My View of Life on the Dock
Among so many welcome signs of spring, the unique and enchanting SFL Poetry without Paper 2024 contest is a Gloucester gem. How fortunate our community is that Christy Russo and John Ronan established it 21 years ago.
Please print and share. Have fun and good luck young writers!
Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Public Library weekly Story Time with Christy resumes despites Covid-19 closure. Christy Russo is the Director of Children’s services at the library. She effortlessly brings a Mister Rogers kind flair and expertise to programs. See the first week’s video below focused on friendship. The production quality is well done, and the emoji adds feel sweet and festive. This episode format includes a greeting and “visit” with garden friends, stories*, and activities.
*We Are Brothers We are Friends by Alexandra Penfold and Little Elliot Big City by Mike Curato (Macmillan publishing, both)
Also of note: Now in its 18th year, the annual Poetry without Paper competition, co-founded by Russo with poet John Ronan, is open to children in grades K-12.
Manchester Public Library is offering story times as well via social media (including Facebook LIVE). Look for upcoming events here
Weekly Tuesdays at 6:30pm PJ Story Times with Carol Bender, another stellar children’s librarian on Cape Ann, began April 14th, 2020. “Remember to wear your PJ’s and bring your special animal friends for a Facebook live story time!” Upcoming April 21, 28 and May 5
Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library Poetry Without Paper Contest 2019 find out more here
deadline April 30, 2019
Fun fact: Christy Russo, Director of Childrens Services at the library, said that new Teen Librarian Haley created the word cloud for this year’s flyer from winning poems submitted in 2018.
2019 poetry contests for children and teens:
Gloucester Poetry Without Paper Contest co-founded by Christy Russo and John Ronan through Sawyer Free Public Library is now in its 17th year! Submissions are due March 1 – April 30th. Read all about it here: https://sawyerfreelibrary.org/poetry-without-paper-contest/
The deadline for Rockport Poetry’s Paperless Poetry Contest is midnight March 31. Submissions can be sent by email: rockportpoetry@gmail.com. Sharon Chace is Rockport Poet Laureate. Read more here.
Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library children’s services offers fantastic weekly programming. Zyla the Therapy Dog loves a good book! The next “Sign up to read” or sit with Zyla are January 29th, March 5th and May 14th. Looking ahead: there’s plenty of time to prepare for the annual Poetry Without Paper contest co-founded by Jon Ronan with Christy Russo, Director of Children’s Services. This year, national Poem in Pocket Day falls on April 25, 2019.
Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Libary Childrens Services Tuesday April 24, 2018 5:30-7pm
“Opening Doors, Opening Hearts: Grandparents raising Grandchildren Cape Ann: Guest speakers Deborah Doucette author of Raising our Children’s Children: Room in the Heart and Colleen Pritoni, Director of Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.”
This original & innovative event is hosted by Sawyer Free Library Childrens Services in collaboration with community partners like: Cape Ann Museum, Cape Ann YMCA, Senior Care, The Open Door, Healthy Gloucester Collaborative, WIC, Pathways, NS MVP, and Backyard Growers.
“April is National Poetry Month! Kids can celebrate by writing a poem & planting a tree! All supplies will be provided for this make & take program on April 20, 2018 from 2-3pm”
Always busy, busy fun programming through children’s services at Sawyer Free Library
SAVE THE DATE poetry aloud!The 14th Annual Poetry without Paper Awards Ceremony and Poetry Reading is Thursday June 15th at 6:30pm at Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library under the direction of Christy Russo. Author and poet John Ronan will present awards to High School, Middle School and Elementary school students who will then read their poetry aloud. Winners in each division receive prizes, a book of poetry, certificate of excellence, and an invitation to appear on Cape Ann TV’s long running series The Writer’s Block. Poetry without Paper is open to students living in or attending school in Gloucester. Look for it each April.
Good Morning Gloucester 