We are jumping with joy over the announcement that Once Upon an Elephant is a finalist in the Children’s Choice Book Awards.
The Friday celebration has rolled into the weekend, but now we begin the campaign for votes! This is the tenth year kids will cast their votes, and the Children’s Book Council has a great new voting booth that will be open until May 7th. Check it out!
Before you cast your vote, get to know Once Upon an Elephant.
From slowing wildfires to planting seeds, one animal is the true superhero that keeps the African savanna in balance. Elephants dig to find salt that other animal lick, their deep footprints collect water for small creatures to drink, and they eat young trees to keep the forest from overtaking the grasslands. In every season, the elephants are there to protect the savanna and its residents – but what would happen if the elephants were only “once upon a time”? Read along to discover the important role this keystone species plays in the savanna and explore what would happen if the elephants vanished.
Meet Linda Stanek
As an early and middle childhood educator, Linda Stanek wants to inspire young learners, 
including children with written language disabilities, to write about things that excite them. Her own passion for saving endangered animals and teaching children about the importance of each link in the natural world provide the inspiration for Once Upon an Elephant. Linda has also written The Pig and Miss Prudence and Beco’s Big Year: A Baby Elephant Turns One. Linda has two grown sons and lives in Ohio with her husband and feline family members. Visit her website at www.lindastanek.com.
Meet Shennen Bersani
Shennen Bersani is an award-winning illustrator with 2 million copies of her books cherished and read by children, parents, and teachers throughout the world. Her art 
delivers heartfelt emotion, the wonders of nature and science, and creates a unique joy for learning. Some of Shennen’s other illustrated works include A Case of Sense; Once Upon an Elephant; Salamander Season; Sea Slime: It’s Eeuwy, Gooey and Under the Sea; The Shape Family Babies; Animal Partners; Shark Baby; Home in the Cave; The Glaciers are Melting!; and Astro: The Steller Sea Lion for Arbordale. In 2015, Shennen made her debut as an author with Achoo! Why Pollen Counts. Shennen lives with her family near Boston. For more information, visit her website at www.shennenbersani.com.
Tweet us your favorite elephant fact to win a signed copy of Once Upon an Elephant. Remember to tag @arbordalekids
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