**SILVER MEDAL Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2015**
*indieB.R.A.G. Medallion Award 2015*
New Children’s Book, ‘Savanna’s Treasure,’
Tells Tale of Unlikely Friendship
CHARLOTTE’S WEB. THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS. THE LION KING. MADAGASCAR.
Great children’s stories all. Now add to that illustrious list SAVANNA’S TREASURE, the debut children’s book by Chris Behrens that is garnering superlative reviews and has received two major awards.
Behrens’ dramatic and inspiring story of the unlikely friendship between a baby elephant and an African field mouse is honored with the prestigious Silver Medal in the 2015 Moonbeam's Children's Book Award for the category of: Juvenile Fiction - Early Reader/ 1st Chapter Book! The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and life-long reading. This year's Moonbeam Awards medal ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 6th annual Traverse City (MI) Children’s Book Festival, on Saturday, November 14, 2015.
In addition to the Moonbeam award, SAVANNA’S TREASURE received the 2015 Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion Award. Kirkus Reviews calls it the story of “an inspiring animal alliance … and a good fit for early readers.” Behrens adds that SAVANNA’s TREASURE is appropriate for older readers as well.
Diane Donovan of the Midwest Book Review says SAVANNA’S TREASURE contains “lessons on friendship, perseverance, endurance, and handling adversity …surprises abound as the animals face down everything from poachers to pirates … Behrens does a fine job of creating personable creatures
that are engaging and fun.”
SAVANNA’S TREASURE follows the story of Shamba, a mouse who is trying to find his human caretaker. Shamba and his friend, Panya, are stuck in a poacher’s trap. After they are saved by Mrs. Cheetah and her cubs, they set out to find their human friend, Sarah. The mice become separated and Shamba meets Kali, the baby elephant. Pirates, poachers and other dangers beset the new friends as they search for safety. Along the journey, they learn about courage, determination, and friendship.
“I would like my readers to come away feeling inspired and to also have a personal connection with the story, to somehow relate some portion of the story to their lives,” says Behrens. “The biggest messages I am trying to convey are: never give up on anything in life; be open to all types of people and don’t judge them; and have a greater appreciation for wildlife all over the world.”
About the Author
Chris Behrens received his bachelor’s degree from Dominican College, in New York, while working full-time and raising his two daughters. While at college, he wrote two Top 100 stories for the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Contests, in 2010 and 2011. He has had two watercolor paintings and an article feature in NJSCBWI’s Sprouts’ magazines and had a poem published in “Sunflowers and Seashells.” Chris works as the recycling coordinator for a town in Northern Jersey. He is working on two new novels. He also loves to read and write, spend time with his daughters and coach high school basketball.
Savanna’s Treasure
132 pages.
Softcover, $8.99; ISBN: 13-9780692295199
E-book, $3.99; ISBN: 13-2940151167123
Publication date: September 19, 2014
Published by Jera Publishing
Website: savannastreasure.wix.com/savanna
Available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and booksellers nationwide.
