 J.R. Poulter (J.R. McRae)J.R. has worked as a book and web site reviewer for Education Queensland and as an assessment package writer and editor for the Queensland Studies Authority.
She worked as a senior reference librarian in the State Library of Queensland, and was Deputy Rare Books librarian during the development of a unique collection of early and rare illustrated children's books.
Author of ten books - 6 anthologies with teacher notes for education, two picture books and two junior novels. Poetry in Antipodes, Quadrant, Social Alternatives and others. Member of SCWBI and QWC.
Brief bio - me, my background, what inspires me, etc.
J.R. has worked in a circus, dug skeletons out of other people’s closets, collected the works of Dore, Dulac, Rackam and Rentoul Outhwaite and other notable illustrators. She has also reviewed everything from preschool board books to literary novels, unraveled the grammatically tangled thesis work of Indonesian students and written assessment packages for Education Queensland! She has a B.A. in Social Sciences, library qualifications, has survived motherhood and can make ‘interesting’ noises. First anthologised whilst still at school, J.R. quickly discovered the path to publication lay in hiding a gender! This was over a decade before J.K. made the same discovery.
Since then, she has been published by Hachette Livre/Lothian, Era, Macmillan Education and others. Her poetry has appeared in Quadrant, Social Alternatives, Antipodes, Gathering Force, Small Packages and many others. Inspiration: The unexpected, the quirky, the different, waking up another morning, nature, art and photography,……..just about anything!
What I can offer schools, libraries, clients who are interested in booking me.
I offer experience in work shopping [ETAQ Conference and the school programs for QPF in 2007 & 2008], in performance [ Book Week in numerous schools, Out of the Box x 2 in 2008, Metro Arts and Brisbane City Hall for FAW and various poetry gigs, Opening of the Brisbane City Central Library, Kyeema Arts Festival], storytelling and readings [ETAQ Conference and Book Week in numerous schools], event organisation [Opening of the Brisbane City Central Library, Children’s segment of the first Mountains to Mangroves; family segment of the Kyeema Arts Festival; Outreach to Secondary School, S.E. Qld for School of Journalism and Communication, UQ], presentations [ SCWBI Conference Sydney 2008,
Abilities: to instill enthusiasm in children for the written and spoken word, to be flexible, to read the audience and respond accordingly, a sense of humour, a knowledge of current trends in education [former assessment package writer], of trends in children’s literature [book reviewer, Education Queensland], a good general knowledge [reference librarian].
Excerpts from letters from primary school teachers:
“poems touched familiar chords with the children, who very quickly became involved in the performances .... “
“success in grabbing the children’s attention and keeping the students enthralled for over an hour with ... poetry was extraordinary considering the nature of the students. Most students in the groups have disadvantaged backgrounds, with many suffering learning, behavioural (including ADD), and emotional problems. These children usually have little tolerance or interest in either poetry or performing. However, from their reaction ... it is clear that with the right resources children can be hooked into poetry.”
My future projects, writing goals, etc.
Books, books, books and more books! Have completed one for The Book Company in Sydney pre Christmas 2008 and have just signed a further contract with them. At present, I am working on a book with Angel Dominguez. I’m always on the look out for another idea!
I initiated the Poster Poem/Story Project with Sharing Books which has resulted in 35 posters, minibooks and collections and growing. The result of collaboration with amazingly talented illustrators from around the world, it has been met with rave responses from teachers, parents and others from Ukraine to USA, Australia to India since its inception in late December 2008.
Published titles and any awards, shortlists, industry recognition received.
| | Name & Publisher
Illustrator &
Author
| AWARDS, reviews etc
| | | 2008 All Ages
A: J.R. Poulter I: Sarah Davis | “New Zealand Listener”, December 20-26 2008 Vol 216 No 3580 - rated
“Mending Lucille” in the top 10 children’s books/young adult books for 2008
Recommended book for counseling & biblio-therapy Australian Centre for Grief
Education at Victoria’s Monash Medical Centre
Recommended book for counseling by the Australian and New Zealand Journal of
Family Therapy (ANZJFT)
Book of the Month, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide’s Child
NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge List
Children’s Choice, in the top 6 picture books for 2008, Dunedin Library District.
Nominated for Family Therapists' Award and Crichton Award for New Illustrator of
the Year, 2009”.
| | | 2006 All Ages Knowledge Books
and Software
A: Jan Turner-Jones; A: J.R.
Poulter ;A: Marco Gliori; E: J.R.
Poulter; I: Jenny Gibson Onn
Poetry Action for Classroom &
Stage – 6 volume series | Series review by Stephen Robinson, typifies the responses I have had. Stephen
is President of the Speech & Drama Teachers' Association of Queensland and
also editor of "The Quarterly Voice", the Association’s journal.
"this is a fantastic initiative by Jenny Poulter...commercial and critical response to
texts has been strong....We need more books like this - verse texts supported by
writing, speaking and movement activities that invite children to think, feel and
share poetically through word (written. spoken, electronically) and action.
Purchase of "Let's Jabberwocky!" - and the teacher support texts [5 volumes]
should be considered by all schools." | | | 2005 N/A A/E: J.R. Poulter I: Jenny
Gibson Onn
Poetry Action for Classroom &
Stage – 6 volume series | | | | 2005 N/A
A: J.R. Poulter I: Jenny Gibson Onn
Poetry Action for Classroom &
Stage – 6 volume series | | | | 2005 N/A A: J.R. Poulter I: Jenny
Gibson Onn
Poetry Action for Classroom &
Stage – 6 volume series | | | | 2005 All Ages A: J.R. Poulter
I: Jenny Gibson Onn
Anthology- Poetry Action for
Classroom & Stage – 6 volume
series | Series review by Stephen Robinson, typifies the responses I have had. Stephen
is President of the Speech & Drama Teachers' Association of Queensland and
also editor of "The Quarterly Voice".
"this is a fantastic initiative by Jenny Poulter...commercial and critical response to
texts has been strong....We need more books like this - verse texts supported by
writing, speaking and movement activities that invite children to think, feel and
share poetically through word (written. spoken, electronically) and action.
Purchase of "Let's Jabberwocky!" - and the teacher support texts [5 volumes]
should be considered by all schools." | | | 1997 Ages 4-8 A: J.R. Poulter I: Joy
Antonie
Also available in audio | | | | 1997 N/A A: J.R. Poulter [“The Stray”];
E: Michael Hyde
Also available in audio | AWARD: Children's Book Council of Australia Recommended Book. | | | 1995 Ages 4-8 A: J.R. Poulter
I: Mike Johnston | | | | Shark Pool [Poster]
Sharing Books/Room to Read
J.R.Poulter and
James Messer | 3rd in ‘Most Loved’ category, Sharing Books/Room to Read site awards | | | Pet Pup [Poster]
Sharing Books/Room to Read
J.R.Poulter and
Elizabeth R. Stanton | Highly Commended in ‘Most Loved’ category, Sharing Books/Room to Read site
awards | | | Sharing Books/Room to Read
- Over 50 Titles – Posters and Minibooks
with numerous artists, including :
Jane ‘Dandi’ Palmer UK
Joy Steuerwald, USA
Arti Chauhan, India
John Blackford USA
James Messer, USA
Mariana Musa, France
Jason Fergusson Japan/Australia
Ronald Chironna USA
Constance Wong, Malaysia
Jade Potts, USA
Nicola Espirito, USA
Richard Rudnicki, Nova Scotia, USA
Monica & Andrea Rondino, Italy
Rick Lieder, USA
Tricia Waterbury , USA
Kat Cameron, Spain
Alex Slack, UK
Ashley Letizia, USA
Colette Kemp, South Africa
Timothy Schenk, USA
E.R.Stanton, USA
Sarah Davis, Australia
Mattias Adolfsson, Sweden
Oscar Dominguez, Spain
Raoul Dominguez, Spain
Peter Taylor, Australia
Cheryl McMickle, USA | Glowing responses from teachers, educators and parents globally:
As fourth grade teacher, I love Jennifer Poulter's poem posters. My class loves
them for their richness of language and rhythm. Jennifer's topic selection is
varied and great. There is something for every interest. The children enjoy being
able to find and download new poems! Teacher USA Feb 09
This is a great resource. Thanks for updates…..
cheers
Assistant Director, Assessment Resources Branch,
Teaching & Learning Division
Queensland Studies Authority
Materials super.......will activate people within QSA to develop some literacy
enrichment learning materials around your work
Teacher, assessment package writer /senior education officer Australia
You know, today we've had a lesson using your poems - and my kids' translations
(Expelling Spell, Pandamonium, Ten of Them and Little People...), if you could
hear and understand Russian, it was brilliant, fabulous and funny, of course... lots
of laughter!
They (age-11) translated the poems themselves and did not only translate, but
rewrote them in rhyme. To my delight they caught the heart of your works, and
some of their works were not worse than the originals :) And they asked me for
more! I've just downloaded your other posters….
Thank you from me and from my students.
All the best, Teacher, Russia
I absolutely love the resource. Seriously, thanks for all you do.
Response from a parent [USA] | | | POETRY:
Death and the Old Lady
Furrows
Mooloolaba Calendar
Haiku | Poetry Awards-major
Warana Poetry award [Precursor of Premier’s Award] Judge Bruce Dawe
C.J.Dennis Award 3rd
Open Einbunpin Poetry award[Judge Martin Duval]
EInbunpin Haiku Award[Judge martin Duval] |
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