I’m excited to feature Bonnie Kelso, a talented author-illustrator and her debut picture book NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA, published by Gnome Road Publishing . Bonnie and I have crossed paths in virtual writing groups over the years. Last winter when we both participated in a Zoom middle grade writing class offered through SCBWI, I finally had a chance to get to know her better and asked her to join me for an interview. She’s not just a talented artist and picture book author, as you can see from NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA, she has the ability to create a funny story that children will want to read over and over! But that’s not all, she shared her middle grade writing with me and I’ll tell you this: she’s got a lot of gifts so you’re going to want to remember her name because I think she’s going to be finding her way onto bookshelves for older readers too.
And today, Bonnie is offering my readers a gift and it’s a your choice giveaway! Enter the giveaway by commenting on this post. You can choose a picture book critique or a classroom zoom visit. If you’re not a teacher, you can donate it to your favorite teacher or school.
What were you like at the age of your target audience?
Oh boy, when I was six I was very shy. As you can see in my family photo, I was not very trusting of strangers, especially photographers. Luckily that has changed a little bit over the years. I still hate having my photo taken, though!
What inspires you?
I am inspired by many things, but mostly experiences. For example, NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA was inspired by my love for diving and snorkeling in tropical locations. There’s nothing quite like being down there with the fishies. It’s a whole different world underwater and the animals are just as curious about you as you are of them.
What do you hope readers take away from this book?
I hope readers will be inspired to explore nature with gentleness, especially when in the ocean. The next time they get to enjoy a dip in the sea I hope they remember Gill and choose to be good guests in someone else’s home.
What’s next for you?
I have a few more books in the Gnome Road Publishing pipeline. I illustrated IN A CAVE by Heather Kinser, which comes out in October and my second author-illustrated book, SEA SMILES, will be released next February. In the meantime, I’ll be sharing NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA with as many kids as I can.
You can find out more about Bonnie’s art and books:
Twitter: @bonniekelso
Instagram: @bonnie.kelso
Laura Roettiger Books 
I’ve been wondering when nudibranchs would show up in the PB world. And in such a fun way for kids to learn about them! Congrats, Bonnie!
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Jilanne, I had never heard of them before! This books is beautiful and the story is funny and has the rereadable factor that makes a picture book great!
Good luck in the giveaway.
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Yay! Thanks, Jilianne. I’m so excited that you already know about them. 🙂
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Congratulations Bonnie on this and your upcoming books too! NUDI GILL looks adorable and super interesting too! Thanks for the giveaway. And thanks for the interview and hosting Bonnie, Laura.
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Thanks for your support of all the authors and illustrators on the blog, Jill. As a person who has never lived near the ocean, this is new to me but I love learning about things in nature and this book’s vibrant colors and humor definitely made me feel like I had learned something and now I want to know more. Good luck in the giveaway.
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Thanks, Jill! It was a really fun book to write. I’m so happy it’s my debut. 🙂
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Congrats Bonnie it looks amazing. I need to read it! 🙂 and congrats on your upcoming books as well. Thank you for the interview 🙂
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Thank you for reading, Ryann. It’s really a beautiful book and I was excited to learn Bonnie has 2 more books coming soon! Good luck in the giveaway.
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Thanks, Ryann! I hope you enjoy reading Nudi Gill!
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It is so nice to see Bonnie in Laura’s blog. She is such a wonderful person and a passionate author-illustrator. Congratulations on your books, Bonnie! I am SO happy to read your interview and learn a little more about you.
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Thank you for reading, Judith! I’m so happy to have Bonnie on my blog and I just found out this afternoon when it was Announced, I won a giveaway from her through March on With Mentor Texts! 😃
Good luck in the giveaway!
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Congrats, Laura! I’m still giddy over the synchronicity.
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Thank you! I did a double take when I saw it to make sure I wasn’t just wishing it to be true! I’m so excited for my prize and just saw your email. I’ll respond shortly!
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