I can see you’re looking dour,
So I’ve stopped by your address.
It seems that life delivers me
To folks most in distress.
Judging from that dismal scowl,
You’ve had some lousy luck.
Perhaps you lost your tennis match,
Or your radiator’s stuck?
In any case, take my advice –
Tomorrow’s a new day!
Look on the bright side; crack a smile
And I’ll be on my way.
There’s no need for that juicer…
Take a breath and count to three.
Lemonade may cheer your mood,
But it spells the end for me.

Written by Jesse Anna Bornemann.

Illustrated by Allie Biondi.

(17 votes, average: 4.41)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.

I was introduced to Allie through poet-extraordinaire Jesse Anna Bornemann. As you can tell from this snapshot, Allie once drank from a bottle labeled “Drink Me” and shrunk a bit.


Oh, did I mention: she’s also hilarious and awesome.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m an illustrator/animator/all around crafty type girl living in Brooklyn. I currently work with preschoolers by day and work on comics and freelance illustrations at night. I like to make up little songs about whatever I’m doing when I’m doing it. My socks rarely match.

What’s your passion? What makes you tick?
I love the most, of everything the way I see it. When I was little I used to dream of the day where I had the ability to draw the things in my head – and feel happy everyday for that gift! Sunshine, tiny animals, playing bass guitar, skiing, surfing, and being surrounded by trees makes me the happiest.

What’s your wildest dream for Project OpenBook?
That it continues to connect artists/writers together to help children in need. Giving creative types a way to make a happy dent in the world is a beautiful thing.

Where can people get more of you?
My artwork can be seen at 24crayons.com, where there is a link to my blog.

Allie’s OpenBook Works
A Lemon’s Plea

When I bumped into Chris Leaven’s work, I was totally blown away. He creates mind-bending worlds filled with fantastical creatures. So I was more than stoked when I reached out to him about collaborating on Holey Cow! and he said yes. As it turns out, Chris is also a terrific guy and so I’m honored to introduce you to him and his amazing work (with his permission, I’ve included his wonderful “Dudleya” below).

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m an artist/illustrator who likes to draw strange worlds and creatures. A lot of monsters, twisted landscapes, funny situations. I like surreal and bizarre imagery, but my work is generally positive, joyful, and free from violence and morose themes. I create most of my work digitally using Adobe Illustrator and have worked on art for a wide variety of media including computer/video games, print, TV, feature films, and web. In other words, even if you don’t like me it’s hard to avoid me. I currently live in the Los Angeles-area foothills with my wife and our daughter and son.

What’s your passion? What makes you tick?
I don’t know if there’s one particular thing. I love my family, the outdoors, digging things up, planting things, building things, drawing, laughing, traveling, watermelon, cherries, and Christmas.

What’s your wildest dream for Project OpenBook?
Upon reading the finished book, the heads of every bad guy in the world would explode and confetti would come out. (You did say “wildest.”)

Where can people get more of you?
The best places to find out more about me are via my website and my twitter feed.

Chris’ OpenBook Works
Holey Cow!

HOLY COW! HOLY COW!
It’s something people shout…
Where it comes from, well, that’s something
They know nothing about.

HOLY COW! HOLY COW!
Maybe this will clear things up.
Let me introduce you to
My cow, Miss Buttercup.

HOLY COW! HOLY COW!
Do you think that I would tease?
The holey cow is very real…
That’s where we get swiss cheese.

Written by Phil Haussler.

Illustrated by Chris Leavens.

(25 votes, average: 4.44)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.

Written by Jesse Anna Bornemann.

Illustrated by Aaron Miller.

(44 votes, average: 4.23)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.

TED — a nonprofit devoted to spreading important ideas — published a 5 minute talk from Anne Marie Thomas, in which she demonstrates a super quick and amazingly simple way to build cheap, simple electrical circuits from homemade play dough. It’s terrific and — if you haven’t already taken the 5 minutes to watch it — don’t miss it.

I found it fascinating is to look at the comments. Some critics deride the message as “dumbing down TED” because it’s not scientific research or groundbreaking journalism. But considering American students consistently score behind other industrialized countries in Science and Math, maybe this is one of TED’s most important messages yet.

After all, improving kids’ science achievement won’t happen by teaching to standardized tests; it will only happen if we can foster a sense of passion and excitement for the sciences. Arming schools, teachers and families with gee-whiz demonstrations that get kids stoked for science is a great step in that direction.

I think this comment from Tobias Duncan sums up the potential power of simple ideas:

My fourth grade teacher had a box full of batteries, wires, light bulbs and electric motors. If I finished my work quickly,I was allowed to spend time with box of goodies.I have to say it was life changing.I can not overstate the impact it had on me . This is even cooler.

THE CIRCUS!

Tomorrow I join the circus!
Yep, I’m gonna run away.
But first I need to find my act,
I’ve only got a day.

I thought about a bearded-lady
But just can’t grow a beard.
And furthermore, since I’m a boy
That might be kinda weird.

Lion-tamer might do the trick
If only they didn’t bite.
Tight-rope walker — that might work
Except for my fear of heights.

How about an acrobat?
I cannot touch my toes.
Strong man, clown or fire-breather?
Surely none of those!

I guess the only job for me
Is human cannonball.
Which makes me think…
On second thought…
I won’t go after all!

Written by Phil Haussler.

Illustrated by Richard Wilkinson.

(36 votes, average: 4.31)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.

This poem is for Project OpenBook, a community-built children’s book. Details below.

FRACTURED BY FRACTIONS

Ruth was puzzled; Ruth was perplexed.
Ruth was worried; Ruth was just vexed.

Today was Monday: tomorrow was near.
At 9am on Tuesday came Ruth’s dreaded fear.

Ruth’s problem was numbers; fractions to be exact.
Demon denominators and numerators in fact.

Miss Allard had explained it; she had cut up pizza pies.
Miss Allard had tried so hard; but all Ruth could do was cry.

“See, 1 over 5 is one fifth,” Miss Allard wrote.
“Then 1 over 6 is one sixth,” Miss Allard spoke.

“So 1 over 7 is one seventh,” Miss Allard said.
“And 1 over 8 is one eighth.” Numbers buzzed in Ruth’s head.

“I don’t understand it. I can’t see what you mean.
Please show me one more time,” Ruth begged her friend Jean.

Jean said “1 over 2 is one half,” to Ruth in Duluth.
Ruth smiled and said ” But wouldn’t 1 over 2 be one tooth?”

Written by Eowana Jordan.

Illustrated by Ann Troe.

(99 votes, average: 4.04)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.

PB&J

Don’t be afraid of jellyfishes.
(With peanut butter, they’re quite delicious.)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Written by Phil Haussler.

Illustrated by Maria Bogade.

(27 votes, average: 4.04)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.

This poem is for Project OpenBook, a community-built children’s book. Details below.

MISPRONUNCITATIONS

We visit all the time,
I’ve been going all my life—
I’m pretty sure I know just how it’s sayed.
Just watch for a sign,
There will be one in no time,
And the right pronuncitation’ll be displayed.
A sign! Here it comes!
I’m going to prove that you’re all chumps!
You’ll see that I’ve been right all along!
But what is this? Why, oh why?!
I can’t believe my weary eyes!
Even here they say Misconsin wrong!!!!

Written by Karen Bjork Kubin.

Illustrated by Nicholas Andrew Davies

(19 votes, average: 3.00)

 Loading ...

Project OpenBook is a community-built children’s book. Your rating determines what goes into the book. All proceeds go to funding a young girl’s education.

If you liked this poem: Share it. Read it to a kid. Or join us.