Springtime Birds in My Backyard
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Illustrated by David W. Porter
40 Pages, 8 x 10
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017959708
ISBN: 978-1-64042-700-6 (Hardback)
978-1-64042-701-3 (Softback)
Publication Date: March 20, 2018
Also available at these NEPA bookstores:
Library Express (in the Marketplace at Steamtown)
Also available at these local NEPA libraries:
Albright Memorial Library (Lackawana County Library System)
Abington Community Library (Lackawanna County Library System)
Dalton Community Library (Lackawanna County Library System)
Miller Library (Keystone College)
About the book:
If this story doesn’t put a big smile on your face, nothing will. Springtime Birds in My Backyard is an imaginative, educational, and delightful way to both introduce children to the natural world that is just outside of their backdoor and to keep them engaged in this wonderful story! Karen Yarrish’s first-hand knowledge and experience in connecting kids and nature comes through brilliantly in this book. It is a journey filled with just enough natural history to make it resonate with adults and more than enough fun to make it a hit with the kids.
—Paul Pickett, Chief Development Officer, Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc.
Illustrator David W. Porter and Author Karen Kern Yarrish
Photo by Beth Miller
Author
Dr. Karen Kern Yarrish is a professor and coordinator for adult and online learning at Keystone College, her employer since 1998. Karen obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from King’s College, a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Scranton and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Workforce Education and Development from The Pennsylvania State University.
Karen is a nature enthusiast, enjoying hiking, camping, kayaking, and bird watching. Surprisingly, she started feeding birds as a way to entertain her indoor cats. They enjoy watching through the windows. As time went by, she became interested in the type of birds that visited her feeders, their different species, color, songs, and eating habits. She and her husband Craig owned a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise, a backyard bird feeding nature store, for nine years. One of the many reasons for opening the store included developing and increasing her education and sharing that knowledge with the public. Throughout the years of store ownership, they offered hundreds of free nature-related programs to help others learn and appreciate nature and the fascinating lives of the birds in our own backyards.
David W. Porter is Professor of Fine Art and the Visual Arts Program Coordinator, in the School of Arts and Sciences, at Keystone College. He teaches graphic design, mentors the Keystone Art Society, and advises visual art and art education students. He earned his BFA in Design and Illustration from Tyler School of Art of Temple University and earned his Master of Arts in Art Therapy from Marywood University. He has been a professional artist in the field of publication design for 23 years, having worked for a variety of magazines and newspapers in a range of posts from staff artist to creative coordinator. His published works include black and while illustrations for editorial and social commentaries, color illustrations and page designs for lifestyle topics, graphics for the visual display of quantitative information, illustrations and designs advocating the development and use of renewable energy, and children’s book design and illustration. He teaches graphic design in the context of the American Institute for the Graphic Arts [AIGA] “Design for Good” program. He loves nature, its inner and outer spaces, its lands, seas, and skies, and all its creatures. He is husband to Donna Porter and father to son Jacob Porter and daughter Kaitlin Porter, these comprising his closest family members and to whom he has dedicated this book.