About the Author
Michael Beadle
Author Info
Michael Beadle is a poet, author and writer-in-residence living in Raleigh, NC. Since 1999, he’s taught thousands of students in poetry and creative writing workshops across the Tar Heel state, and performed poetry at schools, churches and festivals. He’s the author of several poetry collections, including the children's poetry collections What Makes a Giraffe Laugh?, Does Your Goblin Have A Problem?, and Foodtopia! His poems have appeared in journals such as Kakalak, River Heron Review, Broad River Review, and the Southern Poetry Anthology, Vol. VII: North Carolina. Beadle has served as a guest editor for Prime Number Magazine, poet-in-residence at the NC Zoo in Asheboro, A+ Fellow for the NC A+ Schools program, instructor at Duke Young Writers’ Camp (Duke University), emcee for NC Poetry Out Loud, and student contest manager for the NC Poetry Society.
News
Welcome, friends! I'm excited to share the news of my latest children's poetry book — Foodtopia! This book is my third collaboration with the amazing illustrator Arianne Hemlein. She and I worked together for two previous children's books — What Makes a Giraffe Laugh? and Does Your Goblin Have a Problem?
Foodtopia! is a collection of fun poems that celebrate of all sorts of cuisines from croissants and crepes to souvlaki and teriyaki. Meet a pirate who makes pancakes, the hot sauce adventure of Taco Ted and Fajita Fred, and the sweet secret of the unicorn's horn. Feast your eyes on colorful illustrations and playful rhymes. Enjoy food puns that incorporate famous figures from history and pop culture — Okra Winfrey, Broccoli Obama, Napoleon Baloney-parte, Porridge Washington, Tater Swift and many more!
Does Your Goblin Have a Problem? is the perfect gift for the Halloween season and for monster-lovers everywhere. The book features rhyming poems about witches, vampires, ghosts, zombies and assorted creatures like ogres, werewolves and, of course, goblins! While the poems feature spooky places like haunted houses and cemeteries, there are also playful characters like the Shoeless Horseman, Skeleton Jones, Cemetery Larry, and Werewolf Willie. Savor devilish dishes with "Desserts to Die For" and "Bone Appetite." Feast your eyes on glowing pumpkins. Get wicked tips for trick-or-treating. This book includes groan-worthy puns and spooky fun to tingle the spine and tickle the funny bone.
What Makes a Giraffe Laugh? features rhyming poems, parodies, limericks, free verse and shape poems about all sorts of animals from ants, frogs and squirrels to lemurs, sloths and ocelots. There are poems featuring a surfing llama, a tennis-playing kangaroo, and a rock star octopus.
Buy your very own copy of these books and share the love of reading with friends and family. Thanks so much for your continued support!
Events
2025 book signings and readings include...
April 23 @ 7 p.m. -- Raleigh Brewing (Raleigh, NC)
April 26 @ 10 a.m. -- Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC)
May 14 @ 10:30 a.m. -- North Forest Pines Elem. School (Raleigh, NC)
May 18 @ 5:45 p.m. -- St. Paul's Christian Church (Raleigh, NC)
May 19 @ 11 a.m. -- Swift Creek Elem. School (Garner, NC)
May 20 @ 11:30 a.m. -- Wiley Elem. School (Raleigh, NC)
May 22 @ 10 a.m. -- Ballentine Elem. School (Fuquay-Varina, NC)
