Puppeteer Passionate about Writing Children’s Books | Entertainment & Life

Karen Konnerth sums up her outlook on life in 10 words.

With her leap of faith, the Algiers Point resident is no longer a self-proclaimed “shy kid” born in Dallas who learned to sew from her mother. she was about 22 years old. As a teacher, she has traveled around the world with dolls.

Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed Konnerth to add authors of published children’s books to his list of accomplishments.

“When the pandemic hit, travel, puppet show staging, and classroom work all stopped,” said Connacht, 72. the time i need to do it.

Konnerth has written two children’s books. Her first work, Calliope Her Kate and the River’s Voice, was published in her May by Pelican Publishing. Konnerth also created all the illustrations.

The book features photographs of Connors’ hand-carved marionettes depicting the heroine “Kate” born in a shack boat on the Mississippi River. She surprises everyone by knocking down a hurricane with the deafening sound of a steamboat Calliope.

“I live near the Mississippi River, so I hear Calliope all the time,” Konnerth said. “Some people don’t like the sound of it, but I do. That’s why I wanted to use ‘Calliope’ in the title of the book and the story itself. ”

Konnerth’s second book, The Snowman’s Waltz, will be published in August by Sleeping Bear Press and is illustrated by Emily Neilson. A story of friendship and tolerance between a snowman and a penguin.

“I write every day,” said Connacht. “I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. It’s a great community of writers and artists that provides a huge amount of support.”

books and dolls

As a student at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1974 and 1975, Konnerth attended pantomime and creative drama classes.

“I was shy and thought the mime class would help me get out of my shell,” says Konnerth. “I learned a lot about myself. These classes brought together my interests and I started doing puppetry.”

Konnerth and her husband, Vic Shepherd, moved to New Orleans in 1978 and she began staging shows. She created all her own puppets and staging, and put on shows at her local children’s museum, City Park’s Storyland, and private events, and soon rumors of her show began circulating. .

“What I really wanted was to work in school,” explained Connacht, who has been teaching artists since the 1990s. “At one point, word of mouth led to hands-on workshops for my puppet shows, primarily for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The workshop has become an enhanced learning experience for our students.”

Cooperative learning, such as puppet shows, encourages children to think creatively and solve problems, she said. “Puppetry is particularly powerful because children can’t wait to use this art form that is naturally an open door to their imagination.”

Global Teaching Tour

Konnerth has been invited to an educational tour sponsored by the US Embassy’s English Specialist Program, visiting countries such as Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Kuwait.

In 2017, Konnerth self-published The Sophisticated Sock: Project Based Learning Through Puppetry.

“It’s been great to have it available for my international educators and for the professional development workshops I run,” added Konnerth.

Konnerth gave presentations of puppetry in Latin America, where puppetry is common.

“There are so many poor people in Latin America,” she said. “They see puppetry as a true art form, considered accessible, shared and important for children to experience.

children are test leaders

Konnerth and musician Shepherd, who have two children and four grandchildren, are “good critics as test readers for my new story,” she said.

She’s not currently thinking of a new title for her third book, but “has some ideas for the piece.”

“I work with ideas on a variety of themes and topics, some universal and some regional,” she said. I’m in.

“Writing is a new stage in my life. I’m a puppeteer, musician, artist, and now a writer. I feel like I’m constantly evolving.”