Classroom Zoo #17 - Teaching to Write or Writing to Teach? That is the Question.

There will always be a special place in my heart for authors of poetry and short stories. Growing up with Jack Prelutzky and Shel Silverstein, I was enamored with the wordplay and creativity that writing offered. I moved on to the works of Edgar Allan Poe in my middle childhood before reading (and attempting to comprehend)  Shakespeare in my high school English Honors course and taking a class dedicated to the tales of Hans Christian Anderson. Then, after getting back into the classroom as the teacher, I reverted back to my original authors of choice and used Prelutzky and Silverstein's humorous and unique look at poetry as an inspiration for my teaching and ultimately, my own writing. Throw in my author study of Roald Dahl and a fascination with the works of Gary Paulsen and you've got, in my opinion, an all star list of literary geniuses. Though I look today to find literature that is motivating, engaging, and fascinating, I am always reminded of the first book I remember loving and the book that led to my regular trips to the library: Martin Hanford's Where's Waldo? I can't wait to share that love with my very own little reader.