Susan Edwards Richmond - The Great Pollinator Count!

Buzz on over to little shop for a very special evening storytime event with author Susan Edwards Richmond and Great Southeast Pollinator Census coordinator Becky Griffin! Susan will be reading her new picture book, The Great Pollinator Count, talking all things bugs/birds/bats with Becky, and doing a themed activity with all the wee readers! Bee sure to join us for what's sure to be a super fun evening! See below for more info:

Tickets:

Admission: $0 This event is free to attend! We just ask that everyone who plans on coming please have a free admission ticket to help us keep a headcount.

Pre-Order The Great Pollinator Count: $18.99 You must purchase a copy of the book from Little Shop in order to enter the signing line.

About the Book:

Today Mellie and her friends are excited to participate in The Great Pollinator Count. Everyone is hoping that the school garden will attract even more pollinators than they counted last year. Mellie and her friend Sylvie invite Jason, a new kid in their class, to come along. When Jason surprises them by showing up for the count, they find out that he is not at all interested in counting icky bugs.
Mellie is unprepared when Ms. Bombus, their teacher, assigns her to be Jason’s partner. Making the best of an awkward situation, Mellie tries to show Jason how to look for honeybees, butterflies, and other insect pollinators among the lantana and bee balm plants. He hangs back at first, still not convinced he wants to be that close to these buzzy insects, but it isn’t long before he is looking for pollinators on his own.
By the time the whistle blows to end the count, both kids have learned
a lot about pollinators and discovered the rewards of teamwork in community science.
Young readers can count along with Mellie and Jason as they record each insect that lands on a flower and list them on the sidebar tally sheets. When Ms. Bombus finally calls “Time’s up,” readers will be ready to join a pollinator count in their own community!
Stephanie Fizer Coleman’s charming illustrations give readers a “bug’s eye” view of the pollination counting process. In the back matter, the author provides a detailed glossary, resources, and information about America’s largest regional pollinator count.

About the Author and Guest:

Susan Edwards Richmond is the author of Bioblitz! Counting Critters and Bird Count, winner of the Parent’s Choice Silver Award and the International Literacy Association’s Primary Fiction Award. A passionate birder and naturalist, Susan teaches preschool on a farm and wildlife sanctuary in eastern Massachusetts. She earned her M.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California, Davis, and is an award-winning poet with five collections of nature-based poetry for adults. She is happiest exploring natural habitats with her husband and two daughters.

Becky Griffin is University of Georgia (UGA)’s Community & School Garden Coordinator where she works with Extension agents across the state helping create impactful gardens. She is also a Pollinator Health Associate and a Georgia certified beekeeper. Emphasizing the ecosystem of the garden and teaching workshops on beneficial entomology and integrated pest management are important parts of her work. Becky is the coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census which is a passion project for her. Becky has been with UGA Extension for over 13 years and enjoys the collaborations and friendships that working with the University brings. Becky represents the Southeastern US region on the Community Seed Network Advisory Panel and sits on the board of directors for The Bee Cause. She is also part of the Southeast Bumble Bee Atlas program and works with the Pollinator Plants of the Year program.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Little Shop of Stories, 133 East Court Square, Decatur, United States