Celebrate World Rainforest Day with Mary Helen Berg!

Happy World Rainforest Day, readers, writers, and nature lovers of all kinds! 🌿🐻 Today we're celebrating with a picture book that shines a light on one of the world's most remarkable ecosystems. We're thrilled to spotlight Mary Helen Berg and her new book with Sue Todd and Tielmour Press, Enough to Share.

Journey into the breathtaking Great Bear Rainforest, where the rare Spirit Bear and Sea Wolf have lived side by side for generations. Through lyrical storytelling and stunning illustrations, this timely picture book introduces young readers to these extraordinary animals while exploring themes of sharing, conservation, and caring for our planet.

Want to know more about Mary Helen Berg and Enough to Share, PLUS want a chance to win a copy OR win a 30-min AMA session with her? Read on… 🌎✨

Q: Hi, Mary Helen! Thanks for joining SeasonsOfKidLit.com. We’re thrilled to feature you and hear all about you and your book! Can you please share the inspiration behind your book and a little about your path to publication? 

A: I’m so happy to be here on Seasons of KidLit! Thanks for having me! The seed for this book was planted when my husband handed me a National Geographic article about a swimming wolf in a place called the Great Bear Rainforest. I’d never heard of this place or this animal–It sounded like make-believe. After a little research, I

learned about another rare animal in the region, the Spirit Bear, and about the many threats facing this special place and its creatures. I knew I had characters, a setting, and a conflict that could make a great picture book! In terms of the path to publication, I think I wrote the first draft of the story in 2021, and gave it to my critique partners. I rewrote many times and submitted it to a few dozen agents and publishers with no bites. In 2022,I reworked it with a mentor, and completely revised it from fiction to nonfiction. I think between the two versions, I wrote 50 drafts. I submitted the new nonfiction version to a few more places, with no success. In 2024, the story earned a PBParty honorable mention, and I felt with that vetting, that it was a strong manuscript, and it was ready. Shortly after PBParty, Tielmour Press announced an open submissions window and called for books about the environment! I submitted and within a couple weeks, I heard from them saying they wanted the book. 

What a fascinating backstory!

Q: What will readers enjoy most about your book? Why is your book a perfect fit for every season?

A: First, people will pick this book up because of Sue Todd’s stunning art! Then, theyll stay to hear a story about a place and animals they’ve never heard of–the extraordinary and little known Great Bear Rainforest, the Spirit Bear, and Sea Wolf. Their plight is a microcosm for worldwide environmental issues. The animals themselves and the refrain are engaging, and the sidebars and backmatter give plenty of material for families and classrooms to discuss. At the end, a call to action and a message of hope will remain with readers for a long time.

ENOUGH TO SHARE is perfect, of course, for World Rainforest Day because it takes place in the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest temperate rainforest in the world! But it’s also an obvious match for Earth Day and other celebrations, such as:

World Nature Conservation Day, July 28 

International Wolf Day, August 13

National Wildlife Day, September 4

World Habitat Day, 1st Monday in October 

World Animal Day October 4 

World Wildlife Day, March 3

World Bear Day. March 23

Earth Day, April 22

Endangered Species Day, 3rd Friday in May

But I think what makes it a perfect fit for absolutely all seasons, is the message of environmental stewardship and that our earth is a gift that we must share. Also, I’m just discovering that ENOUGH TO SHARE appeals to a wider age range than I anticipated. I’ve seen very young children 6 months old, and 2 years old, absolutely entranced by Sue Todd’s art. I’ve seen a four year-old rapt with attention to the story, and demanding to hear what each sidebar says. This totally surprised me! I thought the message might be for a slightly older audience but all these younger kids are getting something from it. That makes me so happy!

Q: What’s your favorite spread from the book and why (though I'm sure it's hard to choose -- the artwork is beautiful!).

A: Ohhhh, this is hard. One of the things that I love about the book’s design is that it has so many double page spreads creating large canvases that allow the art to shine and pop. But I think one spread that always takes my breath away comes midway through the book and highlights the diversity of animals found in the Great Bear Rain Forest. It’s absolutely gorgeous. (P.11 in the ARC)

Q: What surprised you most about your book’s path to publication? 

A: I’m hesitant to say this, but I guess what surprised me most was how difficult it was. I was totally naive when I started this process, thinking “How hard can it be?” Hahaha. I thought it was enough to just write a good book. Next, I thought, certainly once you sell the book, all is smooth sailing, right? But we had to contend with a postal strike, a distribution warehouse strike, politics, tariffs, a war blocking transportation routes, two delays to our launch date, and then once the launch date finally came, we had books stuck in the distribution pipeline. WHEW! Now that the book is finally reaching people, it feels like a huge victory!

Q: What's a tip you'd like to leave for our readers about navigating the publishing world?

A: The tip is one that’s certainly been shared elsewhere, but I think it’s really worth taking to heart. And that is that it’s more than OK for your “journey,” your path, your timeline, your public persona, to look different than anyone else’s. Do it your way.

The other tip is to try to accept that SO much is not in your control. That’s a tough one for me, but it’s true from querying straight through distribution. Wishing everyone the best of luck along the way!

What great tips! Thanks for sharing.

A: I'd also like to share a treat with your readers; I'd like to offer a choice of a 30-minute AMA or a copy of ENOUGH TO SHARE (U.S. addresses only please.) 

Thanks so much for such SWEET tips and treats. And thanks again for joining us - it was wonderful connecting with you!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win Mary Helen's book giveaway, 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by. We'd of course love any Bear or Wolf GIFs, too. ;)

Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 07/06.

Books will be shipped in the US only.

About Mary Helen Berg

Mary Helen Berg writes fiction and nonfiction picture books that honor big feelings and inspire young readers to explore and protect our big beautiful world. A former journalist, she lives in Southern California, where she loves to hike, bike, kayak, and road trip. She has a degree in literature from the University of Michigan, and a masters in journalism from Columbia University. She and her husband have three grown children, one son-in-law, and one very anxious dog. ENOUGH TO SHARE is her debut picture book.

For more about Mary Helen, check out the below links:

Website: https://maryhelenberg.com/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/maryhelenberg

Bsky  https://bsky.app/profile/maryhelenberg.bsky.social

Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/mary.h.berg.39

Links to purchase a copy of Mary's book:

Bookshop.org

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Tielmour Press

---