The Adventures of Dr. Alphabet: 104 Unusual Ways to Write Poetry in the Classroom and the Community [Paperback]

Dave Morice (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0915924447 | ISBN-13: 978-0915924448 | Publication Date: February 26, 2007 | Edition: Fourth Printing

for teachers at all levels, and for anyone interested in entertaining new ways to write imaginatively.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Teachers & Writers Collaborative; Fourth Printing edition (February 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915924447
• ISBN-13: 978-0915924448
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #956,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dave Morice was born in St Louis and moved to Iowa City in 1969 to earn a degree in the University of Iowa's Writers Workshop. He has written thousands of poems, drawn thousands of cartoons, taught thousands of students, and raised one son, Danny, whom he considers the most enjoyable project of his life. In 1974, Dave painted colorful letters randomly on a white shirt, pants, shoes, cane, and tophat and turned into Dr. Alphabet, a man of letters. At the same time, he wrote concrete poems and edited Matchbook magazine under the name Joyce Holland as a literary hoax. He is currently a working staff member at Uptown Bill's Coffee House, and he is teaching at Kirkwood College. A prolific artist and writer, Dave continually seeks out new ways to create: "You can't step into the same stream of consciousness twice." He acts on his ideas for the sake of art to contribute to cultural education in the community and to express his irrepressible spirit. He has published 26 books as well as being the prime sponsor of dozens of poetry marathons, literary events, artistic happenings and Ripley's events. For more infor-mation, Google: Dr. Alphabet, Poetry Parade, Word Ways, and Kickshaws as well as Dave Morice on YouTube, Amazon and Bookfinder. Published works by Dave Morice are as follows:

- A Tourist's Guide to Computers, written & illus. by DM. Simon & Schuster
- Poetry Comics: A Cartooniverse of Poems, illus. by DM. Simon & Schuster
- More Poetry Comics: Abuse the Muse, illus. by DM. Chicago Review Press
- Poetry Comics: An Animated Anthology, illus. by DM. Teachers & Writers
- The Adventures of Dr. Alphabet: 104 Unusual Ways to Write Poetry in the
Classroom and the Community, written & illus. by DM. Teachers & Writers
- The Dictionary of Wordplay, written & illus. by DM. Teachers & Writers
- A Child's Garden of Grammar, by T. Disch, illus. by DM. U Press of New Eng.
- Poems 1971 (University of Iowa Workshop thesis), by DM. Al Buck Press
- Tilt (Poems), by DM. Toothpaste Press
- Catalog of the Wooden Nickel Art Project, ed by DM. Happy Press
- The Cutist Anthology, written & illus. by DM. Happy Press
- Crazy English, by Richard Lederer, illus. by DM, by Chicago Review Press
- Fractured English, by Richard Lederer, illus. by DM. Chicago Review Press
- Alphabet Avenue, written & illus. by DM. Chicago Review Press
- The Cunning Linguist, by Richard Lederer, illus. by DM. St Martin's Press
- The Word Circus, by Richard Lederer, illus. by DM. Merriam-Webster
- The 10th J, writen by DM, (under Joyce Holland). Toothpaste Press
- The Final E, written by DM (under Joyce Holland). X Press
- Alphabet Anthology, ed by DM (under Joyce Holland). X Press
- A Visit from St Alphabet, written & illus by DM, Coffee House Press
- Happy Birthday Handbook, written & illus, by DM, Toothpaste Press
- Dot Town, written & illus. by DM. Toothpaste Press
- Sacred Clowns Holy Fools (Poems by Steve Toth, Parodied by DM). Poetry Vortex Publishing
- The Great American Fortune Cookie Novel. written by DM and hundreds of co-authors, illustrated by Daniel J. Erusha. Sackter House Media
- Haloosa Nation. written by DM, illustrated by Danny Morice, Introduction by Joyce Holland. JoMo Publishing
- Backwords Planet (in press)
- Limerick Inferno (in press)
- The Idiot and The Oddity (in press)
- The Wooden Nickle Art Project (in press)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Alphabet is a Wizard!, April 30, 2003

By 

Linda Courchane "Lin Courchane" (Slinger, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adventures of Dr. Alphabet: 104 Unusual Ways to Write Poetry in the Classroom and the Community (Paperback)

I've been teaching high school creative writing for twenty plus years and nothing, and I mean NOTHING!, has revolutionized how we teach that class more than this little book. Our students are spray painting their cars, then writing poems on them. They're writing poetry inside and outside refrigerators, stoves, on chairs and tables, on the sidewalks, on their father's army boots, on toilets, and yes, they've even written on the kitchen sink. We've been asked to give inservices to other educators about this project. It's nothing short of sensational and Dave Morice is our hero! Don't buy one of these books, buy a dozen for all of your teacher friends. This technique makes kids want to be creative. All age groups will find good stuff here.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, October 26, 2009

By 

H. A Truett "Wordy Girl" (Mississippi) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adventures of Dr. Alphabet: 104 Unusual Ways to Write Poetry in the Classroom and the Community (Paperback)

This book is full of wonderful activities for poetry writing with all age-groups. I have already made my first deck of "Poetry Poker" cards, and I cannot wait to try some of the other activities.

6 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Impractical and disappointing, February 8, 2004

By 

Beth Biester "Beth Biester" (Urbana, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Adventures of Dr. Alphabet: 104 Unusual Ways to Write Poetry in the Classroom and the Community (Paperback)

As a high school teacher, I was hoping that this book would help my students feel more comfortable expressing themselves in poetry form and feel proud about displaying their work. I found that many of the activities would considered "stupid" by my students, and many activities are just too impractical when one considers the cost of materials for the number of students I have. The book also assumes that students already know how to write poetry, and there is no emphasis on the writing process or revision. Students go directly from freewriting to presentation. I've found my students have wonderful imaginations; they just don't know how to turn imagination into verse. This book won't help them do that.