Poetry Friday: The Museum on the Moon
Anastasia Suen at Small Poems is hosting today. Hop on over there for the roundup.
The Museum on the Moon
by Irene Latham
Illustrated by Myriam Wares
Moonshower 2023
I’m a bit late at celebrating this magnificent poetry collection about things left on the moon, but I couldn’t close out the year without talking about it.
As a former fourth grade teacher, I remember teaching about the moon and the Apollo missions. What a treasure this book would have been for me back then.
Now that I’m a librarian, I get to book talk to students and teachers, and I’ve already recommended this one!
I thought I’d mention a few connections for the classroom:
- Science—Classes that study the moon and moon exploration could use this book to make content connections.
- Poetry—For the Language Arts classroom, there are many ways to utilize this book including poetry. Irene utilizes multiple forms of poetry that students could study and try out themselves.
- Writing Prompt—Students could write in poetry or prose about what they’d take and leave on the moon, if they were to visit.
- Research—When students learn about various items left on the moon or the people who left them there, it could provide a jumping off point for further research.
- Science and Poetry—In the library, I do a lesson every year with my fourth grader students about science poetry. This is an excellent title to add. I love thinking about concepts in science and how we can connect to them via poetry.
In Poetry News
This is the time of the year when best of the year lists start coming out.
NCTE Poetry Notables list was released at the recent NCTE conference. If you haven’t had a chance to take a peek at the list, you can find it here. Irene’s lovely book and many other collections and verse novels are on the list. Many I had already read, but I added many more to my TBR list.
Haiku of the Week
sometimes clouds show off
after a colorless day—
twirls of twilight
Photo Taken: December 1, 2022
Haiku Written: November 9, 2023
What I’m Reading
by Jake Eagle and Michael Amster
I’m listening to this book on audio, and it’s a simple reminder that stopping–even for a few seconds–for awe can have a profound impact on our lives.
20 Comments
Irene Latham
Marcie, I am in love with your twirls of twilight! Beautiful photo too. And thank you so much for sharing these kind words and connections for THE MUSEUM ON THE MOON. I will add a link to them on my website! xo
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
You are welcome! I love your book and have been booktalking it. 🙂
PATRICIA J FRANZ
THAT SKY!!! Twirls of twilight INDEED! Thanks for the list link!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you!
Anastasia Suen
“twirls of twilight” – what a great line, Marcie!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thank you!
Tracey Kiff-Judson
Marcie, I just got my hands on a copy of The Museum on the Moon, and it is fabulous! Of course, with Irene’s poetic voice and her detailed research, how could it be anything but fabulous?
Stunning photo, and I love that you caught the clouds showing off. : )
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! So glad you got a copy! 🙂
Rose Cappelli
I wonder if your sky was the same one I saw last week. The color was so rich and the patterns so beautiful I almost had to stop the car before I got in an accident! “twirls of twilight” – sigh! I’m putting The Power of Awe on my TBR list.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Funnily, I captured this last December (2022), but I’ve been seeing a lot of these beautiful skies lately.
Mary Lee
Love your bullet points — they show so clearly how much “work” Irene’s book can do…besides the fact that it’s beautiful and lyrical!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Absolutely! It’s full of so much goodness!
Linda Baie
Irene’s book is a treasure, I agree, Marcie. It does make me want to be back in the classroom. And, you remind me of my evening’s when I look for “twirls of twilight” each day.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
It is a treasure!
Heidi Mordhorst
Thanks for highlighting MUSEUM ON THE MOON again and reminding me to order (I was hoping to find a copy at NCTE and failed). “twirls of twilight,” sure, but what strikes me more in your haiku is “show off/after a colorless day”. This can be galling but gorgeous, right?
I’m all about moonlight and other natural sources of light at the moment–writing with K-3 in my afterschool programs. Please check out the current issue of WHISPERshout Magazine here! https://bit.ly/WHISPERshoutPoetryMag-Issue11-1
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I love that you are doing this magazine! So great!!
Laura Purdie Salas
Love those twirls of light, Marcie! And my library finally has Irene’s book in–I can’t wait to read it!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Woohoo! You will love it!
Margaret Simon
As an educator of gifted kids, The Museum on the Moon is a gift of content and poetry. Irene’s poems are varied forms which I enjoy teaching, but also her word choice is spare and specific. I love this book. Thanks for the tips. I also love your photo and poem this week. I love “twirls of twilight.” I hope you include it in the new year’s calendar.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Alas, the calendar is already done, and I didn’t use it (I only use poems I haven’t shared on the blog).