Valentine's Day is almost here! To celebrate and spread a little kidlit love, we are excited to announce the Little Thoughts Press
"Silly Love Sonnets” Kidlit Poetry Contest!
Save your romantic gestures and sweeping declarations for your one true love or latest crush. We want your odes to the little things you love the most. A perfect peanut butter & jelly sandwich, the Rainbow Road race course in Mario Kart, crunchy caramel popcorn, or the inexplicable softness of a kitty cat's belly. Give us silly perspectives: a poem from a hamster who loves its exercise wheel, a homerun baseball soaring out of a stadium, a crawling baby who can't resist turning over the family dog's water bowl.
Don't let the form scare you away. We are looking for sonnets but aren't sticklers for specific rules. Just give us fourteen lines about something silly you love. Rhyme and meter are a plus, but aren't required.
What: A fourteen-line poem celebrating any little thing you love. The sillier the better! This is all about spreading joy, and saluting the small pleasures in life. All submissions should be appropriate for a readership of kids ages 12 and younger.
Who: Agented, pre-agented, published, pre-published, writers of all ages and stages— all kidlit creatives are welcome to enter!
When: The contest submission period is from February 7th - 14th. A winner, two honorable mentions, and a kid choice winner will be announced here, on the Little Thoughts Press blog, and on our socials on Friday, February 16th! Selected poems will be featured on the blog and winners will receive a free copy of their choice of one of our issues & a bookmark featuring Little Thoughts Press cover art. Winning entries will be selected by Little Thoughts Press editors, Claire and Carrie.
How to enter: Post your entry as a comment on this post by 11:59 pm (EST) on February 14th. Entries posted outside of this window will not be considered. Please include your name with your poem so we know for sure whose entry it is!
Details: Rhyme and meter are not required, but your sonnet must be fourteen lines. 1 entry per kidlit creator.
Grab your copy of our participant badge and help spread the word by sharing #sillylovesonnets on your socials! We can't wait to see all the silly things you can't help but love!
I AM A FASHION-ISTA.
by Joy Moore
@joymoore
The days that I am daunting,
I kick my boots with pointed toes,
then I strike a matching pose.
I love to look dramatic-ful.
The days when I feel brainy.
I perch my glasses on my nose,
I stand in front of books by rows.
I love to look research-y-like.
Somedays I feel quite chic.
With party shoes of frills and bows,
a flashy hat to stop the show.
I love to look splendifer-ish.
Stuck With You
By: Marci Whitehurst
@marciwhitehurst
I’ve known you for forever,
You’ve stuck with me through tears.
I truly cannot sever,
Our bond throughout the years.
Like when we made the bird cage,
Or the card for my grandma…
No matter what my stage or age,
You’re the best I ever saw.
You help me in a pinch or scrape,
I reach for you with joy.
Soft then hard, you’re better than tape,
You fixed my favorite toy!
Roses are red, violets are blue,
But if they break, I come to you: GLUE!
Snoring Songs
By Kellie Tune
@FableFiddler
I love it when you say goodnight,
you snuggle down hugging me tight.
With blankets, you flip and you stir,
your nostrils then sound like they purr.
What starts as the quietest puff
becomes a drumming that's gruff.
It echo's and grows to a roar,
a freight train-like bellowing snore.
At first I try blocking it out.
I toss and turn, kick and I shout.
As decibels don't shrink or stop
my hopes for sleep plummet. I flop.
I answer in monstrous snore!
A sound I have learned to adore.
Oh, How I Revel in the Rain! A Sonnet of Sorts
by Colleen Owen Murphy
I absolutely love a sunny day,
to swing, to swim, to simply run and play.
But oh, my heart, when buckets fill the sky
and drop their pails of moisture from on high!
When rainfall rushes down our water spout, and puddle playgrounds start to form about, I race outside to live my dream of dreams
as cloudbursts turn the streets from roads to streams.
I sing, I prance in pools. I dance and dash,
I stand on curbs. I jump. I aim. I splash!
I’m somewhat soaked and spent, but nonetheless,
I free my feet and make a muddy mess. For well I know, in time, the…
The World's Best Dog - by Angela Jelf -( X: @angietange)
My puppy's eyes are nothing like the sun,
His left ear sticks up like a sail,
His paws get so muddy whenever he runs,
That he's constantly leaving a trail.
I've seen clever pups that can jump and roll over
But my dog would rather chase sticks,
And as for his breath, well, it don't smell like roses,
And he's constantly giving me licks.
He isn't too likely to win any prizes,
For hounds who are handsome and smart,
But a more loyal friend, you never did meet,
And he holds the first place in my heart.
Here's to a dog, who is loyal and true,
Who shreds up…