I have the most fun (and delicious) picture book to share with you today! I LOVE BLUEBERRIES!, written by Shannon Anderson, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett, and published by Feeding Minds Press, is a GEM.

I LOVE BLUEBERRIES! is a fun, inspiring book about two friends who LOVE and then try to grow blueberries. The book is beautifully illustrated with colorful pages and SUCH cute journal-style entries. Two girls (one who just moved here) become friends over their shared love of blueberries (me, too!).

With their goal of raising blueberries with their class, we learn about the very cool art of hydroponics, the types of blueberries, raising money for a delicious class project, community involvement, and more.

What I love most about this book, besides the colorful art, are the strong connections built between friends and family, kids and the earth, gardening and how-to, and food is love. The target age range is 4-8, but kids (and adults) of all ages will enjoy this book.

What did I wish for more of? ALL OF IT! Blueberries in my yard and tummy! I can't wait to see what the author and illustrator come up with next, as well as read their previous book, I LOVE STRAWBERRIES! 

Highly, highly recommended. 

We were lucky enough to speak with author Shannon Anderson, and ask her about the book, inspiration, characters, illustrations, and more. Here's what she had to say...

Please tell us about your new book, I LOVE BLUEBERRIES!…
I LOVE BLUEBERRIES! comes in on the heels of I LOVE STRAWBERRIES!. Jolie, the determined main character from the first book is now on a mission to convince her teacher that they should grow blueberries at school. Because blueberries are a summer harvest fruit, she reasons that the best way to grow them during the school year would be in the classroom using hydroponics.

What inspired you to write this book?
When I wrote I LOVE STRAWBERRIES!, I ended it with Jolie going from the final harvest of her strawberries into visiting a blueberry farm at its peak. Little did I know that Jolie’s diary entry date for this, July 8th, happens to be National Blueberry Day! I knew that the next book I wrote needed to pick up from that day and begin a new berry adventure. I had SO many kids ask if there was going to be a blueberry book, I couldn’t wait to figure out a plot to have Jolie grow blueberries.

How did you create the characters of Jolie and Margot? I especially loved their notebook entries.
Most of the books I write have pieces of personalities from past students and my own daughters. Jolie is modeled after how I was as a kid. I was always very determined, or strong-willed, as my mom would say! I also have always been a diary writer. As someone who learned many life lessons from having my own strawberry patch, I thought it might be a good idea to show a girl trying to start her own strawberry patch. 

For the second book, I wanted to incorporate another character for Jolie to interact with besides her parents and grandpa. I came up with a friend for her who also enjoys blueberries, though for a different reason. Since Jolie is an avid diary writer, I wanted something special to show Margot’s thoughts and feelings. I decided she has a love for art and sketches what she is thinking about.

The illustrations are so much fun! Please tell us about your illustrator, Jaclyn Sinquett…
Jaclyn is amazing! She is not only artistically talented, but also such a COOL person! She has a mastermind for figuring out placement on the page. She not only had to do the regular illustrations for the narrative text, but also figure out how to draw and place the diary and sketch entries throughout. I love her art style and am so thankful for how she made these books come to life. 

How can kids learn more about hydroponics?
I’m still learning myself! I have had a hydroponics system to grow all kinds of herbs and greens for a few years. There are several online sources to find information about growing hydroponically. One I found to be helpful is https://kidsgardening.org/?s=hydroponics.

There are also some great tips and instructions on the National Agriculture in the Classroom website. A great way to start can be to buy a small hydroponics system. Once you get the hang of it, you can try to create your own, like Jolie! You can find many videos online for setting up buckets, air pumps, and some sort of grow lights.

How can readers find your work?
My books can be found through Feeding Minds Press, Amazon, and most bookstores. If your library doesn’t have the book you are looking for, you can request it from your children’s librarian. Another easy place is on the book tab of my website: www.shannonisteaching.com. You can sign up for my newsletter while you’re there to get free lesson ideas and resources. 

Come say hello on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorshannonanderson or Instagram at www.instagram.com/shannonisteaching.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I LOVE BLUEBERRIES! releases on April 8th. You can preorder now so that your book arrives on the launch date! I love doing author visits at schools and libraries. I also do berry-themed programs for kids and adults. You can use the “Contact Me” tab on my website to let me know what you have in mind. Be sure to talk to your local Farm Bureau about funding opportunities for the books and agriculture-related programs. They also have Ag in the Classroom volunteers who come into schools to help kids learn about where their food comes from.

About the Author: Shannon Anderson is an award-winning children's book author, professor, TEDx speaker, frequent keynote presenter, and certified brain coach. She taught for 25 years, from first grade through college level and was named one of the 10 teachers who "awed and inspired" the Today Show in 2019. Shannon loves doing author visits, providing Professional Development for teachers, mentoring aspiring writers, and speaking at events. Her book I LOVE Strawberries! was named the top rated 2022 picture book by Good Housekeeping magazine and the national book of the year by the Farm Bureau Foundation. Learn more at shannonisteaching.com.

About the Illustrator: Jaclyn Sinquett grew up playing in her dad's garden, feeding worms to box turtles, and tossing french fries to seagulls at the Jersey shore. She now spends her time avoiding sunburn at the beach with her daughter, catching up on a certain great baking show, and illustrating books for children. She lives in Brick, NJ. See more of her work at jaclynsinquett.com.

About the Publisher: Feeding Minds Press is a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. The mission of the Foundation is to build awareness and understanding of agriculture through education. The goal of Feeding Minds Press is to publish accurate and engaging books about agriculture that connect readers to where their food comes from and who grows it. Learn more at feedingmindspress.com.