Bonnie is the author and illustrator of Nudi Gill, one of the first books released by Gnome Road Publishing in April of 2023.

Bonnie gives readers a close-up view of a small, but mighty type of sea creature in this story of a super sassy, colorful and "naked" nudibranch named Gill who meets a curious and inquisitive young snorkeler.

* Named a 2023 "Great Reads from Great Places" by the Nevada Center for the Book (representing Nevada at The National Book Fair in Washington D.C.) 

Bonnie is also the illustrator of author Heather Kinser's In a Cave, released on October 3, 2023.

Her eye for detail and experience as a spelunking enthusiast paired perfectly with this rhyming, informative story of two young adventurers exploring a wondrous world below the earth's surface.

And if that isn't wonderful enough, Bonnie is the author-illustrator of a three-book series sharing stories that pair important childhood milestones—losing a tooth, learning to bathe, and sleeping alone—with fascinating facts about sea animals engaged in similar activities. The first of these books, Sea Smiles, released February 2024, and is followed by Sleepy Sea and Sea Suds in the spring of 2025 and 2026, respectively! 

Bonnie has also joined with co-author Kentee Pasek, dog mom to petfluencer @DexterDogOuray, to share the true story of Dexter, the three-legged dog and internet sensation, who has shown the world the power of resilience, joy and how to take on challenges "one Dexter step at a time". Look for Dexter: A Stand Up Dog in the Fall of 2025! 

Bonnie also works for Gnome Road in the areas of book design, creative marketing and social media management. If you couldn't tell already, we think she's awesome! 

 

Learn More

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books for children and adults that encourage individualism and brave creative self-expression. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she has a background in exhibit design and has worked on projects for NASA, National Geographic, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Bonnie traveled all the way around the world… twice! An avid snorkeler and scuba diver, Bonnie has explored every sea or ocean she has come close to, except for the really cold ones. She still enjoys indulging her wandering nature whenever she gets the chance. Currently, she lives in Las Vegas with her partner and two sons with whom she enjoys many real and imaginary adventures.