Jabberwalking

Using the made-up words of Carroll's "Jabberwocky" as a jumping-off point, former U.S. poet laureate Herrera shows children how riotous verbal exuberance births poetry...Poetry manuals can make students roll their eyes, but this one may open their hearts.
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Herrera provides space for budding poets to learn how to write and encourages them to practice using the first secret of this collection: "You do not have to know where you are going! Or what you are saying!" Deeply personal and profoundly unique, this is a highly recommended purchase for every young adult yearning to be heard.
--School Library Journal (starred review)

In the right hands, all the wacky assignments and Herrera's autobiographical "Jabber Notebook" entries will ultimately spawn incandescent thinkers who will leap to the "flamey / Stars!"--or so Herrera hopes. An uncommon DIY for exuberant rule breakers.
--Kirkus Reviews

Including several biographical vignettes (some recalling encouragement from his mother) and frequent black-line cartoons, this book may be the best opportunity most of us will ever have to experiencing a Herrera presentation. And although the casual preteen browser may be left confused, in the hands of a gifted educator, this book has the potential to inspire and encourage young writers.
--Booklist

In a loose and jazzy style (and with a nod to Lewis Carroll), the former U.S. Poet Laureate offers instructions for "Jabberwalking," or writing poetry while in motion...An enticing explosion of paint colors on the book jacket and a lot of white space on the large square pages will help sell this to teens who might not think of themselves as poets.
--The Horn Book

The author provides oodles of inspiration for students to write their own nonsense word, free-verse poetry.
--Learning Magazine