Book Birthday for a Maker Book!

Happy Book Birthday to Us!

March 27, 2018

Today is the book birthday of WITH MY HANDS: POEMS ABOUT MAKING THINGS, with poems by me and illustrations by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson.  You can watch the trailer, made with the hands of the talented Travis Carlson, below.

WITH MY HANDS Book Trailer

I could not be happier to share this book as I have loved making things with my own hands ever since I was a little girl.  Truth be told, I am never happier than when I am knitting, baking, carving a rubber stamp, drawing, or otherwise creating.  If you visit The Poem Farm regularly, you know this.

Just yesterday, I collected two big bags full of pinecones from my father's front yard.  What to make with these?  I do not know yet, but something.

Pinecones!

Photo by Amy LV

I dedicated this book to our daughter Georgia, a person who makes so many good things, and illustrators Lou and Steve dedicated it to Nick.

With My Hands Dedications

This collection of poems is all about all kinds of making....everything from soap carvings to cookies!  It is a celebration of the joy that comes from creating.  School Library Journal says, "This is art about art."  Below you can see one of the interior spreads; the poem grew from my real memory of carving a soap whale in second grade...one of my favorite projects ever!

Click to Enlarge

You can read more about WITH MY HANDS at my website HERE or at the following blogs: 

Live Your Poem with Irene Latham

Jama's Alphabet Soup with Jama Rattigan

Beagles and Books with Laura Mossa

Publishers Weekly Shelf Talker with Cynthia Compton

12 Books about Making Things and a Giveaway with Pragmatic Mom (Giveaway through 4/29)

Take a peek at how Lou and Steve illustrated this book HERE, where they explain the process of creating illustration you see above.

Much gratitude to Dinah Stevenson of Clarion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  She is the wonderful editor of this book as well as my first book, FOREST HAS A SONG. I am so grateful to her as well as to Emma Gordon who is handling publicity for this book.  And hugs and kisses to my amazing agent, Elizabeth Harding, once again.

Speaking of working with one's hands, hats off to Adriana, owner and cookie artist at Mama Seuffert Sweets. Ordering from Adriana is my small way of enjoying a book birthday at home.  We have two cookies here, and I have sent some to others with my gratitude.

Cookie by the Amazing Adriana

Photo by Amy LV

You may win a copy of this book (to a resident of the United States) by commenting here by 11:59pm on Thursday, March 29.  I am also holding a giveaway on Instagram through tonight and one on Twitter for the next week!

Happy making...and thank you for celebrating this joyful year of books with me.  During the 2017-2018 school year, all four or these books were published: READ! READ! READ!, POEMS ARE TEACHERS, DREAMING OF YOU, and WITH MY HANDS.  I could not be more grateful.

xo,

Amy

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If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

DREAMING OF YOU is Born!

Happy Book Birthday to Us!

March 6, 2018

I am so happy to share that today is the book birthday of DREAMING OF YOU, my new lullaby book illustrated by talented illustrator Aaron DeWitt.  We have each dedicated this book to people who dream.

DREAMING OF YOU Dedications

This is a rhyming bedtime book all about what animals dream about.  And what do they dream about?  You!

Here is one of the interior spreads...about robins.  Did you ever wonder about robin dreams?

Click to Enlarge

Below is the book trailer, if you'd like to take a peek.  

DREAMING OF YOU Book Trailer

Aaron was generous enough to write all about his process of illustrating this book.  If you'd like to read his words, you may do so at my website HERE.  There is more about the book including snips of reviews, HERE.

I feel very fortunate to have been paired with Aaron and to have worked with editors Rebecca Davis and Mary Colgan on the text of this book.  And I am so thankful to Kerry McManus at Boyds Mills Press for all of her marketing wisdom. A book takes a team.

We are grateful to people who have shared DREAMING OF YOU with corners of the world.  You can read a review at The Baby Bookworm if you wish.

You may also see my list of 10 Books about Falling Asleep with Animals at Pragmatic Mom.  There is a giveaway going on there for the next few weeks, so please enter if you wish!

And if you are a teacher or parent on Twitter, please know that we are holding a giveaway for this book, running through March 13.  This giveaway is only running on Twitter, and the information is below.  I can be found on Twitter @amylvpoemfarm.

I have been dreaming of this book for a few years, and now it is here!  Thank you for stopping by The Poem Farm and for being such good friends. I wish you all sweet dreams!

xoxo,

Amy

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.