Arbordale is honored to announce that Once Upon an Elephant by Linda Stanek and Shennen Bersani has won the Children’s Choice Book Award sponsored by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader.
Last night at the ABFE Children’s Art Auction, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Gene Luen Yang announced the winners of the Children’s Choice Book Awards in the four categories. Stanek’s book came out on top in the 3rd and 4th grade. This is the tenth year that kids across the country have voted for their favorite books in the only national awards selected entirely by readers.
Through Once Upon an Elephant, readers learn why the large creatures are so important to other animals on the African Savanna, and what a keystone species means to the human residents as well. Author Linda Stanek worked with the Columbus Zoo to write a different elephant book and after learning so much about the animal; she knew that she had to write a nonfiction story about what would be if elephants were only “Once Upon a Time.” Bersani completes this picture book with highly realistic and bright illustrations. Following the story, a “For Creative Minds” section includes activities and fun facts where kids can learn more about elephants and keystone species.
Once Upon an Elephant is available in hardcover (9781628557312, $17.95), paperback (9781628557381, $9.95), ebook (9781628557664, $6.95), and interactive ebook (9781628557664, prices vary). A Spanish-language edition is available in (paperback, $9.95), ebook (9781628557732, $6.95), and interactive ebook (9781628557732, prices vary) through Arbordale and all major booksellers. Arbordale has extensive teaching activities, quizzes and related resources free for educators to download from the book’s homepage.
This fall the duo will release Night Creepers a nonfiction look at the animals that roam in the dark.
It’s funny how researching one thing can lead to something else. While working on a book for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium about their baby elephant, Beco, elephant expert Harry Peachey mentioned the words “keystone animal” to me. Keystone animal? I was embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know what that was. When he explained that these are animals so critical to maintaining their ecosystems that without them, other species would die, I was shocked. This was important stuff! How did I not know about it? If didn’t know about this, then who else didn’t know as well? And what an important concept to share those who would inherit this fragile Earth—our children.
appreciate that they place their books not only in bookstores, but in museum, aquarium, and zoo gift shops as well—where interested readers are likely to be found. When they signed Shennen Bersani to illustrate it, I was even happier. She crafted the amazing images to make this book complete, allowing me to share with children the concept of the keystone animal, and my love of elephants.
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