Welcome, and happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’m hosting today, and I’m glad you’ve dropped by. Whether you’re a regular participant in the Poetry Friday world, or you ended up here from a search or a link, please know that we’re a welcoming community! Read, comment, think, share, and enjoy!
This week, I’m sharing some goodies from and about my two spring board books. They both come out on March 4 from Creative Editions. Whee! They make such beautiful books! One’s a rhyming nonfiction poem, and the other’s a lyrical story/extended metaphor. I’ll let you figure out which is which :>) Different artists created stunning and very different art for the two books. Let’s see…
A Home Like This
- just got a STARRED REVIEW from School Library Journal–yay: “A stunning exploration of animal habitats…A first purchase for libraries and schools alike.”
- is gorgeously, sparely illustrated by Miriam Nerlove
- celebrates how homes can be very different homes from each other and yet still be exactly what a young creature needs
On the book page for this book, you can find some additional resources, as well as poems about home or about the animals featured in this book–like this one!
When a Butterfly Goes to School
- got a lovely Midwest Book Review: “Young readers and observers will delight in watching the day unfold…”
- features the detailed, realistic (and occasionally surreal), lush art of Chloe Niclas
- explores the experience of a swallowtail butterfly who stops by a school
Also, here are some downloadable coloring pages (2 for kids, 1 best suited for teens or adults):
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And here’s a downloadable mini-poster (8–1/2x11) to print and maybe laminate and hang up in your storytime spot!
Finally, on the book page for this book, you’ll also find resources for teachers, how this book began, and a few other poems about butterflies and school, like this one.
Thanks so much for celebrating with me–I can’t wait for these two beautiful board books to be out in the world! If you’re willing, I’d be so grateful if you’d put in requests for your local library to buy them (smart Marcie Flinchum Atkins’ post last week reminded me how important this is!). Here’s the info you’ll need. Thank you so very much! <3
A Home Like This
Written by Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrated by Miriam Nerlove
Publisher: Creative Editions, 2025
ISBN: 978–1568463995 22 pages
When a Butterfly Goes to School
Written by Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrated by Chloe Niclas
Publisher: Creative Editions, 2025
ISBN: 978–1568463988 14 pages
Okay, that’s what I’ve got. Now, how are YOU celebrating Poetry Friday this week? Mr. Linky is rounding us up, so please fill out the doohickey below to both leave your link and to check out all the other links you can explore. Thanks for being part of Poetry Friday! I look forward to reading all of your posts today and over the weekend!
48 Responses
Hooray! Two adorable board books! I just requested both of them at my local library. 🙂
Thanks so much, Marcie–also for the timely unintended nudge!
Laura, many congrats on these two lovely new board books, how exciting!!! Love the book trailers you shared and the art is beautiful, wishing you many readers! Thanks for hosting us too!
Thanks, Michelle–So grateful for the beautiful art in both…
Oh, Laura! Your new board books are lovely. I have two young grandchildren who are going to love them! Congratulations! xo
Aw, thank you, Linda!
Hooray! What beautiful new books. Many congratulations. I’m more than happy to ask my local public library to order them. Perfect timing for Easter Baskets! And, I’m a sucker for a butterfly coloring page. They are so fun. My students love them as well. Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday. It’s a bit of bright and warm in this cold end of February.
Thanks, Linda–ooh, Easter baskets–yes! I appreciate your requesting the books at your library :>)
Laura, congratulations on the two new books — each is gorgeous in its own way! ❤️
Thanks, Karen. I feel super lucky!
CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS! Two beautiful new books deserve a double message. These look so wonderful, each with perfect illustrations. What a fantastic way to welcome Spring! (& Thanks for hosting us all this week.) xo
Haha. Haha :>D Thanks, Robyn!
Congratulations, Laura! Yay for celebrating the joys of school 🙂 Thanks for hosting us!
Thanks, Tabatha. School was usually my happy place :>)
Adorable board books! Congrats!! Will request them for my local library. 🙂 Thanks for hosting this week!
Thanks, Jama, on both counts!
Congratulations, Laura, on the publication of these new books and the insights the traillers provided for both books. A lot happening. Thank you for hosting this week.
Thanks, Alan. I probably shared too MANY things, but I know most folks won’t ever go to the book page, so I just went for it :>D
Congratulations on these beautiful books, Laura! And I just love your poem sketch — such imagery. (Looks like we both have winter homes on our minds!) Thanks for hosting!
Thanks, Matt–and my chimney smoke poem came to mind immediately when I read your winter lighthouse poem. I tend to default to fall’s beauty for poems, but winter is a treasure of gorgeous imagery too.
The books are darling, Laura! Sending many congratulations to you! I will be sure to request them, but my library usually has your books & may already have ordered them! Thanks for hosting, too!
Thank you, Linda!
I love that these are both so different. And I love that they are yours! Congratulations, Laura. (And I absolutely ADORE that monarch butterfly poem. It’s simply gorgeous!) Thanks for sharing the joy, and hosting us today.
Thanks, Kat–it’s fun to share older poems. (And newer ones, like your screaming curlew!)
Congratulations, the books look great — made a purchase request at my county library.
Thanks, Vikram–much appreciated!
Laura, I sent off a request to the San Bernardino County library system requesting we acquire your two sweet new board books. Thanks for the idea and information. Thank you for hosting today. The books look wonderful. I’ll look forward to reading them soon.
Thanks so much, Denise–I really appreciate that!
Congrats, Laura–I especially love the look of A HOME LIKE THIS! Haven’t board books come a long way? They can be so many things nowadays (cf this article about Jon Klassen’s baby books https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/02/13/jon-klassen-board-books-your-island/). Thanks for hosting us today, and congrats on Madeleine’s wedding, too!
Yeah, watercolor is my personal jam, and so is spare art. (But I love how these books have such opposite vibes, and how intricate Chloe’s art is for Butterfly!) I wish I could read that article, but the WP won’t let me in. Thanks for trying!
Try this one, Laura. Gift article: https://wapo.st/4k9lnfC
Thanks so much, Denise!
Hi Laura — congratulations on these two new beauties! I think board books are SO SPECIAL…and these look EXTRA-special! Love how different the art is in both. Yay! Thanks for all you give the world. xo
Thank you, Irene, for always being such a day brightener. And Happy Birthday to you!
Thanks for hosting us! Your two new books look fantastic — and with such rich resources to accompany them! Thanks for making it so easy to request purchase at the library…DONE.
Thanks so much, Mary Lee!
These books look amazing. Two at once! Wow! You will be a busy bee getting these out into the world. I always love your resources and my granddaughter loves a color page. Thanks!
Thanks, Margaret. I love board books. I hope I get to write more. (I have one more in the hopper already, but none acquired beyond that one.) They’re such a lovely, compact form.
Can’t wait to hold these books! Congratulations, Laura!
Congratulations, Laura! They both look lovely. I’ll be sure to check for them in our library.
Thanks, JoAnn–I appreciate it!
Congratulations, Laura! Both your books look marvelous. I’ll be asking my library to purchase them.
And thanks for hosting Poetry Friday today. I’ve shared a link to Esther’s TeachingAuthors post today sharing a special Thanku.
Thanks, Marti, for the kind words, for requesting them as a library purchase, and for linking up Esther’s lovely thanku post. <3
Those illustrations for A HOME LIKE THIS are just… *chef’s kiss*
WOW, you lucked out with both illustrators — that’s so great. I’m so pleased for you, Laura. Did you make the illustration for the little house with the watercolor as you usually illustrate your poems, on Canva??? If so, I’m doubly impressed — you’ve got QUITE a way with graphic design.
It’s my pleasure to request our two local libraries carry them.
Thanks for all of this, Tanita! Yes, I did the little illo of the house. I mean, I created the watercolor and marker art and border, and then I used Canva (oh, this may be pre-Canva, back in my Wordswag days) to add the text. I loved doing those black silhouette ones in my #poemsketch series, but my illustration skills are so very limited that I kind of ran out of things I could even passably draw!
Congratulations, Laura! How exciting to have two beautiful board book birthdays to celebrate at once! Both books look gorgeous. Thanks for hosting today and also for so generously sharing resources to go with your books!
Laura, Congratulations! Both of the books look awesome! I hope they are a great success and many libraries order copies as well. I am storing all these great new publications in hopes someday I’ll have grandchildren to share them with! Love, love the butterfly book — of course I am partial to those! Thanks for hosting, too!
Laura, I am delighted that you have 2 Board Books for children and classroom teachers to read. Congratulations! I know have a mini-list of books for my library to purchase. I enjoyed watching your trailers about these books. Teachers will especially like the coloring pages for their students. I’m off to see one more link you shared). I hope Randy is getting better.