Recording some bugs

Hi everyone,

Thanks to Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader, for the picture

Yesterday I had a note from PATRICK REYNOLDS, conductor of the Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in Dayton, Ohio, inviting me to record some of my choices from bugs, poems about creeping things. that he might use to help promote the “Bugs” concert in March and perhaps include during the performance.

Don’t have the bugs worked out of the idea yet, or into it, but I’m so happy at the thought of participating in this way. I’m still considering the idea of attending the concert in person, but either way the fun factor just took a leap upward. The maestro asked about my favorite poems from the book and I sent him this list.

bugs
a tick’s friends
scorpion
flea
bookworm
dumb beetles
centipede
no-see-um
bad beetles
other bugs

I wish I could show you the marvelous illustrations by ROB SHEPPERSON. No matter how funny I think I am, Rob always makes each poem better with his own puckish sense of humor. You can  guess just by seeing the cover alone. I'd love to do something else together one of these days. 

bugs on stage

Hi everyone,

Remember this little book? Our pal Rob Shepperson illustrated it and we’ve had fun with it since it appeared in 2007. Early on it was selected for the “Seeing Stories” exhibition at the Westchester Art Center and appeared on the New York Public Library’s annual list of 100 titles of “Children’s Books for Reading and Sharing.” In 2008 BUGS was chosen as an NCTE Notable Poetry Book. So yay for BUGS.

A friend of Rob’s is music director Patrick Reynolds who conducts the youth symphony orchestra in Dayton, Ohio. This is an old and honored musical program that dates back many decades.

This Sunday, March 30, is the symphony’s final performance of this season, one that is billed as the annual Family Concert. Patrick has chosen to bill this particular concert as BUGS. The musicians will be joined by the Dayton Ballet II. Here’s the scoop. https://daytonperformingarts.org/content.jsp?articleId=3248.

Here’s a sample from the book, one that’s named in the program description and will presumably be floating on the screen above the musicians’ heads.

Flea
by David L. Harrison

A flea known as Ralph
Swallowed a cow.
It’s a mystery how.

And after the cow
He swallowed a horse.
(A huge one of course.)

But with a giraffe
He ran out of luck –
Its legs got stuck.

It’s impossible now
To understand Ralph
Wif giraffe in hif mouf.

As he always does, Rob greatly enhances the poem with his droll drawings.

If you live in the Dayton area or have friends or family there, tell them to check out the BUGS concert on the 30th. I wish I could be there to join the fun!

David