Thursday, March 25, 2021

Poetry Friday - Found! That Bird in the Herd

    Susan Bruck hosts our Poetry Friday today HERE at her blog, Soul Blossom Living. It's nearly April, nearly Poetry Month, time for celebrating through words you want to write. Today, Susan shares some of the plans by poets during April. Thanks for hosting and gathering, Susan!


            I'm starting my poetry excitement for April early because I found a way to get  Poetry Friday friend Kat Apel's new rhyming picture book, The Bird in the Herd! It has traveled all the way from Queensland, Australia, bringing Kat's fond and fun memories in this newest book.

            I traveled to Costa Rica with students one year and we were fascinated when seeing cattle in the fields accompanied by some white bird, which we soon learned was a cattle egret. Now, years later, Kat Appel has written a book about that bird!


       I've always thought that one of the bigger challenges in creating a picture book is not only to tell a good story for children but to do it while rhyming, too! Kat has managed to do that 
with expertise in this new book, finding marvelous rhymes for this funny and entertaining cumulative story. Yes, it is about "The Bird in the Herd" moving along with some cows, a dog, and a drover (in the US, we might call him a cowboy) until yikes! something happens on that road that mixes everything up! I won't tell what but it's a smash ending, but without a crash, thank goodness. 

          In the story, with double-page spreads full of colorful antics and expressions illustrated by Renée Treml, the animals amble and ramble along doing what they are supposed to be doing, pushed along by that drover, a sweet country scene until it isn't! It's such a rhythmic read-aloud that I continue to be inspired to try my own rhymes! If you notice that I color-coded them, it's because the rhymes are color-coded in the book, perfect for helping young readers see those rhyming words, another terrific part of the book. Each page brings a new look at the travelers, clever action in the art and in the poetic lines. I imagine everyone will want to say "What's next? Turn the page, turn the page!" 

            Here is one double-page example of the fun look of the book in about the middle of the story!

         If you want to know the back-story of Kat's book and her introduction to it, look here. Also, Kat shared an activity kit for it here, in case you missed it a couple of weeks ago. I hope that many of you are able to find Kat's book and enjoy it as I have.
          Thank you, Kat, for this new special book about your very own countryside. 












16 comments:

  1. Linda, thanks for providing a sneak peek of Kat's book. I was delighted when she told us about it. I think my granddaughters will love this book. I would love to hear what your grandgirls think of Kat's book also. Have a good weekedl

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  2. Oh this looks fun! Kids always love a good rhyme!! I can't wait to check it out - and maybe read it with my grand girls. ;o)

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  3. Wonderful review if Kat’s delightful book Linda! Love the spread you shared and that they decided to emphasize the rhymes with color, what a terrific idea. And I enjoyed the backstory to her book that she shared with us, thanks!

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  4. Thanks so much for spotlighting Kat's new book, Linda. It looks wonderful and I love the sample spread you shared -- the rhyming text is so fun!

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  5. Oh, I love this, Linda! Thank-you so much for going to such efforts to muster up your own copy of 'The Bird in the Herd'. That alone meant so much to me - and reading of your love of it has delighted me all the more. Thank-you for sharing. I am so glad you enjoyed it!

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  6. Thanks, Everyone, and Kat, I loved your book, was glad to share it! Wishing you all a good weekend!

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  7. Looks to be great fun, Linda. Thanks for the intro. Reminds me of I Can't said the Ant, which is out of print but I managed to find one at a thrift store... I still love it. Thanks for your comment at my blog... have a great weekend. Windy here, ruining my daffodils which just opened. :-/

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  8. Woo-hoo for Kat's book and your engaging review, Linda! The color-coded rhymes element of this book is brilliant for young readers (and their parents/teachers). :)

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  9. Thank you for giving us another peek into Kat's new book. I have to get a copy for my granddaughter.

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  10. Oh I need to find this book. It is definitely one that I know will be a hit with my grandkids AND with kids I will visit in schools. I love the rhymes on the double page spread you posted here, Linda. I have missed Poetry Friday a lot recently and this shows me a touch of what I could be missing without being here in my heart place. Thank you. Janet Clare F.

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  11. OH, I'm a little jealous. How did you get a copy already? I admit I haven't even looked yet--thinking it was not in US markets quite so soon. But, I definitely need a copy of this book! Thanks for sharing such a lovely peek inside. You must have been the best chaperone on that field trip!

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  12. Again, thanks for coming by to view a little about Kat's new book! I hope you all find a way to get it! I found it on Amazon through a bookseller in Sydney. Linda, the trip to Costa Rica was awesome. We saw so many beautiful things & met so many wonderful people - a joy to be there!

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  13. Thanks for a great review! I love the idea of color-coding the rhymes.

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  14. I love the sneak peak into Kat's book. It does look like delightful fun!

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  15. This looks like such a fun book! Thanks for the inside look!

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  16. What a fun and colorful book! Thanks for sharing it, Linda. (Congratulations, Kat!)

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