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Philippa Dowding

@phdowding.bsky.social

320 followers 260 following 89 posts

Children's author, poet, musician | Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award & The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award | Writing & musical stuff | NEW: The Love Song of Mr. Byrd (Oct/2025/DCB) | pdowding.com

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Mar 31

Introducing "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" coming Oct/2025 from DCB! A red maple tree branch, a summer twilight, an unlikely friendship, and the sweetest song of all. Press release, media copies, interview/review req & more on the blog: phdowding.blogspot.com #writer #kidlit @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

The cover of The Love Song of Mr. Byrd, by Philippa Dowding, forthcoming from DCB Young Readers, Oct. 25, 2025. Illustrations by Caroline Clarke.

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · 9d

Thank you Rebecca!

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · 9d

My author copies of "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd"!
"This story is about friendship and love and is for everyone who has ever been moved to sing (or dance, or paint, or write, or celebrate) like Mr. Byrd. I hope he inspires you to hear your own song, & sing it, too." More on the blog!
#cormorantbooks

The cover of THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD, by Philippa Dowding. Art by Caroline Clarke. An inquisitive bird looks at a smiling bat on a tree branch.

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · 15d

Delighted to be signing THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD at Word on the Street, Toronto, this weekend. I'll be at the Cormorant/DCB booth, B11, this Saturday, September 27, at 2:45. Drop by and say hello!
@cormorantbooks.bsky.social #WOTS2025

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Aug 14

"A new friend is a scary thing, sometimes."
Here's the lovely back cover of "THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD," (Oct/2025), from DCB Young Readers. The sweet feather is one of 10 beautiful illustrations by Newfoundland artist Caroline Clarke. Booklovers, you can pre-order now! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social

IMAGE: The back cover of THE LOVE SONG OF MR. BYRD, by Philippa Dowding, coming from DCB Young Readers, October 2025. A yellow cover with black type, an illustration of a sweet fallen feather by artist Caroline Clarke, the copy begins with the following words:

'A new friend is a scary thing, sometimes. You may have to change and adapt a little to make your friendship work.'
So says Bat to her new friend Mr. Byrd on one perfect summer twilight..." Further copy provided.

Reposted by Philippa Dowding

The History of Literature Podcast @holpod.bsky.social · Aug 5

Maupassant's "The Necklace" - a portrait of #fakes: "She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher station." #maupassant #botd #booksky

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Jul 26

Honored to publish "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" (Oct/25), with @cormorantbooks.bsky.social. An independent publisher, all their books are entirely made in Canada!
Written by Canadians
Illustrated by Canadians
Edited by Canadians
Designed by Canadians
Published by Canadians
and Printed in Canada!

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Jul 13

Thank you, Rebecca! I hope you like Mr. Byrd when you finally get to meet him.

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Jul 13

"At twilight, the in-between time, anything can happen."

The first chapter of "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" is now free on Bookmanager.com if you need a little love rn.

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Jul 8

Broadside

Sudden morning rises -
unsurprised by life, crisis,
whispering over the city,
in bells, in birds, in shadows
floating out the 10th floor window -
nothing returns to say goodbye -
only hello.

Swift, take me with you -

Read all of Broadside : phdowding.blogspot.com/2025/07/broa...
#poem

Broadside, a poem for July 6th, 2025

Broadside Sudden morning rises - unsurprised by life, crisis, whispering over the city, in bells, in birds, in shadows floating out the 10th...

phdowding.blogspot.com

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Jun 19

Best question at today's online middle-school presentation: "How did the book 1984 influence your dystopia, OCULUM?" Wow. My answer: oppressive and cruel Regulus was influenced by Big Brother. And love and free thought are banned in OCULUM, as in 1984. THANK YOU, fun & such great questions! #writer

The cover of OCULUM (2018, DCB Young Readers), by Philippa Dowding. A middle-grade dystopia with themes of climate change, inequity, dystopia, and life in a post-apocalyptic world.

Reposted by Philippa Dowding

Karen Krossing @karenkrossing.com · Jun 3

On June 11, I’ll be speaking at the monthly CANSCAIP members’ meeting @ 7 pm ET. Meetings are via Zoom, & you can contact @canscaip.bsky.social for membership options or a one-time guest invitation. I hope to see you there! #CANkidlit #kidlit #picturebooks #novels #writerscraft #fiction #nonfiction

How can we use elements of writer’s craft to serve the reader and the story, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction? Join Karen Krossing as she shares her big-picture takeaways on writing craft.

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Reposted by Philippa Dowding

Cormorant Books @cormorantbooks.bsky.social · Jun 2

Check out our website for a 25% discount on all our books. Stock up on your summer reading! www.cormorantbooks.com/Sales/Summer...
#BookSale #summersale #CanLit #IReadCanadian

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · May 27

A hawk keeps swooping by my office window as I work. I can see his fluffy belly feathers, he's so close. Makes me want to visit SMJ Falconry in Yorkshire! www.smjfalconry.co.uk

Birds Of Prey Experiences & Services by SMJ Falconry

We offer you the opportunity to have personal, first-hand experiences with birds of prey and have a wide variety including hawks, falcons, kestrels, owls, kites and a few others. To enable us to provi...

www.smjfalconry.co.uk

Reposted by Philippa Dowding

Dublin Literary Award @dublinlitaward.bsky.social · May 22

🏆 The Adversary by Michael Crummey has won the 2025 Dublin Literary Award! 🏆

Nominated by Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries and published by Knopf Canada, this powerful novel takes the top honour in the award’s 30th year. 🎉

#DublinLitAward #DLA30yrs

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Reposted by Philippa Dowding

Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · May 12

Roses are redde
Noble are the manatees
Yf we wante a bettir future
Teach artes & humanityes

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · May 9

Here's a piece of music to celebrate the sustaining life of women in your life, whether mother, sister, daughter, friend. Enjoy Rivkah's Dance, with Allister T. @allistert.bsky.social

A piece of music to celebrate the sustaining life of women ...

Here's a photo of a cherry tree in my neighbourhood last year, in full bloom, scenting the air, filling our senses with wonder and delight...

phdowding.blogspot.com

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · May 7

“A new friend is a scary thing, sometimes. You may have to change and adapt a little to make your friendship work.”
Bat is wise in the way of friends. "The Love Song of Mr. Byrd" is coming soon, request a digital copy for review on the blog. @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writer #writingcommunity

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 ...

phdowding.blogspot.com

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · May 3

Spot the Spotted Owl. A little more wrought-iron whimsy from Toronto Island last week! #writingretreat #writer #torontoisland

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · May 1

Today in Whimsy: sweet wrought-iron bird art from Toronto Island! Who gets the worm? #ironart #chickadee #Toronto

A mother bird feeds her three chicks. Wrought-iron bird art on a post, from Toronto Island, May, 2025.

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Apr 28

Voted! One PAPER ballot, folded, put in the (overflowing) ballot box. Not an electronic scanner in sight. The three poll workers each had different coloured PENS, so no mix-ups. Seriously old school, and I've never been prouder to be Canadian! VOTE everyone!

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Apr 26

Time out of the city for writing and a perfect window seat. Happy Saturday! #writer #writingcommunity

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Apr 25

My sestina for poetry month, RESTORE:

Let us shine in the tide and ramble,
on the current, side by side, we begin.
Hold each fragment of us and restore
our shingled voices on the beach.
We murmur in susurration,
embrace our tides of imperfection.

Full Poem: phdowding.blogspot.com/2023/12/phil...

Reposted by Philippa Dowding

Helen Kubiw ❤️ 🇨🇦 📚 @hkubiw.bsky.social · Apr 21

May be a bit before it's truly green, but @friedawishinsky.bsky.social's message in her upcoming #MG #NF book KEEP OUR WORLD GREEN: WHY HUMANS NEED GARDENS, PARKS AND PUBLIC GREEN SPACES from @orcabook.bsky.social is important all year round. canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com/2025/04/keep...

Keep Our World Green: Why Humans Need Gardens, Parks and Public Green Spaces

Promoting children's and YA books by Canadian authors and illustrators

canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com

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Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Apr 18

One year ago today I met the Governor General of Canada. What a great day and honour that was, that year went fast! @cormorantbooks.bsky.social #writer #firefly

Our amazing Governor General and Firefly

Author with the Right Honourable Mary Simon On April 18, 2024, I was honoured (so incredibly honoured), to meet the Governor General of Ca...

phdowding.blogspot.com

Philippa Dowding @phdowding.bsky.social · Apr 16

"To carry within us an orchard." Reminds me of the last lines of OCULUM: "Peaches big as barrels, sweet as honey, from trees tall as the sky." Thank you for this lovely poem!