BOOK GIVEAWAY–AFTER DARK: Poems about Nocturnal Animals, by David L. Harrison, Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis.

I’m excited to be part of the discussion about an exciting new non-fiction picture book :

First: HOW CAN YOU WIN A COPY? Leave a comment on the left of this post by 2/24 and a way to contact you. A name will be randomly chosen and David L. Harrison’s AFTER DARK will be sent to the winner. Spread the word about this wonderful book on Facebook, Twitter, or other favorite platform.

David L. Harrison, the author of A PLACE TO START A FAMILY and THE CRAWLEY SCHOOL FOR BUGS, and 95 other books for kids, has a picture book coming out 2/25/20, AFTER DARK, (Wordsong) Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis, whose delightful art work appeared recently in PIPSQUEAKS, SLOWPOKES AND STINKERS by Melissa Stewart.

Harrison’s AFTER DARK will entertain, teach and, encourage kids to see themselves in the exploits and habits of 21 different nocturnal friends. Check out the great review in Publishers Weekly. In Kirkus, AFTER DARK is referred to as a “fine collection of poetic odes.” These wonderful poems beg to be read aloud, revealing the drama in the lives of creatures out and about in the dark.

For example, a poem about a deer mouse, entitled “A Night’s Work,” is a story of survival, a mouse’s dramatic close call. In Harrison’s poem, the suspense is evoked by his short lines, sentence fragments. In the accompanying illustrations by Stephanie Laberis, we see a suspenseful mini three act play. In this first illustration, above, the mouse goes about his business looking for food: 

Mouse creeps 
without sound--
stops, listens.

Sniffs dirt
between corn rows,
finds a kernel
snatches it--
stops,
listens.

Owl's about
stares for mouse--
Fox is out.
sniffs for mouse--
stop listen.

In the second picture below, predators approach for the kill. Will they succeed?

Cheeks bulging
mouse races
Owl plummets
Fox strikes.

Talons rip
Teeth snap
empty air.

The last, this adorable mouse has escaped his close call:

Heart pounding,
mouse bounces
down his hole
for now.
corn forgotten
in his cheeks.

Mouse is safe for now, but so scared that he has forgotten the tasty dinner he’s gathered in his cheeks.

Another poem, Night Class, about skunks shows the importance of family. For example, in this single illustration we see a family of skunks going about their business, with danger present, in this case a dog. It’s a good thing Mama’s there.

NIGHT CLASS

Mama skunk
knows the story.
Never play
in an empty street.

Danger lurks
beyond the light,
in dark doorways,
behind trash cans,
around the corner. 

Mama skunk
knows the story.
Never play
in an empty street. 
The street is 
never empty.

Little skunks stays close to Mama. That’s how they survive.

Here’s a poem about the porcupine that would be particularly fun for two kids to read together. Short lines are paired with longer ones that feel to me like a response when read aloud. And who won’t admire the scrappy looks of this porcupine? 

DON'T LET HIM
NEEDLE YOU

Eats shoots and leaves-
even bark.
If you hear him coming,
better hark.
You wouldn't want to bump him
in the dark.

He's a mind-his-own business
kind of guy.
Would rather climb than walk,
rather shy,
but thirty thousand needles
testify
to thirty thousand reasons
to pass him by.

With tooth and needle fury--
a shocking sight--
he'll battle any rival
to gain the right
to approach a waiting female
in hopes she might
accept him as her mate 
tonight.

Porcupine is a “mind-his-own-business/kind of guy” who is ready to battle if threatened but when he wants to get close to a female, he awaits permission.

I think Harrison’s writing paired with these dark, sweet but a little spooky, illustrations, go beyond teaching kids just the non-fiction facts, which are clearly listed in the back matter. Children can see and feel in themselves the need for safety, to eat and survive, and for the protection of a family.

I asked David Harrison if, as he wrote, he thought about how children identify with these animals on an emotional level. He responded: 

“I don’t identify with animals in any sort of spiritual way but my respect for other living things runs deep enough to be evident in my writing. On my desk or near me are skulls of a black bear, a python, and a rattlesnake plus replicas of a short-faced bear and a saber-tooth cat. . . . Now and then I think about the animals they once were, living lives that are now in the distant past. . . If I write about the short-faced bear, I want my readers to feel its size, sense its presence, understand how hearts must have beat faster when it came around. This creature was more than a fact. It was a bear!”

In AFTER DARK: Poems about Nocturnal Animals, we understand much more than the facts about these important creatures.

Poetry Friday hosted by Cheriee Weichel at Library Matters, from Vancouver, sharing her insights into children’s lit . Today she introduces us to the clever work of Vancouver Poet, Avis Harley.

48 thoughts on “BOOK GIVEAWAY–AFTER DARK: Poems about Nocturnal Animals, by David L. Harrison, Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis.”

  1. Oh, what a beautiful review. I’m also reviewing this book…so no need for a giveaway for me. I’ll boost your review, though!

    2. Hi, Linda,
      I agree. Janice has presented another stellar stop on the blog tour. I’m just delighted.
      And I look forward to your upcoming stop on the tour. Thank you again in advance!

  2. Great post Janice. I’d like to be entered in the giveaway. My son would love this book!

  4. Janice, thank you so much for being today’s host on my blog tour. As each day passes I feel luckier and luckier to have so many talented people supporting my efforts to introduce my new book. I’m very grateful.

    1. Dear Rosi,
      It’s always a pleasure to see your name appear on my screen. Thank you for your kind words. Fingers crossed that you will continue to say you like all my books after you read AFTER DARK.

  7. Thank you for sharing many of David’s poems with us! I have read some of David’s other books and can’t wait to read this one.

    1. Yvona, I’m delighted by the way Janice has framed today’s stop on the book tour. Every stop has been entirely different and even better than what I had dared to hope for.
      Thank you in advance for your own tour host post coming up on the 29th. I appreciate your help!

    1. I’m glad you are enjoying the poem, Terri. I learned quite a bit about porcupines when I was researching it. The males sometimes fight to the death for a chance to woo a female — with no guarantee that she’ll accept the winner. Whew!

  11. I’m so glad that Laura Purdie Salas shared this book! Reading these poems was a great start to my morning. I’d appreciate being considered to receive a copy of this book – I’d enjoy sharing it with my pre-service students in our Children’s Literature class. Thank you for your wordsmithing skills!

  12. Thank you for sharing this book! Your thoughtful review makes me want to read more of it! Those poems and illustrations are just wonderful.

    1. Dear Kay,
      Many thanks for your kind words. Stephanie (Steph) Laberis did a wonderful job of keeping these creatures in the dark but still finding ways to highlight them going about their evening’s business. I love how she pulled it off.

    1. Hi, Jama! The porcupine turned out to be one of my favorites too. The more I read about it, the more I became fascinated by its complicated and dangerous love life. I would hate to be a male porcupine!

  14. Hi Janice & David. I am loving this blog tour. Every time I read another post, I learn more about David’s inspiration & thinking, like having those skulls right there, reminding of the wonders that nature holds for us. Great post!

    1. Hi, Linda,
      I know I’m repeating myself, but each of you has approached the tour from a different angle and that has added so much to the whole experience. My thanks to Janice, to you, and to all the hosts who are making this tour so special.

  15. Each new page I see on your blog tour makes me even more excited to hold your new book in my hands, David. I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren. I would have loved to have had this book in my classroom when I taught science and poetry. Thank you for your marvelous post, Janice.

  16. What a blog post, Janice and tour, David! More and more about this terrific book whets the appetite, ear and eye. As a teacher of nocturnal animal traits this would (have been) simply perfect. As a poet, it is a mentor. As a grandma I can’t wait to share! And as a sub and poetry advocate this will be a hit for sure. This tour has pulled me in! So many creatures to meet, enjoy, consider. Bravo!

    1. Thank you, Janet. As I’ve said many times during this first week, I am SO impressed by the variety of ways my blog hosts are finding to introduce the book. Today was the 7th stop and there are eight more to come. I could never ask for more.

      Next week a number of the host posts will focus on my responses to other lists of questions that kept me working for many days to think through and answer. Whew!

  17. Oh, thank-you for sharing this, Janice. I met David when I was over for NCTE, so I’m doubly delighted to see his new book – and so beautiful paired with these wonderful illustrations. My fave was that little mouse. The hidden corn was a sweet secret. Whilst I would love to win a copy, I understand that Australia is too far to send it.

    2. Kathryn, it’s good to see you again even though it’s figuratively. Thank you for your kind words about AFTER DARK. I hope our paths cross again one of these days. I’ve been told by my publisher they can’t ship copies out of the country. I don’t understand why, but that’s the situation. Sorry!

  18. Very nice review of David’s new book! It looks fantastic, as interesting and rhythmic as it is beautiful. Quite a tour de force for all. Thanks for this opportunity to own a copy!

    1. Hi, Karen,
      When Jena Benton suggested a blog tour, I had no clear idea of what that was or meant. Now that I see it in action I’m overwhelmed by the effort my hosts have put into each stop along the way. Wow!

  20. Isn’t that the great thing about poetry? It can teach us facts, yes, but more importantly, it can make us FEEL, which gives us a whole ‘nother sense of understanding. Thanks for your review, and thanks for these poems, David.

    1. Hi, Jane,
      For me the attraction of poetry is how it challenges me to say what I want to say in a few words and still get my point across. All my writing benefits for the lessons poetry teaches me.

  21. Hi, David and Janice. I’ve been looking forward to this book. What a great topic for a collection of poems! I am partial to the porcupine — you capture his prickly personality in this poem.

    1. Thank you, Laura,
      The porcupine seems like such a quiet creature so I was surprised to learn how noisy it can get when looking for love. I’ve seen some guys like that but for them it took a lot of beer.

  22. Very nice review of David’s new book Janice! I especially like his poem, “A Night’s Work (Deer Mouse)”–David’s given us a very strong connection with both of these creatures and we can feel their emotions within his poem, thank you for this David!

    1. I’m glad you like that poem, Michelle. Carnivores in general lose more often than they win. That goes for lions on down to smaller species. I tried to imagine the fierce need of the owl and fox, both competing for the same meal, while the mouse, a veteran of many close calls, manages to escape with its life one more time.

Comments are closed.