window" by Jane Yolen; features a girl at a window with a cat and birds in a whimsical night scene.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Fourteen young Americans
+ 14 poets who tell their story
+ 10 poetry forms
= one fantastic poetry collection highlighting the voices of our youth.

They speak the truth. We should listen.

#kidlit #SealeyChallenge #poetry #picturebooks
A colorful book titled "No Voice Too Small" is displayed on a wooden shelf surrounded by various other books.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
My best day?

Any day reading poetry, picture books, novels, and writing any and all of those.

In this collection of poems for children (and adults) you will find hope, possibility, and inspiration.

#SealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry #picturebooks
Cover of a book titled "If I Could Choose a Best Day," featuring vibrant illustrations of children, a butterfly, and a scenic backdrop.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
"If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work." –Thich Nhat Hanh

#smile #attitude #amwriting
Where's Your Happy Face? - Kathryn A. LeRoy
When my children sat in a puddle of tears or pouted over the unfairness of cleaning a mess, I gave them my go-to response: “Where’s your happy face?” I didn’t dismiss their frustration or sadness…
buff.ly
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Small poems
for the small wonders that surround us.

You would think that short poems wouldn't have a lot to say, but oh, not so.

Find a copy and turn to "seashells" on p.148 or "library" on p, 163.

Amazing!

#SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit #pbpoems
Cover of "All the Small Poems and Fourteen More" by Valerie Worth, featuring an illustration of a goose and ducklings on a yellow background.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
I love rainbows!

How could I not pick up this lovely book? I love poetry. I received even more than rainbows. Poems brought them to life, and then, I learned about moonbows, parhelia, rainbow birds, bugs, caves, and mountains.

#SealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry #picturebooks
Cover of "A Universe of Rainbows" above a rainbow in a blue sky, with a visible table of contents from the book.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Military families move—often.

Told through free verse and tanka poems, a young girl finds the poems her mother wrote when she was the same age as her stored in a box in the attic.

#SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit
A colorful book titled "Poems in the Attic" features artistic illustrations, showcasing a girl reading and surrounded by treasures.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Three cheers for teachers!!!
I have had this funny, true-to-life, inspiring collection of poems sitting on my shelf. Occasionally, I scour the pages looking for memories of my classroom, all those children who taught me more than I expected.

#TheSealeyChallenge #teachers #poetry
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Giraffes Can't Dance!

What? Well of course . . .

Wait a minute. Is it possible? Can they?

You'll have to read this picture book poem and revel in the delightful illustrations to find out!

#TheSealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry
Cover of "Giraffes Can't Dance," featuring a dancing giraffe under a starry night sky, with the title boldly displayed at the top.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
When a thunderstorm rolls in

Grab a poetic picture book full of rhyme, onomotopeia, and scientific facts about thunderstorms. Then, curl up with your favorite child, who might just be you!

#TheSealeyChallenge #kidlit #nonfictionpb #poetry
Cover of "Zap! Clap! Boom!" features a vibrant thunderstorm scene with lightning and rain over a hilltop village, illustrating nature's power.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Gratitude

33 poems to inspire any child (or adult), all reflecting gratitude, with each written in a different poetic form. A beautiful addition to any bookshelf at home or in the classroom.

How do you give thanks?

#thesealeychallenge #poetsofinstagram #poetry #kidlit
Cover of "Thanku: Poems of Gratitude," featuring a silhouette of a person holding a dandelion, surrounded by colorful text and names.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
A lyrical reminder . . .

The Statue of Liberty stands as a light for all of us, those who first lived on US soil and those who came hundreds of years ago—and who come today.
~~
. . . as her light leaps, loops,
weaves, and dances, creating
shared hope
for all.
~~
#TheSealeyChallenge #kidlit #poetry
Cover of "Light for All" by Margarita Engle, featuring a vibrant illustration of children raising their hands, celebrating diversity and hope.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Lyrical verse and original poems by Gwendolyn Brooks create a song flowing in and out of the years from her birth in 1917 to her passing in 2000.
~~
Sing a song for Gwendolyn Brooks.
Sing it loud—a Chicago blues.
~~
#The SealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit #kidlitart #PBBiography
A stack of books, prominently featuring the title "Gwendolyn Brooks" by Alice Faye Duncan, with colorful covers beside a vintage bookshelf.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
We can all be poets.

#TheSealeyChallenge #poetry #poetsifinstagram #poems
Quote by Mary Oliver on a soft blue watercolor background, discussing the richness of an inquiring and compassionate mind.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
What happens in nature at night?

From owls to moths, spiders, efts, and bats, poems tell the night stories of creatures in the forests and woodlands. Informational sidebars link poetry to facts and science!

#TheSealeyChallenge #poetry #kidlit #nonfictionpicturebooks #picturebooks
Cover of "Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night" featuring an owl by an illustrated moonlit background, by Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
"The truest thing that we have in this country at this time is little children . . . If they think you've made a mistake, kids speak out." —Fannie Lou Hamer

A biography told in lyrical verse, accompanied by stunning collages, will move your heart & open your eyes to injustice.

#TheSealeyChallenge
Cover of "Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer," featuring vibrant artwork and awards, highlighting the civil rights movement.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
Tatyana Finney brings to life the words of Emily Dickinson in this precious picture book.

It is never too early to begin the enjoyment of Emily Dickinson!

#thesealeychallenge #poetry #kidlit
#kidlitillustration #kidlitart #childrensbooks #picturebookillustration #picturebooks
A colorful children's book titled "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson, illustrated by Tatyana Feeney, displayed on a wooden shelf.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
"Clack. Clack. Swish—Pull back.
Bobbin and heddle, foot pedal, no slack.

Words have sounds, and the late Katey Howes knew exactly how to make them sing the song of the loom.

#thesealeychallenge #poetry #kidlit
#kidlitillustration #kidlitart #childrensbooks #picturebookillustration #picturebooks
A colorful children's book titled "Woven of the World" by Katey Howes and Dinara Mirtalipova, featuring vibrant illustrations on the cover.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
A small book of lively rhyming poetry for #TheSealeyChallenge
_____
Horn went "Beep!" Engine purred.
Friendliest sounds you ever heard.
_____

Sometimes, the simplest rhymes and stories bring the biggest smiles.

#poetry #kidlit #picturebooks
Two colorful plush toys beside the book "Little Blue Truck" on a shelf filled with children's books.
kathrynleroy.bsky.social
I needed this today. Anyone else?

#writerfriendschallenge #writingcommunity #writer #writerssupportingwriters #writershelpingwriters #writerslifeforme #WriterGram #hellowriterfriends #inspiredtowrite #writerfriends #writersofinstagramcommunity#findmywritingcommunity #amwriting