If storytelling is one of the first acts of literacy for young children (ages 0-3), as poets, how do we use our gifts to inspire and connect with developing minds? What do our lines sound like when we write them for young people? How do we make use of abstraction, or compelling images to convey a literal life lesson or learning moment? The purpose of this workshop is to start thinking about how an idea can translate to a picture book. We’ll look at examples including “One Leaf Rides the Wind” by Celeste Davidson Mannis, “Daniel Finds a Poem” by Micha Archer, and “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson. This workshop will be one part story time, one part discussion, and one part active writing. We will draw on several storytelling forms in picture books to create an original story or poem for children in the 0-5 age group. Participants can bring an idea for a story or a poem you’d like to revise or rework together. The reading to follow is open to the public; feel free to bring your little ones!

Registration on Eventbrite is required in order to receive the Zoom link for the event.

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Suggested donation is $10 (but not required). All donations go directly to the course instructor. Writers of all backgrounds welcome. You can make a donation when you register on Eventbrite.

Office Hours Poetry Workshop is a community-based writing workshop for poets who show a demonstrated commitment to writing. The workshop fellowship culminates in a public reading each fall and spring to showcase sizzling new work. We welcome all poets, especially people of color, LGBTQ+, and those who are womxn-identified. Our Craft Classes are free and open to the public with RSVP.

Jen Hyde is the author of Hua Shi Hua: Drawings and Poems from China. She is currently at work on a memoir about her heart defect and the women who’ve saved her life. Her work has been supported by fellowships from The Asian American Writer’s Workshop, The Millay Colony, Yaddo and Hedgebrook, and she has written essays for The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and elsewhere. More at jenhyde.com