You're invited to review The Love Song of Mr. Byrd ...

 

"A red maple tree branch, a summer twilight, and an unlikely friendship

Governor General's Literary Award-winning author Philippa Dowding creates a charming new tale about an unlikely friendship between a bat and a bird." 

CALLING ALL REVIEWERS! 

To request a Digital Review Copy of The Love Song of Mr. Byrd, please contact DCB Young Readers.

What is it about? Love. Simply that. This gentle, lyrical ballad is about Bat and Mr. Byrd and their brief summer of deep friendship. They discover love, cats, family, dawn, fireflies, loss, joy, sorrow, and more. They're different, but not so different at all.

Here's the Press Release for more. 

I'll be adding lots more in the coming months, like the idea and experience behind writing this book (which I wrote on a boat), a Q & A about it, my thoughts on the lovely art, reviews, and more!

If you'd like to receive a review copy for The Love Song of Mr. Byrd, please contact the publisher, DCB Young Readers.

All posts on this blog about The Love Song of Mr. Byrd

Introducing The Love Song of Mr. Byrd

 

Introducing The Love Song of Mr. Byrd, coming October 2025 from DCB Young Readers! 

I'm truly delighted with this story, my latest and 15th book in almost as many years. I love the cover, too, Bat and Mr. Byrd are glorious. More to come soon about writing for children, my process, the inspiration for this book, a Question & Answer about Mr. Byrd and more.

From the Press Release:

A red maple tree branch, a summer twilight, and an unlikely friendship

Governor General's Literary Award-winning author Philippa Dowding creates a charming new tale about an unlikely friendship between a bat and a bird. 

The lyrical, atmospheric story unfolds as a naive and unsure morning bird meets a kind and worldly nocturnal bat. The two meet by chance at twilight, and over the course of one magical summer, they become friends.

ISBN  978-1-77086-808-3 | Paperback | Ages 7-9 | 96pp | $10.95 | Oct. 25, 2025 | DRCs Available

To request Media Copies, author interview and/or other content, and more, please contact DCB Young Readers.

As their friendship blossoms, they discover together the danger of cats, the beauty of fireflies, the meaning of loss, love, fun, joy, family, and more. They also learn compassion and empathy, and how to find common ground despite being so different from one another. 

This short and sweet 10-chapter narrative includes black and white illustrations from Caroline Clarke, who has been commissioned by the CBC, the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, Running the Goat Books & Broadsides, and elsewhere.

Philippa Dowding is an award-winning children’s author, poet, and musician living in Toronto, ON. Her 2021 novel, Firefly, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature (Text), and the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award. Her other novels for children have been nominated for numerous literary awards, including the SYRCA Diamond Willow, OLA Silver Birch and Red Maple, Hackmatack, and White Raven awards."

More information to come about The Love Song of Mr. Byrd, including events, signings, a book launch, my writing process, inspiration, 5-questions answered, excerpts, and more. Welcome new book!