Next Saturday I'll be on beautiful Sanibel Island, Florida, autographing at the 75th Annual Shell Fair.
When I visited Sanibel for the very first time, it was love at first sight. I couldn't believe the assortment of shells that were on the beaches! I had moved to Florida from New York, and did some beachcoming on the east coast, but this was amazing!
Stuffing shells in my coverup, which luckily had big pockets, I laid them out on the balcony of our hotel room and studied the gorgeous works of art. Three years later I returned, sack in hand this time, and did the "Sanibel stoop," gathering beautiful shells that I planned to write about in a children's book. (I was a children's librarian at that time and discovered that not very many books about seashells had been written for children.)
"Seashells by the Seashore" is about about a little girl who collects some very special shells ---periwinkles, kitten paws, olive and scallop shells to name just a few--as a gift for her Grandmother. When she and her friends discover one that has something living inside, they put it back in the water--learning that shells are the abandoned homes of sea creatures called mollusks. It's a fun "hands-on" lesson on one of nature's wonders!
Published by Dawn Publications in 2002, the book is still going strong. I'm looking forward to autographing it at this very special event next Saturday, along with my popular "Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef."
There will be all manner of shell art, artifact and accessories on the grounds of The Sanibel Community House, March 1-3. There is no fee to attend Shell Fair, but to peruse indoor exhibitions which are really incredible to see, a $3.00 donation to the Shell Club is encouraged. For more info, phone (239) 472-2155.
75 years of Shell Shows on Sanibel is certainly something to "shellabrate!"
http://www.dawnpub.com/all-the-pretty-shells/
Dawn Publications