This Sunday is World Oceans Day! Celebrate by joining me Sunday, June 8th from 12:30 – 3:30 at the Las Vegas Discovery Children’s Museum for a fun presentation about nudibranchs. Learn all about these amazing colorful (and carnivorous) sea slugs, discover your own species, and take home a special piece of wearable art. All supplies provided. Funded in part by The NEA and Nevada Arts Council.
Bonnie Kelso is the author and illustrator of several books for children. NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA introduces children to the fascinating nudibranch, a carnivorous soft bodied mollusk. A 2023 Nevada Center for the Book “Great Reads from Great Places” children’s book selection!
How much do I love presenting to kids about nudibranchs? This much!!! Join me this Saturday at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum for fun and activities all about my favorite creature of the sea, the nudibranch! I’ll be performing two interactive shows. Times and details can be found here: https://www.lvnhm.org/event-details/the-nudibranch-show-2025-04-26-11-00
About the Events:
Apr 26, 2025, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM & 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Las Vegas Natural History Museum, 900 Las Vegas Blvd N, Las Vegas, NV 89101, USA
Special Guest: Bonnie Kelso
11:00-11:45 AM – The Nudibranch SHOW!
Best for grades K-2nd (45 minutes)
In this program, Bonnie shares her love for strange and unusual sea animals. She’ll introduce a cast of odd marine characters and describe each of their special talents. Bonnie will read aloud her informational picture book NUDI GILL. Afterwards, she will guide the class in some creative role playing exercises as they imagine the life of a nudibranch. The students will be guided step-by-step as they draw Gill, the nudibranch. Lastly, Bonnie will answer questions and challenge students to discover more about nudibranchs after the presentation.
12:00-12:45 PM – Design YOUR OWN Nudibranch
Best for grades K-5th (45 minutes)
In this program, Bonnie shares explains that there are over 3,000 species of nudibranchs and that additional species are still being discovered. She will read aloud her informational picture book NUDI GILL. She will identify and explain the different parts of nudibranch anatomy. Afterwards, she will guide students step-by-step as they invent their own undiscovered species of nudibranch. Lastly, Bonnie will answer questions and challenge students to discover more about nudibranchs after the presentation.
See you there!
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children that educate and inspire. She facilitates art workshops for her local community and beyond. NUDI GILL: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea, introduces kids to the tiny but fierce nudibranch. SEA SMILES & SLEEPY SEA are part of a three-part series pairing childhood milestones with fascinating sea animal facts. Coming soon:DEXTER THE STAND UP DOG, shares the true story of a canine internet sensation who adapted to walking upright after a tragic accident.
My last podcast for a spell just released. This one is extra special because not only do I talk about books and sea slugs, but also my mom, and how amazing she is! This was recorded on Mother’s Day weekend and is now live on the air-waves. Check out Jackie Tantillo’s Should Have Listened to My Motherpodcast.
More from Jackie and the Should Have Listened to My Mother Podcast:
Podcast host Jackie Tantillo is proud to announce that “Should Have Listened To My Mother Podcast” is a 2023 Peoples Choice Podcast Award Nominee. The show is an ongoing conversation about mothers/maternal role models and the roles they play/played in our lives. Did your mom influence you by her actions or words or both? Are you who you are today because of, or in spite of, your mother? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from others about who and/or what shaped them into who they are today. My guests, some of which share similar backgrounds, interestingly enough, have completely different futures. Why is that? I hope you enjoy these timeless oral history recordings of the role mothers and maternal figures have played throughout society. The impact these women have on our lives is insurmountable.
Some fun pictures of me and my mom that didn’t make it into the show notes:
I love you, Mom! See you on the radio!
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.
You’re probably thinking, what more could Bonnie have to say? Well, this conversation I had with John Robert Hatherly of The Infinite Search Podcast, touches on some great topics, like why adults should read children’s books and how I built a new creative career after dropping out of the workforce for a decade to travel and raise kids.
In addition to hosting a thoughtful podcast, John is a talented artist, designer and writer. I hope you will take the time to check out our conversation and the others coming out this season.
See you on the radio!
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.
The Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers, illustrators, and translators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers. But even if you aren’t a children’s book professional, you can still vote for your favorites by creating a free account at www.SCBWI.org.
You can vote for any and all regions, too! Nudi Gill can be found as part of the Southwest Division, because that’s where I live. This is a super cool award, because if you win, you might be selected to present at the SCBWI Summer Conference in August. Also, you get really neat silver stickers to put to the front of your book.
Final voting is until June 20th, so hop on over there and help a sea slug out! You might even discover a few cool books you want to read for yourself or give to a young reader, library, or school.
Best wishes,
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.
Hey, guess what? I was a guest on another podcast! I can’t help myself, podcasts are so much fun. This one is a more mainstream kidlit podcast called Reading With Your Kids, hosted by Jed Doherty.
Jed, or Jedlie, is a hoot to talk with. In addition to being a podcaster and dedicated advocate for children’s literature, he is a real magician! Our discussion begins about halfway through the episode. We talk about my new picture book, Sea Smiles, the horrors of a wolffish’s mouth, and mysterious ocean saviors. I hope you will take the time to listen in!
See you on the radio!
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.
Hey, guess what? I was a guest on a podcast! And, not just any podcast, but a podcast called Parenting In the Digital Age, hosted by Jamie Buttigieg, the creator of Skill Samurai, a coding, math and STEM academy. (www.skillsamurai.com.au) That’s a dot au, which means they’re in Australia, one of my favorite countries to dive off of. The only thing that would have made this discussion better, is if I could have gone to Sydney in person to have it.
Jamie and I discussed my debut picture book, Nudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea, as well as how to add extra value to teachers’ curriculums through sharing picture books, and ways to foster curiosity and creativity in children. We also discuss the joys of teaching, how artificial intelligence is affecting the children’s book industry, the importance of remembering your childhood dreams, and the joy of collaborative art-making.
I hope you’ll take the time to check it out. Jamie has had a wide range of guests that have provided incredible insights regarding parenting in the digital age. So, be sure to listen in to some other episodes. One of my favorites was with Sharna Dawson – From Classroom to Career: Guiding Your Teen’s Journey. Probably because my oldest son is starting high school next year. Yikes! How did that happen?
See you on the radio!
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.
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!!!
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 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.
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:
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!
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!”
I have a fun line up of library visits scheduled for the Southern Nevada region. Keep reading for dates and locations.
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.
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.
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 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.
Bonnie Kelso 