sea smiles

Should have listened to my mother (Podcast)

| Bonnie Kelso

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 Mother podcast.

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

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 Infinite Search (Podcast)

| Bonnie Kelso

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

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.

SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Finalist!

| Bonnie Kelso

What a pleasant surprise to find out that Nudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea is a finalist for the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Crystal Kite Award!

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

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.

Reading With Your Kids (Podcast)

| Bonnie Kelso

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

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.

Fostering Curiosity and Creativity (Podcast)

| Bonnie Kelso

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

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.

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.