The winners of the 2017 Children’s Choice Book Awards were announced on Wednesday, May 31st. Among them, Once Upon an Elephant took the 3rd-4th grade category, being named “Book of the Year”. Of course illustrator Shennen Bersani and I are thrilled! I have been able to take this book into schools and personally share it’s conservation message (the importance of these animals as keystone species) with 20,000 students in the 1+ years it’s been out. What does this award mean in terms for further reach? Frankly, I have no idea. I know this book will find its way into more libraries and schools. Perhaps it will be used in more zoos’ education departments. Right now, one AZA zoo is looking to take 300 copies into elephant range country to give to schools there (more on that coming soon). It will be interesting to see where the next year leads this little book, now with a national award attached to its name. And like a proud mama, I’ll keep you posted!