Corinne Demas and Artemis Roehrig

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Corinne Demas and Artemis Roehrig are a mother/daughter team who use questions and rhymes to engage children with the natural world and impart life lessons. Their connection to Amherst goes back to when Corinne came to the valley to teach at Mount Holyoke College. Artemis returned to Amherst after college, and has stayed here ever since (Clip 1).

Their collaborative relationship started when Artemis was a child and Corinne would ask for her feedback on working manuscripts (Clip 2). Do Fiddler Crabs Fiddle?, the first book they wrote together, draws on Artemis’ experience working at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Clip 3) and her desire to get kids excited about native species (Clip 4). When working together, Corinne and Artemis try to emphasize female empowerment and cultivating scientific interest in young people (Clip 5).

Their book Are Pirates Polite? uses rhyme and humor to teach children about manners. (Clip 6) At Groff Park, why don't you try using your imagination to be a polite pirate, a knowledgeable knight, or even look around for some insects? (Clip 7)

Adults taking this tour might be interested to know that Artemis hosts a podcast about women in STEM who publish children’s literature (Clip 8). Both have also published independently. Check out more resources for each of them at Corinne’s website and Artemis’ website.