OPen Books, open Minds 2024 (SLJ & LJ)

| Bonnie Kelso

I have exciting news! I’m going to be on an author panel on Thursday, May 2nd for the School Library Journal and Library Journal virtual event, “Open Books, Open Minds.” The event is free and anyone who registers may attend, although the target audience is educators and librarians.

I’ll be discussing why I write for young people with fabulous authors, Vera Ahiyya, Jarrett Lerner, Rashin Kheiriyeh, and Kaz Windness. I love the dynamics when creatives get together and talk about the things they love most, so I’m really looking forward to this. We will be speaking from 9:55am PT / 12:55pm ET – 10:40am PT / 1:40pm ET.

There will be lots of other great speakers during the event including Kate Messner, Dan Santat, and Minh Lê. Children’s book publishers will be in attendance as well, including Gnome Road. I hope to represent them well.

Hoping you discover wonderful new books to read,

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, released April 4, 2023. SEA SMILES, the first of a three-part series, released February 20, 2024. Coming soon: WONDER OF THE WOODS and QUAIL TRAIL, releasing this fall. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

Chalk It Down! Las Vegas Arts District

| Bonnie Kelso

This Sunday from 11am – 4pm is the first Las Vegas Arts District “Chalk It Down” Chalk Art Festival! I get to be one of the artists, so stop by and say, hi! I’ll be drawing a scene from my new book, Sea Smiles, a picture book all about losing a tooth and sea animals with weird teeth. Music, food, art… what more could you ask for? Hope to see you there!

Chalk with ya later,

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, released April 4, 2023. SEA SMILES, the first of a three-part series, released February 20, 2024. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

Dexter, The Stand-Up Dog!

| Bonnie Kelso

I am soooo excited to announce that I’ve made a new book deal with Gnome Road Publishing! Fall 2025, Dexter, The Stand-Up Dog will be releasing. You may have met Dexter through the internet, or seen him on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. He is a beautiful Brittany Spaniel who lost a leg in a car accident. He taught himself how to walk on his two hind legs. Since then, he has been delighting people all over the world with his story of patience, perseverance, and paw-sitivity!

To learn more about Dexter, check out his Instagram account @DexterDogOuray. Dexter’s owner, Kentee Pasek, and I have written the most adorable picture book and now I am starting to create the final art. I can’t wait to share some sneak peeks with you all. Go, Dexter, Gooooooo!

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, released April 4, 2023. SEA SMILES, the first of a three-part series, released February 20, 2024. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

SEA SMILES Book REVIEW

| Bonnie Kelso

Since the launch of SEA SMILES, my second book, I’ve been receiving some pretty great attention. I can’t tell you everything right now, but here is a stellar review from The Children’s Book Review.

“Using marine animal science to explore the common anxiety of losing your first baby tooth, Sea Smiles is an enjoyable exploration of the diversity of the animal kingdom when it comes to teeth. 

When a little girl bites down on an apple and loses a tooth, it takes all the learning and knowledge her friend Wolffish can muster to help her feel better. Luckily, Wolffish knows all about teeth. He tells the little girl about his own teeth, which are great for catching live prey, and about the fleshy spines penguins have instead of teeth and the giant spiked tooth that is the Narwhal’s horn. She learns that some teeth in the sea can inject venom, that the crabeater seal has 32 spiral-shaped teeth (but does not actually use them to eat crab), and that sharks can produce up to 20,000 teeth in a lifetime.

After learning all those crazy, cool, diverse tooth facts, she doesn’t feel sad about her tooth anymore! 

Just like the protagonist, readers will find themselves distracted from their tooth troubles as they hear about the strange tooth-related experiences some other animals have. Alongside dozens of interesting tooth facts, humorous dialogue and wordplay keep the reading light and fun while reminding readers that looking different from others is okay. Bright cartoon-style artwork adds to the fun, interactive mood of the book. 

Sea Smiles is the perfect distraction from tooth troubles—and fascinating for any reader interested in marine animals or tooth biology.” 

—Dr. Jen Harrison, The Children’s Book Review

Whaaaa? Someone gets me! ❤️ Thanks, Dr. Harrison!

Oh, wolffish! You are always a winner in my book.

Keep an eye out for some new Giphys coming for Sea Smiles, including the one above. I’ve hit the big time with Giphy since my “Woo-hoo!” landed over 37 million views. GO NUDI GILL, GOOOOOO!!!! Here it is in case you ever want to use it in a text message after sinking your teeth into your favorite taco.

More exciting news to come soon, but until then…

May you find some time (and allergy meds) to get out in that beautiful spring weather!

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, released April 4, 2023. SEA SMILES, the first of a three-part series, released February 20, 2024. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

Authors & Artists Fair – Las Vegas!

| Bonnie Kelso

When you live in Las Vegas it’s perfectly natural to see some aerial acrobatics at your local library. We’re so lucky! This Saturday, I will be displaying my art and books to visitors to the Clark County Library. The event runs from 11am to 4pm and there will be presentations for writers and readers, a film premiere, and… you guessed it, a Circus Arts Mini Showcase featuring aerial acrobatics! What more could one ask for? Oh, you want it to be free? Well, you’re in luck! It’s 100% FREE! Once again proving that Las Vegas libraries ROCK!!!

Full event information: https://events.thelibrarydistrict.org/event/9591577

I will be signing copies of Nudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea and In a Cave (written by the talented Heather Kinser) from 12:24pm to 2:15pm just outside the theater. I hope to see you there!

The only thing that ROCKS! more than libraries is you.

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, released April 4, 2023. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

Holy Blue CanNoli! (Nudi Gill Updates)

| Bonnie Kelso

I want to start this post with an apology. My last post was in February and a TON has happened since then. I admit that I have not been very good at keeping readers informed on what has been happening with Nudi Gill. Here’s the condensed (but still exciting) update:

  1. THE BOOK IS OUT! Nudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea is now available where books are sold! Woo-hoo!
  2. Nudi Gill the Card Game Crowdfundr event is now live! You can reserve your copy of this limited edition deck and be a part of supporting the first ever card game all about marine mollusks. Check it out!
  3. Nudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea has been selected as the “Great Reads from Great Places” children’s book to represent Nevada at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, August 12th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This is a huge honor, and I’m so excited to participate. If you’re in the DC area that weekend, stop by and say, “Hi!”
  4. I have a fun line up of library visits scheduled for the Southern Nevada region. Keep reading for dates and locations.
  5. Nudi Gill has been getting a lot of positive feedback and I’ve even started receiving some fan art. This makes me extra happy. So, please send me yours! You can email it to me at artistbkelso@gmail.com and I will post it on my website in a special place of honor.
  6. There’s a companion coloring book available based on the blog post series, Nudi Gill Pin-Ups! Fans of the series (and quirky coloring books) will definitely want to pick up a copy of Nudi Gill Pin-Ups! The Coloring Book: Nifty Nudibranchs and Other Sassy Sea Slugs.

Whew! Now I feel so much better. Thank you for your patience.

Now… THE GLORIOUS DETAILS!

Nudi Gill the Card Game:

I designed this colorful and funny card game with the whole family in mind. It’s easy to play and a great way to learn more about nudibranchs and other marine mollusks.

I hope you will support my project so that I can have these cards printed and distributed to all the nudibranch enthusiasts out there.

Check out my Crowdfundr page to learn more about the project and reserve your limited edition copy before they’re gone. You also have the option to gift a deck to a local Las Vegas Elementary School.

NUDI GILL Summer 2023 Library Visits:

Nudi Gill Pin-Ups! The Coloring Book:

Nifty Nudibranchs and Other Sassy Sea Slugs:

Along with the release of my book, I created this companion coloring book based on my blog post series.

Nudi Gill Pin-Ups! The Coloring Book: Nifty Nudibranchs and Other Sassy Sea Slugs.

The 32-page coloring book is hosted by Gill, but focuses more on other nudibranch and sea slug species. You can learn interesting facts about them and their scientific names.

Of course, in true Nudi Gill fashion, it is also peppered with jokes and quirky personalities. 

Oh, and you won’t want to miss that centerfold spread featuring Gill in all his glory.

Wishing you a super summer,

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, released April 4, 2023. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

NUDI GILL PIN-UP: Happy Naked Valentine!

| Bonnie Kelso

I’d like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have shared this NUDI GILL PIN UP series with me over the last 20 months. That’s right! This is the last NUDI GILL PIN UP, because my book NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA is releasing next month on March 7th!

In fact, you can download the kindle version right now.

Just saying…

Today I have a special Valentine’s Day treat for you! This little candy colored nudibranch is so delectable you’ll want to dip it in chocolate and nibble its mantle like a sea slug bon-bon. Ewww, maybe not.

Chromodoris Annae

By Steve Childs from Lancaster, UK – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1776574

Chromodoris Annae is one of my all time favorite nudibranchs. That’s why I modeled my character Gill after them.

Here’s an early character design of Gill:

I’ve always had a special place in my heart for nudibranchs. Maybe it’s because they are so tiny and beautiful, but also fierce carnivores. They can suck the poison out of their food and use it as a weapon. Talk about superpowers! What’s not to love about that?

Did you know that nudibranchs have tiny little shells when they are still in their larva stage of development? The shells disappear before they begin to develop into their adult form. Check out this magical video of baby nudis:

Nudibranch are part of the gastropod family and many gastropods, like sea snails, have shells. Nudibranchs evolved over the years maximizing their poison defense mechanisms and no longer need to carry a shell for protection. They prefer to go…

NAKED!!!

I love the confidence of that. So I needed to make sure Gill’s personality exuded attitude.

Here’s a nostalgic look back at all the NUDI GILL PIN UPS!

With love,

Bonnie

NOW Available for pre-order!

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, releases in March, 2023. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

NUDI GILL PIN-UP: Halgerda batangas

| Bonnie Kelso

Happy New Year everyone! I know, I know, maybe it’s not so new anymore since it is already January 29th. I can’t believe how fast this month flew by. But, never fear, there’s still time to oooh and awwww over this little cutie nudi from the Tropical Western Pacific Ocean. Specifically found in many locations including  Indonesia, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Mabul, New Britain, the Davao Gulf, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi, Great Barrier Reef and Taiwan. Wow! This little one really gets around.

Halgerda batangas

Alexander R. Jenner, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Check out the line work on this beauty! This photo shows Halgerda batangas hanging upside down. See those bumpy orange spots on the nudribranch’s body? Those have a special name that I love.

tubercles

Alexander R. Jenner, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In anatomy, a tubercle is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. I love learning new words.

Three cheers for TUBERCLES!

Want to learn another cool word? Those thin orange lines on the nudibranch’s body make up a specific pattern that is seen in other places in nature. Do you know what it is? This giraffe has the same kind of pattern in its fur.

Relative of Brandt Luke Zorn, most likely his father., CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

READY

FOR

THE

ANSWER???

The polygonal shapes resemble a network of markings.

Here’s another example in nature. This python also has this special word in it’s name:

By Mariluna, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2575280

One

MORE

EXAMPLE

AND

I’ll SHARE

THE SPECIAL

WORD

Leaves have these special patterns too. See those tiny veins in the leaf? They supply the leaf with nutrients.

Jon Sullivan (PD Photo.org) 

This pattern is a

Reticulate Pattern

Reticulated Giraffe

Reticulated Python

Reticulate Venation

By the way, if you like educational wormholes as much as I do, here’s a link to a fascinating webpage I stumbled upon all about leaf structures. Go geek out and get the skinny on a whole new world of words.

BOTANY BASICS: Understanding Leaves

https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/entry/leaves

I hope you enjoyed meeting Halgerda batangas and learning a few fun new words. Stay tuned for February’s Special Valentine NUDI GILL Pin-Up.

Geek on!

Bonnie

NOW Available for pre-order!

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, releases in March, 2023. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.

NUDI GILL PIN-UP: California Sea Hare

| Bonnie Kelso

Happy Holidays, everyone! I received the best Christmas present ever this year. I got to hang out at the beach with a whole hoard of sea hares. That’s right, I was poking around the rocks off the Dana Point jetty at low tide. I was marveling at the tiny anemones and itty bitty shrimp, when low and behold, my eyes focused in on a real live bonafide sea slug. I squealed with delight like a four-year-old on Christmas morning.

California Sea Hare

Hey, guess what? Bonnie Kelso, author of Nudi Gill, took this picture!

This little guy was only about two inches long and perfectly camouflaged among the reddish brown seaweed clinging to the rocks, so it’s no wonder I didn’t notice them right away.

Once I discovered this one, oh my, I started seeing them EVERYWHERE! I was literally surrounded by them. Some were even rearing, which got me super excited. It was the perfect way to end a year of Nudi Gill Pin-Ups. You may or may not remember that in January, I covered the California Sea Hare, otherwise known as: Aplysia Californica. So to me it was a perfect bookend for a year of exploring different sea slugs.

Can you find the sea hares in this photo?

I’ll give you a hint. There are two.

California Sea Hares are not endangered. In fact, when you see a bunch of them in one area it’s a sign that the ecosystem is healthy. Even so, you should never handle them. They have a slimy coating that protects them from disease and touching them could disrupt those life-saving properties. They can be dangerous, too, because like nudibranchs they absorb toxins from their food and can poison potential predators as a self-defense mechanism.

Here’s a nice little reddish one. It seemed like the smaller ones where reddish, and the larger ones where more black with white speckles or racing stripes.

Did you find the Sea Hares?

I told you they were hard to see at first!

So you may be asking…

what’s the difference between a sea hare and a nudibranch anyway?

Why are they called Sea Hares?

They are called sea hares because they tend to have wide curled rhinophores that slightly resemble bunny ears. If you have any other questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Thank you for revisiting the California Sea Hare with me. I hope you have a beautiful holiday and a happy new year! See you in 2023, with yet another fascinating Nudi Gill Pin-Up.

Best wishes,

Bonnie

NOW Available for pre-order!

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave self-expression. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. Her debut picture book, NUDI GILL, releases in March, 2023. A lover of nature and travel, she often wanders about outside with her family whenever an excellent opportunity to do so presents itself.