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What is a poem? According to this charming poetry collection by third-grader Marjane Searl, a poem is "a thing of beauty" and many other things besides. The Change of Seasons has everything, from crickets "speaking by music" to a resilient willow twig.

12 Peaceful Nature Poems
and
10 Fun Writing Exercises

Available in ebook and paperback on Amazon after March 12, 2024. Free copy with newsletter subscription.

Marjane Searl’s poems beckon us into a shimmering world of sensation and perception, an invitation to apprehend again the delicate interaction between nature’s determined presence and our wandering, searching souls.

— Dr. Jennifer A. Reimer, award-winning author of several books, including the poetry book, Keşke

A lovely collection of verse by a budding, young poetess, it is sure to both entertain and educate. Including free verse, an ode, haikus, and more, it even has instructions and ideas for poetry of your own. It was a true delight to read.

— Feather Chelle, award-winning author of many children's books, including the poetry book, The Colors of Darkness

Marjane Searl is a revelation to children’s poetry and to the Midwestern countryside. Her subtle sass (one can almost hear a taunt in the rhyme of “done” and “won” as Autumn defeats Summer) electrifies her pastoral sensibility. Some surprises include puns (e.g., “apart” versus “whole”) that deepen our meditations on the natural world.

The big-hearted generosity with language starts on the first page, where Searl declares, “Poems can be trees, cats, closets,” and yet, unlike closets (but like trees and cats), these poems never close.

— Prof. Jennifer Nelson, award-winning author of four books of poetry, including the forthcoming On the Way to the Paintings of Forest Robberies