Today is a very happy day for me! It’s the release date for my new book — and audiobook — Secrets of the Forest:15 Bedtime Stories Inspired By Nature. Want to know more? Here’s the description from the publisher, Neon Squid…

A beautifully illustrated collection of 5 minute bedtime stories about the wildlife found in woods around the world.

Every forest contains a thousand secrets… In this charming anthology of stories by Alicia Klepeis readers will be guided into forests to meet the amazing animals that live there. In one story a squirrel hunts for an elusive acorn it buried earlier in the year, while another looks at an Alaskan wood frog as it freezes itself alive to survive a harsh winter. Children will be thrilled by the tale of a reindeer that gets separated from its herd in the snowy woods of Scandinavia, and marvel at a chameleon changing color in the forests of Madagascar.

Other stories feature elephants, wild cats, pangolins, badgers, foxes, monarch butterflies, otters, walking fish, a tree that can live for thousands of years, and even forest-dwelling penguins! All of these creatures and their habitats are brought to life with impressive skill by illustrator Kristen Adam.

Each story is based on the real biology and behavior of these amazing wild animals, and at the end of each tale readers will find out more about the science that inspired the story. So as they drift off to sleep, they will know a little bit more about the world around them.

Patches of colored leaves. Yellow buses. Runs to purchase boxes of crayons. All these signs are reminders that a new school year is upon us. What does that mean for me as a writer? It’s school visit season again! I love going to schools and getting kids excited about research, writing, and the amazing world around us. With 15 books that came out this summer, I have lots of new material to share on topics ranging from the history of pets to frogs from around the world to NFL teams. Whether your school is looking for a presentation on a theme like Making Nonfiction Fun or Amazing Animals or wants to create a bespoke program on specific countries or regions, anything is possible!

Have any questions about my school visits? Please reach out to Booked Authors and they can answer anything you’d like to know: https://bookedauthors.com/project/alicia-klepeis/

I hope to see you at your school this year!

Do you have a pet cat or dog? Have you always wanted a pet lizard or fish? Are you curious about how and when birds and snakes first became household pets? All of these questions and more are part of the content covered in my new, six-book History of Pets series, published by Jump! The books are being released on August 1, 2023. Want to learn more? Here’s a link from the publisher with some sample pages: https://jumplibrary.com/shop/show/14093

Happy New Year! I recently worked to create a list of some of my very favorite nonfiction books about the polar regions. There are suggestions for older and younger readers, and the book formats range from nonfiction poetry to longer chapter books. Here’s the link.

Have other suggestions of books you like on the topic? Reach out and drop me a line — I’d love to hear from you!

On April 6 at 5 PM, I’ll be talking about my Ben Franklin book in an interview with PBS Books. His curiosity began as a boy and never faded throughout his long life. Some of his inventions helped people with the challenges of daily life, while others just brought joy. While people are often familiar with his experimentation on electricity, they may not know that he also did experiments on topics from the Gulf Stream to color and heat absorption. Can’t make it to the live session? The interview will be recorded for future viewing.

https://www.pbsbooks.org/event/ben-franklin-and-stem/

Ever wonder why some animals have such incredible coloration? I certainly do. And luckily for me, I got to write another six books about where animals get their coloring from, how this coloring can help them as they go about their lives, and much more. If you are curious about animals, or just love to find out about crazy colors in nature, this series is for you. This Science Behind the Colors series is geared for readers in Grades 2-5 but will appeal to animal lovers of all ages. Want to learn more? Here’s a link from the publisher with some sample pages: https://jumplibrary.com/shop/show/11478 Enjoy!

In December, I have two new biographies coming out in the Groundbreaker Bios series published by ABDO. These books are aimed at readers in Grades 2-3 but will appeal to animal lovers and happiness seekers of other ages as well. Here’s a sneak peek at their covers:

Both books were fascinating to research — from what these visionaries liked to do as children to developing their missions to make the world a more creative, happier, and more understanding place. Want to learn more? Ask your local library to get a copy of these books, due out on December 15. Happy Reading!!

Since I last posted, I’ve had a great time researching and writing science books for elementary and middle school readers. I’ve learned about the technology that makes it possible for cars to reach speeds of over 300 miles per hour and the rockets that blast off into outer space. There are six titles in the Speed Zone series, which you can check out here: https://jumplibrary.com/shop/show/13347 Below is the cover of one book in this series.

Can you imagine what it’s like to be an explorer in the Arctic or Antarctica? Things sure have changed since the earliest days of polar exploration. As a geographer, I am fascinated by everything from the animals and plants that live in these extreme environments to the ways in which modern-day scientists spend their free time at research stations near the South Pole. Grace Helmer created such stunning illustrations for my book Penguins & Polar Bears: A Pretty Cool Introduction to the Arctic and Antarctic. You can see more at https://us.gestalten.com/products/penguins-and-polar-bears — but here’s one of my favorite spreads!

I’ll post again soon with some more fun stories and photos. In the meantime, keep reading and reach out if you have anything you’d like me to post on. I love hearing from you!

I am delighted to celebrate the release of six books about amazing coloration within the animal world. Published by Pogo Books, the series is called Science Behind The Colors. They are geared for readers in Grades 2-5. But the photos will appeal to everyone who sees them!

Want to get a closer look of some of the interior spreads of these books? https://jumplibrary.com/shop/show/11418

It’s been quite a while since my last blog post. But I am determined that this is the time to change my slow blogging tendencies. On August 15, my new book on Colombia comes out in the Cavendish Square Exploring World Cultures series. Here’s a sneak peek at the cover:

Last summer, before I wrote this book, I had the opportunity to travel with my husband, son, and a dear family friend who is from Colombia. Pilar was the perfect guide — she shared stories, foods, and the beautiful culture of the country where she grew up. She never minded all the questions I asked and had so much energy and enthusiasm for every place we visited and every activity we tried. We went to incredible museums, watched local parades, and even ran into the president of Colombia when having lunch one day! The two graffiti tours we went on in Medellin and Bogota gave a snapshot of art and life in these complex cities. Visiting the produce and flower market at Paloquemao was a feast for the senses. And as a vegetarian, getting to try so many delicious new fruits was fantastic!

Here are some photos that were highlights from my time in Colombia. I cannot wait to return!

Graffiti Art Colombia

Flowers at Paloquemao Market

Pineapple Flower Display – Medellin Flower Festival

Colorful Flower Display – Medellin

La Paletteria — Popsicles in Colombia

Some of the incredible variety of Colombian fruits

Treats from a candy vendor in Bogota

El Peñón de Guatapé – Made it to the top!