Shennen Bersani's Weblog

A weekend on Aquidneck Island.

I had the distinct pleasure of revisiting Aquidneck Island, RI, for March Into Reading this past Friday and Saturday.  Aquidneck Island is made up of the towns of Portsmouth and Middletown and the city of Newport.  Friday morning I visited the third graders at the Aquidneck School and the Forest Ave. School, both in Middletown.  After lunch I visited with the students at St. Philomena's School in Portsmouth.  Wonderful Middletown librarian Tara Manion drove me around and was an angel of mercy helping me schlep my sketch pad and supplies!!  Thank you Tara!!  St. Philomena's librarian Jeanne Kelley had a special surprise for me - a terrific fifth grade gentleman named Ben introduced me!  Ben had written a great introduction for me!  He told me he researched and learned all about me by reading this blog.  :-)  

On Saturday I signed books and then gave a featured presentation in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall at Salve Regina University, Newport, RI.  Ben was present and introduced me.  Here's Ben.

And here are some photos of me at Salve:

On Friday and Saturday I wore this necklace.  It has some of the actual objects Pluribus Packrat had gathered into his nest.

From, Home in the Cave, written by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Shennen Bersani (me), Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2012.  Illustration copyright, Shennen Bersani, 2012.

Thank you Kitty Rok and all the people involved with the Aquidneck Collaborative for Education (ACE) for inviting me.  It is always a pleasure to visit with the children of Aquidneck.  :-)

March Into Reading 2012

I am very excited to be returning to Aquidneck Island on March 2nd and 3rd for March Into Reading 2012.  I always enjoy visiting and meeting the students in Middletown, Portsmouth, and Newport, RI.

Here's a fabulous website with lots of details: Wild About Reading and the official info on Salve Regina University's website: Aquidneck Collaborative for Education

Here's the official flyer:

I think Baby Bat and Pluribus Packrat will make a guest appearance.  :-)

From Home in the Cave, written by Janet Halfmann, Sylvan Dell Publishing 2012.

Heck of a Bunch-February 2012
A book with delightful illustrations, Home in the Cave is a keen story for younger children to learn about bats and caves.  A baby bat doesn't want to leave the comforts of the cave but soon runs across a rat that explores the cave with him, showing why bats are important to other animals and the different animals that dwell in caves.  The baby bat learns that it's important to learn to hunt and leave the cave so it can be dependable to the other cave creatures.  In the "Creative Minds" section at the back of the book you can learn about life in cave zones, rock formations, cave habitats, bat ecolocation, and more.
Go to review online

Reading 2 Know-February 2012
Home in the Cave is the first book we read and quite possibly my favorite. This, despite the fact that I am not fond of the little buggars. (We have had a bat or two inside our home. Two of which we've discovered flying over us in our bed at 2 a.m. Not exactly my idea of a good time or a welcome houseguest!) This one though is by one of our favorite animal authors, Janet Halfmann. In this story, Baby Bat loves his cave home and thinks he never wants to leave it, despite the fact that his mother is telling him he needs to practice flying so that he can go out and hunt for his own food. He makes friends with another cave dweller, a packrat, who shows him around the cave and teaches him how necessary bats are when it comes to sustaining cave life for other animals. This book is informative and interesting.
Go to review online

Hope to see you at Salve Regina University on Saturday!

 

 

Four Awards for 2011

My books have won some recent awards and recognitions!

The Glaciers are Melting!  is a USA "Best Books 2011" Awards Finalist, Children's Picture Book: Hardcover Fiction.

The Long and the Short of It: A Tale About Hair  is a USA "Best Books 2011" Awards Finalist, Children's Picture Book: Hardcover Non-Fiction

AND

A 2011 Gold Mom's Choice Award winner!

Astro: The Steller Sea Lion  is a 2011 Gold Mom's Choice Award winner.

Catching up, once again

Time flies and it feels like life's a whirlwind! 

I had the wonderful experience of presenting at March Into Reading again this year.  Three elementary schools in Portsmouth, RI, and a presentation at Salve Regina University in their auditorium.

During the spring I illustrated my third ACS book, The Long and the Short of It: A Tale About Hair.  This will be released in December and is already available on Amazon for pre-order.

Let My Colors Out won its fourth award, National Indie Excellence Awards Program, Finalist Children's Nonfiction 2010.

Astro The Steller Sea Lion was released.

And I'm finishing up the art for my second Sylvan Dell book, The Glaciers are Melting! (spring 2011)

 

Nana, What's Cancer? is shown on the Today Show

Nana, What's Cancer? was recently shown on the Today Show.  Kathie Lee highly recommends Nana, What's Cancer? on Kathie Lee & Hoda With The Scoop.  Click here to watch. 

USA Book News "The National Best Books 2009 Awards"

Courtney passed this information onto me this morning regarding our book, Let My Colors Out.  When I checked the website I saw both of my ACS books were winners!

Released October 20, 2009: "Let My Colors Out" is named Award-Winning Finalist in the Children's Picture Book: Hardcover Non-Fiction category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Written by Courtney Filigenzi, illustrated by Shennen Bersani. American Cancer Society, 2009.

"Nana, What's Cancer?" is named award-Winning Finalist in the Children's Non-Fiction category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Written by Beverlye Hyman Fead and Tessa Mae Hamermesh, illustrated by Shennen Bersani. American Cancer Society, 2009.

Click here for the USA Book News website.

Click here for the American Cancer Society bookstore.