For fans of quirky and informative picture boos such as Pink is for Blobfish and Give Bees a Chance comes a delightful story about a sea slug who is way more than meets the eye.
Have you ever been called something you’re not?
I AM NOT A FISH! is a quirky, yet heartfelt story about a Jellyfish named Edgar who's gotten confused from being called something he's not his entire life...namely a "fish." Talking with a group of friendly starfish, who totally understand where he is coming from, Edgar learns that no matter what anybody calls you, the best thing you could possibly be...is yourself.
The ocean is not only an endless source of wonder, we also depend on it for our very existence. Unfortunately, we humans have not been as good to the sea as it has been to us. Besides a slew of other problems, countless tons of garbage are literally poured into the ocean every single year.
Thankfully, people are becoming more and more aware of this, including the good people at a company called 4ocean. Their mission is not only to clean the beaches and oceans of the world, “one pound at a time” as they say, but to help educate others how to preserve the only world we have.
4ocean sells sustainable products (like the glass and twine bracelet below) to help fuel their ocean cleaning endeavors. I am not paid in any way by this company, by the way. I just believe in their mission so much I have dedicated this book to them.
For more information on this amazing company, visit: www.4ocean.com
In many of my stories, the Main Character is often in conflict with the very place that he or she is living. I find that if this is set up correctly, the main character's desire to overcome his or her problem(s) will practically write the story itself.
The initial rough sketches for The Monkey Goes Bananas (pictured below) had no words at all. In fact, it had no real "story" either. But the idea of a monkey trying to cross the shark-infested water to get a bunch of bananas on another island was so funny, that showing his failed attempts BECAME the story. Exactly how the story ends though, was discussed and changed all the way up to the final drafts.
"What does the Main Character want?" and "Why can't he get it?" Relying on these basic story questions, The Monkey and the Bee pulls the reader in from the very first page, then ups and ups the stakes until the very end.
The boy in this story never gives up on his pet hippo, and eventually, in the most unexpected way, this heartwarming story proves that even the laziest of Hippos can be great at something if they just do what they love. (currently OUT OF PRINT).