CHILDREN'S AUTHOR, LITERACY SPECIALIST

Randi Sonenshine grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she spent many hours exploring the magical world of forests, streams, and ponds in a pair of trusty tennis shoes and a red canoe. Through her books, she hopes to nurture in young readers, writers, and thinkers an appreciation and wonder of the natural world. Her Animal Habitats series from Candlewick Press includes THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT, THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT, and THE DEN THAT OCTOPUS BUILT (a 2024 Outstanding Science Trade Book). She is also the author of the 2023 National Jewish Book Award finalist, THE INSIDE NAME (Apples & Honey Press). 

In addition to writing for children, Randi is a passionate educator and literacy advocate. In her thirty-year career, she has taught middle school language arts, high school English, and college reading, and has served in many instructional support roles. Currently, she is the Teacher Support Specialist at Cartersville Middle School and the ELA Liaison for Cartersville City Schools. Randi is a longtime resident of Cartersville, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and a sock-eating poodle. To learn more about Randi and her books, visit randisonenshine.com.