By Judy Shields
Hollywood, California (The Hollywood Times) 08/24/2023 – “I am excited to be talking with you about my first ever new children’s book of my poems,” author Robert Schechter told The Hollywood Times today and we were excited to be his first official interview about the new book.
The Red Ear Blows Its Nose, Robert Schechter’s new book of children’s poetry, is “beautifully crafted and terrifically funny” (Kate Wakeling), and “a dazzling tour de force” (Kenn Nesbitt). Often hilarious, always thoughtful, this debut collection from award-winning poet Robert Schechter proves he is “clearly one of the most accomplished poets writing for children today” (Valerie Bloom MBE), “way up there with the great American kids’ poets” (A. F. Harrold).
Complemented by S. Federico’s charming illustrations, The Red Ear Blows Its Nose will delight both children and adults alike, and is destined to take its place alongside classics such as A Child’s Garden of Verses, Now We Are Six, and Where the Sidewalk Ends, on children’s and library bookshelves for years to come.
The Hollywood Times had the opportunity to speak with Robert Schechter about his new children’s poetry book. Enjoy our conversation:
Robert Schechter reading from The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others, at the Montclair Public Library, Montclair, NJ (4/16/2023) Robert Schechter‘s award-winning poetry for children has appeared in Highlights for Children, Cricket, Spider, Ladybug, the Caterpillar, Blast Off, Countdown, Orbit, and more than a dozen anthologies published by Bloomsbury, National Geographic, Macmillan, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the Emma Press, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. His poems for adults have won both the Willis Barnstone Translation Prize and the X. J. Kennedy Parody Award, and his verse often appears in the Washington Post Style Invitational (where he is a former Rookie and Loser of the Year) and in the Spectator magazine’s weekly humor competition. Robert is the editor of the children’s poetry section of Better Than Starbucks. This is his first collection. He lives in Dix Hills, NY.
Learn more at www.bobschechter.com
REVIEW
This bright colored book of poems for children and others is surely one for parents and grandparents to get for their children to enjoy. The well-drawn illustrations will have the kids asking to read these poems over and over. We are all lucky that Robert Schechter, the writer of these poems, was able to put them in a book for all of us to enjoy for years to come and we can’t wait for the next one to follow of more amazing and entertaining poems. So don’t forget to get extra copies for your local library are well as your children’s school library and one for the teacher too. Judy Shields, The Hollywood Times
Robert read a few of his poems. Here are the photos of those poems from the book:
Illustrator: S. FEDERICO draws, writes, and lives in New York City with his cat. @droawsy
The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others
by Robert Schechter, Illus. by S. Federico
April 1, 2023. 119 p. Able Muse/Word Galaxy
Hardcover/paperback/e-book editions
ISBN 978-1773491349