A collection of original poems and creative writing exercises that will inspire teens to write about their own lives. ""Since the very beginnings of the human race, we've been gathering in circles and telling stories because beyond the physical needs for food, water, clean air, and security, one of our most basic yearnings is to express ourselves, to share what we know, what we dream, what we imagine, and what we feel."" Experienced poet and teacher Kathi Appelt has written a wonderful collection of poems for young adult readers, accompanied by fascinating accounts of how and why the poems came to be, along with writing exercises to inspire readers to create their own poetry. A perfect gift and an excellent classroom resource, this book opens up the world of poetry in a way that is accessible and appealing to teens. Kathi Appelt is the author of many books for young readers. A graduate of Texas AandM University, she teaches writing to both children and adults. Appelt lives in College Station, Texas, with her husband and their two sons. A "Booklist" Top 10 Youth Poetry Selection Beloved author and teacher Kathi Appelt offers a series of insightful poems that strike at both the emotional heart and intellectual core of adolescent longing--while also offering informative notes, lessons, and exercises on how poems of all sorts are made. The characters in this book's two-dozen-plus poems are at once familiar and unforgettable, as accessible as they are true-to-life. In one poem we see a flirtatious couple passing notes in history class; in another we encounter an obese girl whose name nobody remembers. Aimed at students in Grades 8 and above, and divided into two sections (the first containing Appelt's keen and sensitive poems, the second exploring how they were written and how YA readers can begin poems of their own), "Poems from Homeroom" provides budding young writers with a well-articulated guide on how to compose poems of clarity and originality. "The poems are tender and shine with memorable images; the prose has a contagious message to shed inhibitions and pick up the pen."--"Booklist" "This is indeed a fine place for a writer to start . . . Appelt covers where ideas, inspiration, and feelings come from and encourages their expression in verse. Her poems are at times sensual, dramatic, or violent, and always rhythmic. They are fascinating, smooth, and 'with it.' In them, readers meet real teens and in a few words get to understand their needs, fears, and longings."--"School Library Journal" "Appelt, best known for her books for younger readers, has also taught poetry to children and adults. Her own poems here describe the lives and longings of high-school students. From the boy who secretly washes the name of the girl he has a crush on from the boy's room stall to the girl who can't get over getting her driver's license, Appelt focuses on the large and minute dramas of teenage life, giving readers a springboard for their own writing. The 26 poems in the first section are followed by a page about each poem--describing Appelt's inspiration and techniques, and suggesting starting points for poems about a similar longing. Though most of the poems are free verse, there are a few in standard forms, or which employ some device. There is a villanelle, a sestina, and haiku, as well as a series of acrostics, and a 'poem in five acts, ' with a voice and imagery evocative of Shakespeare, about the two teenagers who are playing Romeo and Juliet in the school play . . . Most of Appelt's] poems will speak directly to her readers, who will also appreciate her suggestions, and her excellent bibliography of adult books on writing."--"Kirkus Reviews"