Hi, I'm Sherry!
I'm the creator behind BoBerry Design Co., where I promote inclusive creativity. I’m an autism mom, artist, and educator based in Southeastern Massachusetts.
My most recent project is a picture book titled Hello at the Farm. It's a fun read aloud book that promotes non-speaking communication. Inspired by my son Ollie, the book features common farm animals you've seen in typical picture books such as cows and ducks, but focuses on physical actions rather than sounds. The goal of this book is to have fun reading aloud, while also providing an inclusive experience for kids that don’t communicate verbally.
My art practice is focused around creating cheerful illustrations using a paper cut technique. I use a hybrid process of paper cut outs and digital techniques to create the final illustrations. I use acrylic and water color paintings for the textures in my illustrations, and I even add textures created by my sons Ben and Ollie throughout the book.
I’m inspired by artists such as Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, and Mary Blaire. Like these great illustrators do in their amazing works, I hope to delight and inspire kids through my art and storytelling.
About Hello at the Farm
Hello at the Farm is an engaging picture book that emphasizes non-speaking communication through the actions of farm animals. Authored and illustrated by Sherry Fry (Freyermuth), this book is designed to be read aloud, creating a fun and inclusive experience for children who do not communicate verbally.
Ideal for preschool and kindergarten-aged children, "Hello at the Farm" introduces readers to the actions of various farm animals in a rhythmic and engaging manner. Inspired by childhood favorites like Eric Carle's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," this book aims to spark conversations about different learning and communication styles.
Praised by professionals in the fields of speech-language pathology and education, "Hello at the Farm" is described as a valuable tool for teaching narrative reading and writing concepts, as well as fostering communication skills in children. With colorful and cheerful illustrations created through a unique paper cut technique, this book is sure to captivate young readers and inspire their imaginations.
Key Features
•Emphasizes non-speaking communication through actions of farm animals
•Designed for read-aloud experience, ideal for preschool and kindergarten-aged children
•Praised by professionals in speech-language pathology and education
•Valuable tool for teaching narrative reading and writing concepts and fostering communication skills
•Colorful and cheerful illustrations created through unique paper cut technique
"A smile stretches across 6-year-old Ollie’s face as he reaches his hand out to the nose of Bella, a horse with rich brown coloring. Ollie and his brother, 9-year-old Ben, begin to walk with Bella, and her feet stomp, stomp, stomp — an action the boys know well."
Full story available here.
Testimonials
"In addition to these actions being inclusive of children who are non-speaking, they are also so much more functional to model than animal sounds! Especially considering a lot of the kids I see have difficulty acquiring verbs compared to nouns because they are so much more abstract. Targeting them this way in a fun, play-based way is so wonderful."
[ Leigh Anne White, MEd, MS, SLP-CCC, Boston Children's Hospital ]
"In first grade, when we teach fictional narrative reading and writing, critical setting and critical object are a big focus. This book would be a great tool to teach these concepts. I also think it's great for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and the Developmental Learning Center at my school would also use it. I think my students will really like it, and I plan to use it next fall before our field trip to a farm!"
[ Brigid Desrochers, Primary Educator, Grade 1 in Foxboro, MA ]
"I know this would be a go-to book in my therapy setting. Hello at the Farm is ideal because we expect students to demonstrate joint attention skills, then imitation of actions followed by babbling. I love that this book includes the first two steps, which are so crucial in the hierarchy toward speaking! I can also imagine that this book may elicit language production in students based on the joy of making the action, which may influence a request for a preferred animal!"
[ Lexi Leonetti, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist ]