Louisa May Alcott (1832 – 1888) is an American author best known for “Little Women,” a semi-autobiographical novel about four sisters growing up in New England during the Civil War. In addition to her books and short stories, Alcott worked …[Continue]
Types of Poetry
Poetic form refers to rules followed by different types of poems. The rules may describe the rhythm of the poem, the length of a poem, its rhyming scheme, the use of alliteration, or the poem’s shape on a page. Don’t …[Continue]
College Search
Although freshman year may seem early to start thinking about college, the truth is that the process starts as soon as you choose your first high-school schedule. Are you taking the hardest classes you are capable of? Are you studying …[Continue]
Emily Dickinson
American poet Emily Dickinson was born December 10, 1830 in Amherst, MA. During her lifetime, she only published only seven poems, but after her death, her sister Lavinia Dickinson discovered more than a thousand poems, many of them hand bound …[Continue]
Nobel Prize
Each year on December 10 (the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel) the Nobel Prize is handed out in six categories: physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, economics and peace. The awards are given to those who have made the most …[Continue]
Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein (born Sheldon Allan Silverstein in 1930) is best known for his quirky children’s poetry and stories, but he also wrote, composed and drew for grownups. His award-winning children’s books include “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, “A Light in the …[Continue]
Online Encyclopedias
Although the Internet could be viewed as one giant encyclopedia, there is one very important difference: the bulk of the Internet is written by sources with dubious credentials. When you need background information for a school paper or a research …[Continue]
Wizard of Oz
Frank L. Baum (1856 – 1910) wrote fourteen children’s books and a handful of short stories about the mythical land of Oz, but it was his first,”The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, that became an American classic and one of the …[Continue]
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman (1819 – 1892) is an early American poet who lived during the Civil War. His idealistic and romantic poems pay homage to the United States and democracy. His most famous work, “Leaves of Grass”, is a collection of …[Continue]
Spelling Games
It must be spelling bee season, because I see bees buzzing everywhere. The 79th annual National Spelling Bee finals will be in Washington D.C. May 31- June 1. The movie “Akeelah and the Bee” is now in movie theaters. “The …[Continue]
