The Dirt Book one of eight named by Betsy Bird

Hi Everyone,

First thing I spotted this morning was a post by Betsy Bird for School Library Journey in which she names her picks for the top eight poetry books out in 2021. I’m honored to be on the list with Joyce Sidman, Nikki Grimes, Linda Sue Park, and four other strong talents in the field. Here’s the link. https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2021/07/06/2021-poetry-versification-for-the-masses/?fbclid=IwAR0HRTkOWUKHFv78jS_7zlR5xY7kcD51GhkgjuL57Ba-_1yGagzfZykU9G0

THE DIRT BOOK was illustrated by Kate Cosgrove, edited by Grace Maccarone, and published by Holiday House

More good news about The Dirt Book

Hi everyone,

I checked Amazon this morning and discovered that THE DIRT BOOK has now been listed as the #1 new release for the third time. First was habitat and ecology; 2nd was in zoology; this third #1 is in disease. I guess that figures. Dirt is…well…dirty. In any event, I’m thrilled to see the range of interest in the new title.

First review is in

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I saw the first review of the upcoming title, THE DIRT BOOK, illustrated beautifully by Kate Cosgrove (AND THE BULL FROGS SING), edited by Grace Maccarone, and published by Holiday House. So far so good.

Harrison, David L.
The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet
Illustrated by Kate Cosgrove. 2021. 40pp. $18.99. hc. Holiday House. 9780823438617. Grades K-2
With a playful sensibility and expert use of varied patterns of rhythm and rhyme, this collection of 14 poems takes us underground to painlessly learn about the life that burrows beneath our feet. From doodlebugs to worms, chipmunks to tortoises, the dirt-living animal kingdom is covered with additional kid-friendly facts included in notes at the back. Facts include how mice and their progeny can produce thousands of mice in a year, how the gopher tortoise agreeably shares its tunnels with other creatures, including owls, and how a mole can tunnel 15 feet in an hour. Fittingly laid out in a vertical format to take readers deep down into the ground, the full-bleed illustrations showcase gorgeous earth tones sparked with turquoise, yellow, peach, and lavender. Colored pencil has been manipulated digitally to resemble pastels and depicts a charming world aglow with life. Inviting in every way, this book is perfect for units on soil and animal habitats and is every bit as pleasurable for leisure reading. Bibliography. Jan Aldrich Solow, Elementary School Librarian, Retired, Kingston, New York
Highly Recommended

RUM PUM PUM off to a roaring good start

Hi everyone,

Many thanks for your comments and good wishes about RUM PUM PUM. Many of you listened to our recorded visit among the create team who made the book — Grace Maccarone (editor), Jane Yolen (co-author), David L. Harrison (co-author), and Anjan Sarkar (illustrator). The recording is posted on Holiday House Facebook at (https://www.facebook.com/HolidayHouseBks) so we hope you’ll go there and tell others who might be interested in the conversation for use in classrooms. No one has left a question or comment yet, but there’s a place to leave one if you like. Just click on the link and do a bit of scrolling. Later in the day Jane and I learned of a contract offer to present the book in a recorded format so that was added frosting on the book’s birth day cake.

RUM PUM PUM comes out today

Hi everyone,

Today is the birth day of RUM PUM PUM. I am delighted about that. Today at 1:00 EST, Holiday House will post on its Facebook page ((https://www.facebook.com/HolidayHouseBks ) the 4-way chat recorded yesterday with our editor, Grace Maccarone, posing questions to co-authors David L. Harrison and Jane Yolen and our artist, Anjan Sarkar. We had a lot of laughs making it and I hope you’ll take a while to watch. You can post questions if you like.

Also, today I posted a new picture on FAMILY at https://www.facebook.com/ozarksfamilyvoicesVOICES that I hope you’ll go see. Don’t forget I always want more pictures featuring small children and books. Send to me as jpg to davidlharrison1@att.net.

Thanks, everyone.