The Sealey Challenge is “held every august, The Sealey Challenge is a community activity in which participants read a book of poetry each day.” This has always felt overwhelming to me. August is a month of growing panic about what hasn’t been accomplished at home and all that needs to be done before school starts. Throw in a week with my grandchildren, and you see why this is a true challenge!
This year, I decided to focus mainly on books of poetry for children. This was easy because I read them to my grandchildren. I had less time and energy to study these collections closely. As a way to reflect about the collections I’ve read so far, I created a cento of both titles of the collections and titles of individual poems.
Here’s What I remember:
Quiet mornings.
Our cats.
The window.
Tree whispers.
A Butterfly puddle party.
Recess
friends and foes.
Winter in the park.
Amazing Auntie Anne,
The breakfast boss.
I remember…
Source of lines:
“Here’s What I Remember” by Kwame Alexander, I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage, compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins
“Quiet Morning” by Karen B. Winnick, I Am the Book, selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
“Our Cats” by Wes Magee, Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town, selected by Paul B. Janeczko
“The Window” by Walter de La Mare, Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town, selected by Paul B. Janeczko
Tree Whispers: A Forest of Poems, by Mandy Ross
“Butterfly Puddle Party: by Jane Yolen & Heidi E.Y. Stemple, Yuck, You Suck: Poems about Animals That Sip, Slurp, Suck
“Recess” by Avis Harley, Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town, selected by Paul B. Janeczko
Friends and Foes: Poems All About Us, by Douglas Florian
“Winter In the Park” by Charles Ghigna Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town, selected by Paul B. Janeczko
“Amazing Auntie Anne” by Cynthia Leitich Smith I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage, compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins
“The Breakfast Boss” by Janet Wong, Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town, selected by Paul B. Janeczko
I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage, compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Other books read for the Sealey Challenge:
Leaf Litter Critters, by Leslie Bulion
Once Around the Sun, by Bobbi Katz
Be a Bridge, by Irene Latham and Charles Waters
Please be sure to visit Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
I also found the Sealy Challenge daunting, but I like your approach of reading children’s poetry. Your poem is such a lovely outcome!
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What a fun way to share your Sealey reading! (And I’m totally with you on reading children’s poetry books! I’m focusing mainly on 2023 titles.)
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Wonderful selection of poetry collections you’re reading! Your grandchildren are lucky.
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Oh, butterfly puddle party! That is the best new image…love it. Hooray for reading to grandchildren. I love that you are prioritizing that.
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It’s simply lovely, Catherine, a way to capture the essence of the poems, & thanks much for the sources. I have some, bookmarked the others!
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Being so inspired by all of you participating in the Sealey Challenge, your approach gives me hope that one day in a few years, I’ll do the same thing: read them to my grandson! Thank you Catherine!
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Using a cento to capture your Sealey Challenge reading is such a great idea! My big challenge in August is to try to maintain some equilibrium while heading back in to the classroom. Kudos to all of you who are taking on the Sealey Challenge and thanks for sharing!
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I love seeing what everyone is doing for the Sealey challenge. Thanks for sharing your list, and in such a cento-creative way. 🙂
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How cool! I love your cento. Yes, The Sealey Challenge can definitely be a challenge. It’s hard because it comes at the busiest time of the year for me as a teacher-librarian. I love that everyone has a different approach and makes it work for their life.
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The cento is a great form to showcase what you’ve been reading! This is my first year for the Sealey and I figured the only way I would get through was to read children’s books. So I gathered a bunch that have long been forgotten and some new ones. Revisiting has brought new discoveries and a-ha moments. I look forward to my new find each morning. Thanks for sharing!
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Catherine, that cento is perfect. I love how personal it sounds, yet it comes from all those poets. Lovely! I’m reading a lot of children’s poetry books this month too as I try to complete the Sealy Challenge.
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Good idea to create a cento of your Sealy books! Good luck with what’s ahead, thanks!
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Thank you, Catherine! I appreciate your poem/links. Terrific way of sharing. Thank you!
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