I’m thrilled to announce my newest authored and illustrated book, Wild Fathers, published by Arbordale Publishing.
 Here’s a Jigsaw Puzzle I created for Achoo! Why Pollen Counts.
As a challenge! Try coloring in the pieces first, then cut each out and solve the puzzle to see how your coloring came out. 🧩 Go on over to the Free Coloring Pages page to find many more puzzles, coloring pages, activity sheets, and craft projects you can do on rainy summer days.
https://www.speakuptalkradio.com/author-shennen-bersani/
Learn about where the idea for the book came from, and some fun facts about pollen!
 Here is the press release: SEVENTY TWO AUTHORS SNAG THE FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS January 2021 – Speak Up Talk Radio announced the winners of 2020’s fourth quarter FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS contest. Seventy-two winners were announced in 87 categories. One of the winning entries was from Massachusetts, author Shennen Bersani, whose book titled Achoo! Why Pollen Counts won in the following categories: First place: Picture Books - All Ages First place: Picture Books 4-8 Third place: Children’s Fiction https://www.speakuptalkradio.com/book-award-winners/ Authors and publishers from around the world submitted their work to the Firebird Book Awards. A panel of 12 judges within the writing and publishing space then read every book and independently scored each entry according to a set of standardized criteria that evaluates the quality of the writing as well as production aspects. Only entries with the highest of scores are awarded the coveted Firebird. Patricia J. Rullo, founder of the Firebird Book Awards, says, “The quality of the entries were stunning and speak to the talent out there that needs a marketing voice. At Speak Up Talk Radio, our mission is to offer radio interviews and podcasting services to help authors expand their reach. In addition to additional prizes, our winners have the opportunity to be interviewed and aired on radio stations, iHeart Radio, Pandora, as well as 50 additional online venues, giving them new ways to speak up and share their work.” Pat adds, “We’ve included a charitable component to our awards by making all entry fees tax-deductible to the author. In return, we personally make and send handmade fun and whimsical pillowcases to women and children in homeless shelters via Enchanted Makeovers, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. All entry fees fund this project. In this way, authors can get notoriety for their work while doing good for others. It’s been such a rewarding venture for everyone.” The Firebird Book Awards run quarterly contests so authors can receive recognition on a timely basis. Authors from all genres, mainstream, independent, and self-published are welcome. Additional winning authors and titles as well as entry information is available at https://www.speakuptalkradio.com Purchase the book here from Arbordale Publishing in English, Spanish, German, or Portuguese.  Achoo! Why Pollen Counts is a 2019 Story Monster Approved Winner! Big congratulations!!  I’m working on a longer video, and will post a link when it’s done. Until then, here’s my Challenge video. Fellow children’s authors and illustrators, join me in getting books to children and schools who have none. I know all of you are not in a position to do this, but for those who can, I challenge you to take your royalties and use them to get vital books to these schools. Further details follow in the video.  Find this and more free puzzles over at the Free Coloring Pages page on this site.
Atchim! A Importancia do Polen, joins Hatschi! Sarum Pollen wichtig sind, and ¡Achíss! La importancia del polen  All are available at Arbordale. Perfect for teaching children new languages,
or learning a new language at any age! MOTHS unsung pollinators! Now available for pre-order, Not a Butterfly Alphabet Book, published by Charlesbridge, fall 2019. This is the eighth Jerry Pallotta book I have illustrated.  Achoo! Has been translated into German! While we wait for the printed paperbacks, you can get your copy of the interactive ebook on Arbordale’s site. http://arbordalepublishing.com/bookpage.php?id=Achoo  On HeartGlimmers you will find one of a kind handmade jewelry - with Achoo! Why Pollen Counts in mind. https://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartGlimmers?ref=s2-header-shopname Today I was featured in Boston Voyager Magazine. Check out the interview http://bostonvoyager.com/interview/art-life-shennen-bersani/ Be sure to scroll down on this blog to find my pollen snow globe craft and my firefly craft. Coming soon, a new Achoo! craft. I will be posting here. And don’t forget to visit the free coloring pages page. Enjoy!   Seen in Ohio this summer! Achoo! as a Storybook Trail! Thank you Miami County Park District for selecting
Achoo! Why Pollen Counts.  Delightfully colorful award stickers arrived from LitPick. I love how they look!
Make sure you watch the marvelous review video they created for Achoo! Complete with sneezing Baby Bear! https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=LW3LzRHfSsI LitPick is a fantastic free way to keep your students reading all summer long! Check them out at LitPick.com 90s temps make for thirsty bees 🐝 I’ve repurposed a plastic container and turned it into an insect watering spa. All you need is a shallow container or plate, a couple rocks and water. Add just enough water to leave the rocks partially dry, this gives bees a peaceful place to land and take a sip, not a swim. Feel free to add a small amount of sugar to attract them. I’ve placed this spa next to my patio tomato plants. Read www.achoowhypollencounts.com to learn about pollination and more tips to help bees! Visit Arbordale to buy the book. http://arbordalepublishing.com/bookpage.php?id=Achoo Teach your children the importance of caring for bees. Our crops depend on 🐝🐝🐝 100 Book Trailers - Must Have Books For The Elementary Classroom Author and teacher Kate Narita has complied a list of Must Haves for teachers, and today she posted Achoo! Why Pollen Counts. Check out Achoo! and her complete list here. And don't miss all the free Teaching Activities and Quizzes on Arbordale's Achoo! Why Pollen Counts page. Pollen season 2018 has arrived, what better way to teach your children Why Pollen Counts!  Thank you Heather over at Arbordale Publishing for this photo of Charleston, SC, 2018 pollen! Aaaa…choo! Step-by-step-step instructions to make your own pollen snow globe, brought to you by Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, and Shennen Bersani. There are two versions, one very inexpensive and easy, the other a bit more complicated using more supplies. Either way you can use repurposed used containers. Just wash them out and they are ready to go!   Check out this fantastic video Gary over at LitPick created from Jonny’s review!I LOVE Baby Bear sneezing!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=LW3LzRHfSsI  Achoo! Why Pollen Counts has received two 5 star reviews from student reviewers at LitPick. This earns the book their highest honor, the LitPick Top Choice Book Review Award! Wow, I am so honored and excited! Here are the two reviews: Student Review Jonny Age at time of review - 12 Reviewer's Location - Matthews, NC, United States View Jonny's profile Achoo! Why Pollen Counts by Shennen Bersani is about a baby bear who comes out of his den in the spring, sneezing so much that he wishes pollen didn’t exist. When he meets up with his mom, she cleans him up and explains how important pollen is. Then he wanders around and meets all sorts of critters who explain why pollen is important to them too. It’s a cute story with catchy language that is easy to understand and educational at the same time. It even has a “For Creative Minds” section at the end that has interesting information about allergies, pollination, and bees. A couple of activities about flower parts and pollinators make learning fun, and anyone can read more about allergies, pollen, insects, and bears if they look up resources listed in the bibliography that is included. The very best part of this book is its beautiful artwork. Happy pictures with bright colors and a swirling effect that mimics pollen in the air practically jump off every page. Opinion: Achoo! Why Pollen Counts is written for children ages 5-8, but I can’t imagine who wouldn’t love this book (no matter how old they are)! It is a fantastic multi-purpose book that is perfect for anyone who enjoys nature or wants to know more about pollen. The artwork is detailed enough that young children can picture walk themselves through the basic story. Parents can help their children learn the names of specific creatures that they may not have seen before or do not know yet. Anyone could use it as a guide to help others understand allergy symptoms better, what pollen is, and how it’s used in nature. The more I read this book and looked at its pictures, the more detail I saw and the more I learned. It was like taking a real nature walk outdoors and finding something new to explore with every next step.  hawkreader10 Age at time of review - 13 Reviewer's Location - Corning, New York, United States View hawkreader10's profile Achoo! Baby Bear is allergic to pollen. And he gets covered in it as soon as he wakes up from his long winter hibernation! As he struggles to get rid of the sticky yellow dust covering his fur, Baby Bear decides he does NOT like pollen. He even says that he wishes pollen didn't exist. But as his other animal friends wake up, Baby bear learns that pollen does a lot more than just make him sneeze. In fact, many other animals and insects rely on pollen. His friends Sandy Spiderling, Zoe Zebra Butterfly, and some honey bee larvae even eat it! Will Baby Bear be able to use all his new knowledge to make the best of this “sticky” situation? Opinion: At first, pollen might seem like a strange subject for a children’s book, but in Achoo! Why Pollen Counts by Shennen Bersani, the curious young reader will learn many interesting facts about pollen right along with Baby Bear. The easy to follow storyline and colorful pictures will engage young readers and help them learn about pollen in a fun way. Parents who are reading with their children will probably learn a lot, too. Bersani packs a lot of scientific information into her story, while still keeping it at a level that young children can understand. Additional information and activity pages in the back of the book offer an opportunity for children to apply their new knowledge. I would recommend this book for children three to seven years old to enjoy with their parents. Kids with allergies will be able to identify with Baby Bear and maybe see a brighter side to pollen.  Last week I was interviewed by LitPick. Please check them out, I highly recommend their program. Students review new books and get to keep them. As a mother I feel it is a fantastic way to encourage literacy. Here is my interview:
I am the mom of four children. I have illustrated almost 30 picture books, many for author Jerry Pallotta. Many of my books have won awards. There are over two million copies of my books across the globe! I travel the country doing research for my books and speaking to students. I love reading. I love bringing books to life. I love my job! SIX MINUTES WITH SHENNEN BERSANI: Joining LitPick for Six Minutes with an Author is Shennen Bersani, author and illustrator of almost 30 books. Her book, Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, is perfect with spring right around the corner. One of our student reviewers gave it 5 out of 5 stars, saying, “It is a fantastic multi-purpose book that is perfect for anyone who enjoys nature or wants to know more about pollen.” ----- ***How did you get started writing? When I was very young, my parents sang songs to me. By the time I reached fourth grade, I was writing my own songs, composing them, and singing along with my guitar. As I grew older, I took creative writing classes and expanded my writing into stories. I always dreamed of being an author. ***Who influenced you? My mother was my biggest influence. She encouraged me to keep journals. I filled my journals with poems, songs, stories, and drawings. ***Do you have a favorite book/subject/character/setting? I am very fond of earth science, nature, and animals. I don’t have a particular favorite book, I simply love learning new things! I gobble up any books I can find on animals and their habitats. ***What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author? Read, write, edit. Read as much as you possibly can. By reading the works of others, you get an understanding of what makes a successful poem, song, or story. Take a notebook along with you; you can keep one handy in your backpack. When rhymes, poems, or story ideas come to you just jot them down. Read your entries over at the end of the day. Add descriptions, including how you felt at the time, if you were happy, sad, tired, hungry; was it cold, hot, sunny, dark, or raining? Expand on these notes to write poems, stories, plays, books. Then comes the edits. This is the hardest part but most important. It is natural to feel your first draft is fabulous and couldn’t possibly be improved! You struggled over your words, selecting just the ‘right’ ones - and it took so darn long for Pete’s sake! There is no way you will want to change anything, it will kill you to do so! Wrong, and I’ll prove it. Set your first draft aside for a few days, a week, or a month... then reread it out loud to yourself. Time has a way of changing our perspective. You will now chuckle at yourself and find all sorts of words or sentences you will want to change and correct. Oops, there you missed a period, and there’s a misspelled word. I simply can’t stress how important edits are to improve your writing. I just wrote this answer over a dozen times. ***Where is your favorite place to write? I love sitting alone near my aquarium, surrounded by plants and photos of my family. I have this set up in my studio where I also illustrate books. I write out my research notes and my story arcs freehand on sheets of paper first, then type them up on my computer where I edit, edit, edit. ***What else would you like to tell us? Don’t ever get discouraged! Follow your dreams wherever they take you. I have piles of unpublished stories. The more books you read, the more you write, the better your writing becomes. Also research as much as possible. I crisscross the country doing research and asking people I meet countless questions. I try to learn as much as I can about a subject before I write about it. ----- Thanks for joining us, Shennen. We love how your parents began by igniting this passion inside of you that you continued to fan into flame. Your advice about placing a first draft to the side is very helpful, and we know it will benefit many students and other writers. We look forward to your next book featuring natural elements. Website, blog, social media links: http://www.shennenbersani.com https://www.facebook.com/shennen.bersani https://twitter.com/ShennenBersani Repurpose plastic bottles into a fun firefly craft. Use glow-in-the-dark paint to add glimmer to your evening.  I created this simple, fun craft to go along with Night Creepers, written by Linda Stanek, published by Arbordale. Visit Arbordale to download more free Teaching Activities and Quizzes. You will first need to download and print out the coloring page. Then follow the step by step directions I have added to each photo's caption.  Check out the book's reviews on Amazon!
 Congratulations to my illustrated book, Honey Girl: The Hawaiian Monk Seal, written by Jeanne Walker Harvey. Honey Girl was selected as a 2018 NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book. Check out the complete list here. I traveled far from my Boston home to the shores of Oahu to do research for my illustrations. Here's a bit about this amazing book: Hawaiian locals and visitors always enjoy spotting endangered Hawaiian monk seals, but Honey Girl is an extra special case. She has raised seven pups, and scientists call her “Super Mom.” After Honey Girl is injured by a fishhook, she gets very sick. Scientists and veterinarians work to save Honey Girl so she can be released back to the ocean. This true story will have readers captivated to learn more about this endangered species.  Yesterday I had the honor of visiting the Berea Elementary School in Montgomery, NY. What an amazing staff and group of kids! I was welcomed with this amazing display in the entry foyer: Isn't this fantastic! WoW!! I can spy characters from over a dozen of my books! Words can't express my love for this! My heartfelt thanks to Mrs. O'Brien for creating this display.
Plus the snakes and bugs at breakfast and lunch! Double cool!! But this was just the beginning. Morning meet and greet with teachers, luncheon with students, a thousand fabulous questions, and two, over an hour long presentations... it was an amazing day sharing my knowledge, speaking about writing, illustrating, book creation, pollen.... and so much more. An enormous thank you to Mrs. Storaska for organizing the event, and to Vice Principal Ms. Ryder for introducing me. The entire staff at Berea are amazing! ABCs Off The Top of Your Head with Traci Bold Traci asked me a few alphabet questions, and here are my answers. https://boldwriter67.wordpress.com/2017/09/08/abcs-off-the-top-of-your-head-with-authorillustrator-shennen-bersani/  From Cheetah Dreams, Arbordale Publishing, 2018. Art copyright Shennen Bersani.
 Another book I illustrated needs your VOTE! Vote for Once Upon an Elephant in the 10th Children's Choice Book Awards until May 7. Click here to cast your VOTE.
HUGE NEWS! Once Upon an Elephant, is a FINALIST in the 10th CHILDREN"S CHOICE BOOK AWARDS. Please consider voting for it! HERE. Voting continues everyday until May 7, 2017. Please share and spread the word! I cannot tell you how much I loved illustrating Once Upon an Elephant. I have always been fascinated with elephants, my mother bought me replica elephants when I was a little girl - I played safari in our grassy yard. Through my illustrations, I wanted to take the reader on a little journey of Africa, I wanted little children's fingers to touch the animals on the pages and pretend they are on their own safari. I believe through Linda Stanek's words and my art that goal has been accomplished. Check out the book, feel the sun baked Earth, smell the grass, hear the elephants trumpet. Read about how essential elephants are to their environment. Let me know what you think. Check the book out over at Arbordale On Amazon here Read more about the 10th Children's Choice Book Award on Publisher's Weekly. Read Arbordale's Press Release. |
AuthorShennen Bersani, author and illustrator of Achoo! Why Pollen Counts, Wild Fathers, and the illustrator of 40 other children's picture books. Archives
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