Welcome to Poetry Friday. I am happy to host the poetry party today. Please leave your links with Mr. Linky at the end of this post.
I’m excited about my new book, coming out next Tuesday, September 10. STARLIGHT SYMPHONY has gotten some wonderful early press, including starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist!! I’m going to whet your book-loving appetite with a sneak peek today.
STARLIGHT SYMPHONY is a love letter to the animals that live near our home at the swampy end of a small lake. The rhyming text and beautiful photos shine a spotlight on each of the animal musicians and the songs they play from sunset to sunrise. The book compares each animal song to a musical instrument, and in the process of writing it (especially the back matter) I learned a lot about how musical instruments produce sound. Here’s a preview of a few stars of the show!
I hope you’ll request STARLIGHT SYMPHONY from your local library and share it with a young person in your life. If you’re feeling flush and want to purchase it, look for it here or here.
I’ve been taking a lot of photos this summer (the photos in STARLIGHT SYMPHONY are all taken by pros–a bucket list item aka pie-in-the-sky dream is to someday write a book that’s illustrated with just my photos. Better get snapping–and writing!) Anyway, a lovely walking stick was on my house the other day. I carefully moved it to a nearby tree, and it zipped to the top. The walking stick inspired this skinny:
On a Dogwood Tree
Still as a twig,
hidden
stick
insect
spies
hidden
dangers,
dashes
away–
hidden
still, as a twig.
–Buffy Silverman
I look forward to enjoying all of your poetry friday goodies! Please leave your links here:
Congratulations, Buffy! STARLIGHT SYMPHONY looks beautiful! Bagpipe blowers caught my eye… I have my father’s bagpipes. You made me smile with that toad at work!
Thanks, Karen (and how cool to have your father’s bagpipes!)
Congratulations, Buffy! The words and photographs in your book are so lush and gorgeous! I can’t wait to get my hands on it and share it with my students. I’m also wowed by your fabulous skinny (and by your keen eye for detecting that walking stick!). Talk about matching form and subject! Thanks so much for hosting this week.
I love thinking about you sharing this with your classroom, Molly–hope the kids enjoy it.
Buffy, talk about form fitting subject! Love what you’ve done with your walking stick skinny. And STARLIGHT SYMPHONY! Love! Is there perhaps a cellist in there?? Congratulations, and can’t wait to read! xo
You and your bow have been transformed into your inner cricket, Irene!
Thank you for hosting us this week, Buffy! And thank you for the peek into Starlight Symphony! Such a clever idea. I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren.
I hope your grandkiddos like the music, Catherine!
It sounds like a cool challenge to match instruments with animals, Buffy! Beautifully done! Thanks for hosting us this week. 🙂
It was a challenge to find some of them…but lots of fun.
Cannot wait to own a copy of STARLIGHT SYMPHONY! What a gem! And if your hidden stick insect shot is any indication, it with be long before your photography will be part of your books! Thank you for hosting, Buffy.
Thanks, Patricia–I appreciate it! I have had a few photos in some books, but most of the photos were by stock photographers.
Being from a musical family, I am excited to read your latest book. I love the poems you shared here. Congratulations! You seem to be in a rhythm of producing these books. Your skinny poem reminds me that the form can say a lot in few words. I need to teach it to my students. They love short forms.
Yes, I think the skinny is a great form for young (and old!) writers.
Beauteous new book, Buffy! I have to tell you, I have always assumed (based on photos of yours I’ve seen here) that you WERE the photographer for your books–so you are a wee bit closer to your pie in the sky, NEXT TIME dream than you thought! And there is no other form for a walking stick poem than a skinny, is there? Thanks for hosting.
I love what you did with the words in that walking stick poem. So cool. Many joyful congratulations on this beautiful new book. You do so much with so few words. Simply magical. (I not-so-secretly hope that you will read the poems out loud to those loved ones! Thank you for hosting and celebrating with us! xo, a.
Thanks, Amy. I guess it’s time for a dockside reading!
Thanks, Heidi. I have had a few of my photos in past books, but most have been by stock photographers.
I can’t wait to share your newest book with my Buffy Silverman Fan Club! I’m sure they’ll want to “sing” along, and I’ll encourage it!!
Thanks for hosting us today! Happy Friday!
It makes me so happy to imagine this singing fan club!
Night-Owl Buffy, You’ve guided us to inky goodness of the dark near your home. The opening & closing line for your discovered walking stick are a vivid example of your poet heart. And the w.s photo should catch the eye of editors who can fill your bucket 🙂 Appreciations for hosting so beautifully.
Jan/Bookseedstudio
Thanks, Jan. I had fun with that walking stick!
You remain my favorite nature writer! Well done, Buffy! Starlight Symphony is gorgeous. I will absolutely request that my local library purchase it and share it with young people in my life. Many congratulations on your growing pile of books authored by you! And, thanks for hosting today.
Aw shucks, Linda. That is awfully nice of you to say (I can think of a few nature writers you might enjoy more, but I’ll take the compliment!)
Buffy, as I read your new message for children, I am filled with peace and nature’s nurturing. I am interested in reviewing your new book but I cannot find the link the arc/gallery to read through. I find your writing soothing. I am behind again with my writing. My husband has been ill for two weeks and today, I felt the some of the symptoms he had. Perhaps, I will be able to write a blog tomorrow.Thank you for hosting PF this week.
Hope both you and your husband are on the mend. If you’d like a copy to review, I’m happy to email one.
A copy of your new book would be lovely, Buffy. I look forward to reviewing it. Thank you.
It looks beautiful, Buffy. Thank you for sharing a bit of it! I have a granddaughter who adores walking sticks and is very good at finding them. I’ll share that poem with her! Thanks for hosting, too!
Thanks, Linda. Cool that your granddaughter is a walking stick ninja!
Buffy, the new book looks *gorgeous*! Congrats on its upcoming release and on the starred reviews!
Love your walking stick skinny (how appropriate!) too. 🙂 Those twiggy fellows fascinate me.
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks, Karen–I appreciate it. I was in yoga class and during shavasana, while trying to focus on my breath, it occured to me that my walking stick was shaped like a skinny poem.
What an amazing book Buffy, Congrats on it!!! You can hear the song coming from the wood thrush and what a cool toad! Wishing you much success and many readers! Love that Walking Stick too. Thanks for hosting the Roundup this week!
Thanks, Michelle. I think the photo editor at Millbrook found some amazing photos!
Buffy, Starlight Symphony sounds magical! Silver notes and copper wings! I am so excited to read more. Thank you for hosting the roundup.
Thank you, Tracey–I appreciate it!
Congrats on the new book and the **starred reviews** (well deserved)! Very cool walking stick poem and photo, too!! Thanks for hosting this week!!
Thanks, Jama. I’m still a bit stunned that the book has gotten 2 stars!
Many, many congratulations!!! This looks absolutely beautiful, you’d best believe I’ll be making sure it’s available at my library. I love books that blend nonfiction, poetry and photography, they just speak to me.
I so appreciate that, Jane!
This book looks (& sounds!) absolutely magical, Buffy. I was excited to see on Social Media that it is already trailing review stars. CONGRATULATIONS! Love this wee sneak peek. And “silver notes” /”copper wings” – dreamy!
Thanks for hosting us all in your corner of the night sky this week.
Thanks, Robyn–Trying to capture that magic was definitely my goal!