Laura’s New Book, Friendship Is a Circle, and the Poetry Friday Roundup!

Poetry Friday logo by Linda Mitchell

Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Welcome, and I’m so pleased that you’re here!

As I post this on Thursday afternoon, it’s the book birthday for my new picture book, Line Leads the Way. I love this little tale of perseverance, vulnerability, imperfection, and library love. The charming illustrations by Alice Caldarella bring the different shape characters to life with so much personality! And although I wrote many work-for-hire, educational series titles for Capstone back in the day, this is my first book with their trade imprint, Capstone Editions. Whee! However, due to some postal problems, I just held my first copy of the book yesterday! Here’s my sad (and highly imperfect) attempt at an unboxing video. They’re harder to create than they look!

Anyhow, I’d be so grateful if any of you who’ve read it would leave an honest review on Amazon. It can be super short! Any reviews help a book get shown to more people. Thank you so much!

Also, here are a couple of quick videos (less than 30 seconds each & made my my daughter Maddie) to give you a taste of the book.

Adding this on Thursday evening: And Randy has covid. Oi. I worked my part-time grocery store job today. Hopefully I was only spreading smiles and good cheer! And I’m supposed to do a library storytime Saturday morning. I’ve got to get more covid tests so Maddie and I can test. And we’re about to have visiting family. Wow, this is the best book publication day ever. (Not.)

Okay. Enough whining. On to my poem! Were you wondering if I’d forgotten? Hehe. Months ago, I thought, “I should write a whole series of poems related to shapes, in honor of the characters in Line Leads the Way.” But, those poems have been slow in coming. In fact, the only one that’s made an appearance is this poetryaction about how friendship is like a circle! I wrote it in reaction to How Big Is Love?, a board book by Emma Dodd. We’ll see if any more shape poems come parading through my brain eventually!

Thank you for being my Poetry Friday friends. A circle totally describes this loving community.

Mr. Linky is rounding us up today, 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! Saturday, I’m presenting a back-to-school library storytime, but I’ll get to read all of your posts over the weekend!

28 Responses

  1. Congratulations on your new book–it looks fabulous. And I hope everyone in your family is healthy soon!

  2. 💙ing all your videos and cheering you on with this wonderful new book Laura, which looks and sounds charming, delightful, and sensitive!!! I’m looking forward to reading it. Sending hugs your way and hopes that your husband heals and you all don’t catch it, xox.

  3. Oh, jeez! What a bummer of a Book Birthday! I hope there’s a happy ending with a light COVID case for Randy, no COVID for you and Maddie, and a joyous visit with relatives. In the meantime, feel our circle of community sending you positive thoughts and best wishes for the success of your book. (I can’t wait for my copy to arrive — I think it will be perfect to use with my after school kiddos!) Thanks for hosting us!

    1. Thanks so much, Mary Lee. Sometimes it just goes like that, I suppose. And thanks for ordering LINE! I hope you enjoy it :>D

  4. Thanks for hosting! I hope, like a circle, your family recovers and is well again from pesky Covid. Your book looks fun and I look forward to reading it. Congratulations, Laura!

  5. Oi! indeed–I hope Randy feels well again fast and that you stay out of those woods! Congrats on this fun book, Laura, and thanks for rounding us up.

    1. Thanks, Heidi. I appreciate the good wishes! Maddie’s fiance arrives Monday night. It’s a long-distance relationship, and it’ll be pretty devastating if covid makes it go pear-shaped. Fingers crossed!

  6. Laura, I think “Line Leads the Way” is going to be a fabulous book for children, classrooms, and libraries. The characters are adorable and the videos are exciting little snippets. I am sorry that Randy has COVID and the news came at an untimely time. Thanks for your poetryaction poem. It is a gem that I will read to my grandgirls. I will also share your videos to the little grandgirls, too. I am sure they will enjoy both the videos and your poem. I hope Randy feels better and that no one else gets the dreaded COVID. Concentrate on the positive. I will send you my post shortly.

    1. Thank you, Carol! After feeling sorry for myself for several hours yesterday, I’m mostly back on track. Had to cancel my storytime for tomorrow. But yes, mostly focusing on NOT getting covid nor giving it to Maddie (We’re both negative so far). Thank you, as always, for your advocacy and sharing! You are a wonder.

  7. Hoo boy — Life! Thanks for a fun Roundup for us even with everything else going on. Hope Randy is over Covid quickly. CONGRATS on the new book; your Circle poem is wonderful, and I love the last line. Maddie did a great job with the videos! Hope LINE LEADS THE WAY to some less stressful days real soon.

  8. I canNOT resist library love. I will be sharing this beauty with my ES library friends next week. Thank you, Laura! I’m sending you a protection thought to surround you so that you don’t also get covid and if you do–it’s a light case. Best of luck with this launch!

    1. Thank you so very much, Linda! The sharing is MUCH appreciated. So is the protection thought–please include our daughter Maddie, as her fiance arrives for a visit Monday night. I’m worried it will be sidelined.

  9. Dear Laura, thank you for your friendship circle poem! So many congrats on LINE, and yay for Maddie’s videos! Hang in there and know this circle that is Poetry Friday is swaddling you. xo

  10. Good morning Poets,
    Dipping my toe in the pool for the first time and already forgot to add my title, “Transitions.” ; Ha! I was so excited to hear about Poetry Friday at my recent writing retreat at Highlights. I look forward to savoring your poems today, one little delicious bite at a time. Thanks for hosting Laura. I love all the ways you used a circle image. I will always think of a hug that way now. Beautiful! I can see already this will be a place of great inspiration. Have a great weekend and happy writing! Cathy

  11. Thank you for hosting this week, Laura! Your new book looks adorable, and kudos to Maddie for creating those videos! I love “Friendship is a Circle” and all the love it holds. Here’s hoping Randy is feeling better soon and that you and Maddie stay well.

  12. Clearly the creativity isn’t limited to one person in your family! I love the videos and am excited to read “Line Leads the Way”! Congratulations on the book birthday even if it took an unexpected turn. I hope Randy feels better soon, that you and Maddie escape illness, and that the anticipated visit goes off without any additional hitches. Take care and thanks so much for rounding us up!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,547 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be...Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be...art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be... bookscan be... poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnccbcCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter booksCharles Waterschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura's board booksLaura's booksLaura's poemsLaura's readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLine Leads the WayLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymagnipoemsmargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMatt Forrest EsenwineMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoneymoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)National Poetry Month 2024 (magnipoems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar's VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreview copiesreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be...Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be...wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat's InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZapZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Discover more from Laura Purdie Salas

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."