Children's Book Launch - Ava: A Year of Adventure in the Life of an American Avocet

Ava is an American Avocet, a breed of shorebird who leaves her home at the Laguna Madre and travels 1,000 miles to stay for a season at the largest wetland complex in the interior of the United States. Cheyenne Bottoms, in the middle of Kansas, is home to millions of birds who stop during their annual migrations in the spring and fall, as well as a diverse population of wildlife who make a home there year round. As Ava meets her mate and starts a family, readers are introduced to one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. This 32-page, fully illustrated children's book written by Mandy Kern, Program Specialist at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, is being released this June! Thanks to funding by the Dorothy Morrison Foundation, each K-6 classroom in Barton County and every school and public/community library within 70 miles of the center will receive a copy. On June 19, your family can receive a free copy! Bring lawn chairs for an outdoor reading of the book. Both the author and illustrator, Onalee Nicklin, will be there! 10:15 - Reading by author 10:30 - Recognition of Dorothy Morrison Foundation support 10:45-11:30 - Family friendly activity rotations themed to the story 11:30 - Book signing Activity stations include drawing Ava with the help of the illustrator and writing your own adventure for Ava. Engineer your own nest in a STEM challenge, learn more about shorebirds and their calls, run through a migration obstacle course, touch invertebrates, and explore the importance of wetlands and their functions. If you can't make it to this event and would like to purchase a copy of the book - please visit: https://tinyurl.com/4n9f8kre