by Jill Forman
Midtown resident Summer Rogers Langille loves birds. As an educator and a parent, she uses her backyard birds to teach about nature.
She also loves “zines,” a small self-published work of texts and images. Perched is her bi-monthly compilation of art, poetry and projects aimed at kids. Now in its third year of publication, it is 5 ½ X 4 inches and eight pages, just right for small hands.
Langille enjoys the physical aspect of the zine; “…I love receiving mail at home and sharing something solid that I can hold in my hands with my kids.” To share this joy with others, she sells Perched through Esty and gives it to little free libraries in her Lemon Grove neighborhood.
A recent issue has a poem by Emily Dickenson, “Hope is the Thing with Feathers,” appropriate for current times. Also, two pages of photographs featuring local kids with their bird-themed projects, drawings, and resources for further exploration of bird facts.
Not one to just have one project, Langille homeschools (and did pre-COVID,) has a Rock of the Month Club on Esty, does the drawings for Perched, and oh yes, she recently had a baby.
She has a bird-themed Facebook page called Bird of the Month Education Group. On Esty there are bird-themed and nature education materials, Perched, even kids’ t-shirts with art from the zine. All are listed on etsy.com under TheKnotholeTree.
