Oakland Author Wins Gold Medal in Prestigious Moonbeam Children's Book Award

The Awesome Animals series by Kelly Tills takes gold for Best Picture Book Series at the 2022 Moonbeam Awards.

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- STEM books for kids are a serious topic, but Oakland author Kelly Tills' silly approach for preschoolers is attracting attention. An early participant in the Great Resignation, Tills left a cushy Silicon Valley career to launch a small press in July 2021. Tills' first book, Snakes Have No Legs, was released two months later, kicking off the Awesome Animals series.

The series, which also includes Geckos Don't Blink, Turtles Have Secret Ears, and Cows Have No Top Teeth, was awarded the 2022 Best Picture Book Gold Medal in the annual Moonbeam Children's Book Awards.

A history of accolades for the series:

• Every book made an Amazon New Release bestseller list in its relevant Children's book category.
• Snakes Have No Legs won the 2001 Story Monsters Seal of Approval — an industry favorite, chosen with the aid of kids themselves.
• Kirkus Review of Snakes Have No Legs: "A mix of kid-savvy, funny-bone entertainment, and clearly expressed, simple facts about snake physiology and behavior, this story for children, from toddlers to early readers, will make adults smile, too."

Awesome Animals is a six book series for ages 0-6 and emerging readers up to 1st or 2nd grade. Each book covers one animal, one key vocabulary word, like "slither'' or "graze," and lots of silly scenarios. All books use the call and response format to keep young children engaged. Each book is designed to be dyslexia friendly.

Author Kelly Tills writes goofy books that make kids laugh and that foster discussion on topics from STEM to social learning. Member of the International Dyslexia Association, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Independent Book Publishers Association.

The Moonbeam Awards recognize excellence in 45 categories for children of every age and developmental stage from alphabet books for toddlers to young adult books about gender and race. Moonbeam Award winners will be honored at an award ceremony held on November 12th, in conjunction with the annual Traverse City Children's Book Festival.

For more information or to set up an interview, contact the author Kelly Tills at +1 650-762-9060 or [email protected]. For sales, partnerships or other inquiries, please contact Tara Kelly at FDI Publishing LLC, at [email protected].

SOURCE Kelly Tills