Poetry creates opportunities for children to explore a variety of topics and emotions through writing, and Pikes Peak Library District’s annual Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest engages 4th and 5th grade writers. Submissions are open from Fri., Dec. 1 – Fri., March 1. This year’s theme is Lost & Found: Poems of Importance. Young poets can reflect on something they have lost or found in the last few years as they work with poetic devices like imagery, form, meter, and rich vocabulary to create an original poem for a chance to win a prize. This contest continues Jean Ciavonne’s legacy of connecting children with poetry and writing.  

Lost & Found: Poems of Importance

What have you lost AND what have you found in the past few years? What makes them important?

Questions to ask yourself as you write your poem:

  1. Can we see, smell, hear, and taste the imagery in your poem?
  2. Have you used rich vocabulary that tells us a story or paints a picture?
  3. Does your poem reflect the theme?

Prizes: Six winners will receive a book and $50 each! The contest is open to all 4th and 5th graders in the Pikes Peak Region.


Eligibility

Open to all 4th and 5th graders in the Pikes Peak Region.


Contest Rules

  1. One entry per student. Teachers are urged to review poems and submit no more than five per class.
  2. Each poem must be the original work of the contestant. 
  3. Poems will be judged on originality, including poem title and adherence to the theme. 
  4. Submit two typed, double-spaced copies of each poem on 8 ½” x 11” paper (no handwritten submissions or illustrations will be accepted.) Include ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER: name, telephone number, home address, school name and address, and teacher and principal’s names. Poems will not be returned. Please keep a copy. 
  5. Entries must be postmarked by Fri., March 1, 2024. Submission of a poem constitutes full permission to exhibit, use and publish the poem for any purpose – printed or electronic media – and to publish the name, school, and photographs and/or video of the student without compensation. 
  6. Winners will be celebrated at an Awards Ceremony where they will be given the opportunity to read their poem to the audience. 

Entries may be mailed to: 

The Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest
c/o Christa Funke 
Pikes Peak Library District 
P.O. Box 1579 
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1579 
Or email entries, following guidelines above to: cfunke@ppld.org 

The awards will be announced in April. 


Jean Ciavonne Remembered from PPLD TV on Vimeo.


Congratulations to our 2023 winners!

  • Justin Beasley, 5th grade, Bear Creek Elementary School - "The Ultimate Cure"
  • Emma Briggeman, 4th Grade, The Classical Academy Central - "The World Needs"
  • Piper Gaulke, 4th grade, Mountain Song Community School - “My Gift
  • Taylor Hannan, The Classical Academy Central, 5th Grade - “Would you do it for the world
  • Clara Pavri, Colorado International Language Academy, 4th Grade  - “Marble”  
  • Megan Thorn, 5th grade, Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning - “The Sender Defender” 

 

Embrace a journey of discovery as we invite you to join us in honoring the vibrant and diverse tapestry of American Indian and Alaska Native heritage, history, and culture. Experience a world of traditions, stories, and knowledge through an array of engaging programs and valuable resources thoughtfully curated for you at PPLD!


Programs

Why She Writes – An Afternoon Chat with Joy Harjo, Internationally Renowned Performer, Writer, and Poet of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation

United States Poet Laureate and winner of the 2022 Academy of American Poets Leadership Award, Joy Harjo, joins us virtually for a chat about her most recent memoir, Catching the Light, and to discuss her rewarding lifetime as a writer and poet. In Catching the Light, Harjo examines the power of words and how poetry summons us toward justice and healing. In this lyrical meditation about the why of writing poetry, Harjo reflects on significant points of illumination, experience, and questioning from her 50 years as a poet. Learn more and register here. Registration is required to receive the link for the event.  

Heritage Recipe Post Cards

Stop by your favorite Library location and pick up heritage recipe postcards that highlight American Indian and Native Alaskan recipes and culture. These recipes come from Library staff and cookbooks.  


Booklists


Resources

  • Gale eBooks
    (you will need a library card that starts with a 4 to access this resource) - Native Americans
  • Hoopla
    Find eBooks, eAudiobooks, music, videos, and more by searching “Native American” on the Hoopla app. 
  • Kanopy
    Discover videos and documentaries diving deeper into Native American culture and exploring the lives of individuals throughout history.
  • The Horace S. Poley Photographs Collection
    This is a major collection of photographic images of American Indians in the southwestern United States. Included are images of the Fiesta of San Geronimo at Taos, the Snake Dance of the Hopi, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico and the Dedication of the Ute Pass Indian Trail in 1912.
  • Digital Collections
    Search our Digital Collections for more photographs! We recommend using search terms like, “Native American,” “American Indian,” “Indian,” and “Ute.”
  • Reference and Special Collections Materials (Catalog)
    Explore American Indian heritage in reference and history texts found in our physical and digital collections.
     

Website Links

 

Celebrate Juneteenth with great, new children's stories.

This rainbow booklist is for all the children who will appreciate seeing various families in great books.

We all know that soldiers and other military personnel sacrifice a lot to serve the United States. Back in 1986, the month of April was declared the month of the Military Child. So, celebrate those kids around you whose family serve in the U.S. military and wear purple! Celebrate yourself too, if your parents are in the military. Kids make sacrifices too. Here's a booklist of great books to enjoy.


Our APPR title for grades 4-6 is The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor.


Homeschoolers: Register your homeschool group, or children for a live Zoom visit with the author, October 20 at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. at https://ppld.librarymarket.com/events/month/2022/10. We will send you the link a few days before the program. Registration begins August 15.

Schools: Please contact Barbara Andros to register at bandros@ppld.org
If you are not able to make the live session, a recording of the program will be available for 30 days. Contact bandros@ppld.org for more information.

Book description: Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard.
An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.
Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground haven for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin and, eventually, Benny.
But will anyone believe him?
Leslie Connor is the author of several award-winning books for children, including two ALA Schneider Family Book Award winners, Waiting for Normal and The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, which was also selected as a National Book Award finalist. Her other books include All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, Crunch, and The Things You Kiss Goodbye. She lives in the Connecticut woods with her family and three rescue dogs. You can visit her online at www.leslieconnor.com.
Sponsored by The Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District

PPLD celebrates Women's History Month with a booklist that aims to inspire girls in 2022!

February is Black History Month. Here is the link to PPLD programming going on in February: https://ppld.org/blackhistorymonth The Harriet Tubman Herself presentation looks really cool and is available all month!
Also, check out these additional resources:
Black Voices booklist for Kids
Storytime @ Home: Black Joy!

Where can you find kids' books that display positive character traits? Click on the pdf link below to see our new staff recommendations for books with character.

The homeschool team takes us on a tour of several creative spaces at Pikes Peak Library District, including: Library 21c Studio, MAC - loom and jewelry rooms, and the Library 21c Makerspace. Plus, an interview with a expert quilter plus a sewing lesson for beginners. Check out the booklist link below and the directions for the sewing project.

Check out this video: https://youtu.be/HuqP8-VqK1U?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu

September highlights suicide prevention. The booklist link below has good resources for parents and children.
See also: https://nationaltoday.com/world-suicide-prevention-day/

Coding is fun and very cool. Check out this list of coding books for tweens. Click on link below.

Photo by Marta Wave from Pexels

It's Colorado Springs 150th birthday this month! 150 years is a sesquicentennial birthday. To celebrate, PPLD children's staff gathered some great historical fiction for kids. The books touch on several different times and places in the history of our country. Click on the pdf link below to see the booklist.

June is Pride Month! Celebrate with these exciting books for ages 0-12! Click on the pdf link below to see the list.

On average, 10 children and youth enter foster care each day in Colorado because their parents need time to learn new skills and address safety concerns. This all-ages booklist is filled with captivating and engaging stories about children and teens experiencing foster care, click on pdf to view booklist. Source: CO4K.org

Many adults and kids in the Pikes Peak Library District have voted for their favorite children's book! Thank you. Below, you will find the Children's Book Week booklist with the voting results. Pilkey's Dog Man is the most popular book!
Nationally, Reading is a Superpower is the theme of Children's Book Week this year.

Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May! See two booklist links below, one for picture books and the other for kids' chapter books:

Every March, Women's History Month is celebrated. Here's is a children's booklist of great books at PPLD. Click on the pdf link below.

Check out the pdf link to see what young children like in books. Brought to you by the Colorado State Library.

Missing Storytime at your favorite Library? Our Family and Children's Services librarians are creating Storytime at Home materials for you and you family to enjoy. Every themed Storytime includes top literary picks with easy links to our online Catalog, music, crafting, and literacy tips. Click the photos or the link for more information about each activity.

Get yours by following @PPLDKids on Facebook or get them straight to your email! Subscribe here!


All Storytimes:

Black Lives Matter and so we celebrate Black Voices in stories for children. These picture books are available at the Pikes Peak Library District. Click on the pdf link below to see the booklist.

Pikes Peak Library District is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest for Children:


Bricks of Wheat
By Cooper Alvin

As I come home from school, filled with resent,
I see cold cream of wheat, hard as cement!
I thought what could be built with such hard a material,
Build skyscrapers out of this rock-hard cold cereal.
A new way of building! Who would of thought evolution
Could lead to such a disgusting solution.

Cream of wheat bricks! Now that’s something new!
Guess the trick to construction is edible goo!
Someone says: “The tallest building is inside Dubai.”
“That’s nothing! Build it with soup!” I reply.
We’d build it high and we’d build it wide.
Why would we do it? ‘Cause nobody’s tried.

A cream of wheat pool? No, that’d be just gross.
A cream of wheat coaster? (sigh) That’d be shunned on by most.
A cream of wheat car? Something no one would borrow.
Well, I’m out of ideas! Come back tomorrow!


Chocolate Peppermint Delight
By Emily Lunsford

One day during lunch,
My friend and I chatted.
She asked,
“If you could invent a dessert,
ANY dessert,
What would it be?”
We started sharing,
And worked together to imagine…
The Chocolate Peppermint Delight!

A chocolate lava cake,
But with peppermint bits in the lava!
Sweet, creamy vanilla ice cream,
With chocolate chip cookie crumbled in
On top of the cake.
A peppermint shell,
For the luscious ice cream.

Topping it off,
Caramel sauce,
And don’t forget
The flavorful peppermint sauce!
Whipped cream generously deposited
Around the plate,
And up the cake.

Coming out from our dream
Of heavenly desserts,
We smiled, thinking about
The luxurious treat.
Our mouths watering,
We looked down at our trays of cafeteria food.
And our otherwise fine tacos,
They didn’t seem nearly as good anymore.
Nor did our fruit cups,
Or our milk.
With the Chocolate Peppermint Delight on our minds,
Everything else faded in comparison,
To a dull gray.

It’s funny how a daydream,
A vision of succulent delicacies,
Can bleach perfectly fine food,
Leaving only the fantasy,
Bright and colorful.
That day I learned
That pure imagination
Can achromatize
Reality.


Bitter and Sour
By Azul Padilla

I’m grabbing a mango
Dancing like a weirdo
Cutting the mango
Nice and yellow
I ask my mother
Can you pass me the chili powder
I sprinkled it all over
Bitter and sour


How to Make a Pot of Rhino Stew
By Avery Pilkington

How to make a pot of rhino stew:
Add these five things to your Crockpot
Slice up some carrots
Chop up some potatoes
Dice up some worms
Add one huge RHINO
Add a dash of ground herbs
Put the lid on
Cook for SEVEN HOURS


The Life of a Cupcake
By Maya Rebugio

They put me in the oven to bake.
Me, a depressed and miserable cupcake.
Feeling the heat, I started to bubble.
Watching the others, I knew I was in trouble.

They opened the door and started my life.
Frosting me with a silver knife,
Decorating me with candy jewels.
The rest of my batch looked like fools.

Lifting me up, she took off my wrapper.
Feeling the breeze, I wanted to slap her.
Opening her mouth with shiny teeth inside,
This was the day this cupcake died.


I Love Pasta That’s No Doubt
By Madison Smith

Hear it boil from the pot
Crunch munchy from the box
I love pasta a whole whole lot

Short, fat, long, tall, just ask me I’ve got them all
Slippery, slimy, spaghetti
Whirly, twirly, colored noodles
Cheesy, wheezy, macaroni

Spiraled, curved, rigid, smooth, pasta makes me really groove
Pesto perfecto green and grand, even beefaroni from the can.

Rigatoni in my tummy
Amazing alfredo hot and yummy
With veggies or without
I love pasta that’s no doubt.

Looking for a book you just can’t put down? These action-packed chapter books are great picks for kids ages 9 to 12.
Click on the link below to check out the booklist!

Presenting strategies for dealing with anxiety, tools for emotional awareness, themes of encouragement, hope, and love, these books, available in electronic formats, provide comfort during tough times.
Need help accessing electronic materials? Go to PPLD’s eLibrary to get started.
Click on link below to see booklist:

Looking for a chapter book to listen to or read aloud with the family? Check out this selection of engaging chapter books in a variety of genres all available in electronic formats. Need help accessing these materials? Go to PPLD’s eLibrary to get started. Click on the pdf below to see the booklist.