What, if anything, can poetry teach our children about the concept of Beauty, and how can it be used to help them better understand and express their feelings? To answer these and other questions, we turned to award-winning children’s author, and poet, Marilyn Singer, a former school teacher who has authored more than 120 books of poetry and fiction, plus many other genres for children and young adults.
Listen to the interview here.

In this episode, meet University of Maryland professor Dr. Marisa G. Franco, author of Platonic, award-winning children’s author Marilyn Singer, author of Awe-some Days, and Vice Chairman and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley Carla A. Harris, author of Lead to Win. Tune in to hear the vastly different reasons they were inspired to write their books, and the role that human connection plays within each of them.

In Awe-some Days, a cheerful, enjoyable poetry collection, a family decides to celebrate every Jewish holiday for a full year, starting with new-year apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah all the way to flowers and chocolates on Tu B’Av.

Listen to the interview here.

Today we’re taking a deep dive into inclusion in children’s media. Bob interviews an author/illustrator team about their book, Best Day Ever! It’s written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Leah Nixon. The book is about a little boy and her dog, and this little boy happens to be in a wheelchair. It’s the most indirect disability inclusion story Bob has seen, and it’s the kind of representation that is often missing from children’s literature. Discover why Singer, author of over 120 children’s books, decided to write this book now. Learn more about why she teamed up with wheelchair user and artist Leah Nixon. And you won’t want to miss a special reading from the author herself! PLUS Bob asks Singer and Nixon about their best days ever.

Listen to the interview here.

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Marilyn Singer.

Winner of the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Poetry, 2015, Marilyn Singer has written more than 100 books in many genres. She created a poetry form, the “reverso,” featured in three of her award-winning collections:  Mirror Mirror, Follow Follow, and Echo Echo.

She co-hosts the Poetry Blast, which features children’s poets reading their work, at the American Library Association conference and other conventions. Marilyn lives in Brooklyn, NY and Washington, CT with a dog, a cat, and two doves, as well as her favorite dance partner, who also happens to be her husband. 

On a more personal note, Marilyn is someone I consider a dear friend. We first met while standing in line for a book signing at BookExpo when I was just a newbie and I remember thinking “OMG this amazing author is talking to little ol’ me!” I’ve had the pleasure of featuring her on this show before (she was one of my very first interviews) and her books are among my children’s absolute favorites.So it is truly a pleasure and an honor to welcome the fabulous poet and children’s book author, Marilyn Singer back to DIY MFA Radio!

Listen to the podcast here..

FOLLOW THE RECIPE: Poems about Imagination, Celebration, and Cake by Marilyn Singer

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! …I’m delighted today to welcome Marilyn Singer to Live Your Poem to talk about her (delicious!) new book.  As is my tradition for author interviews, I’ve provided Marilyn with four simple prompts. Take it away, Marilyn!

Read the entire interview here.

.

Why is bringing poetry into the classroom important?

I believe that when we’re kids, we all like poetry—rhymes and songs and language that is sparkling and evocative. Good poetry surprises and enlightens. It sticks with us and moves us in ways that prose can’t (which is not a put-down of prose; it has to do with the compactness, imagery, words, and syntax that poetry uses). It helps with language development, with seeing things through different perspectives, with teaching us to listen, and, frankly, with opening our hearts. We lose the love of poetry through lack of practice and exposure and through over-analysis or disdain by the adults we know.
Read entire interview here.