hello— hello, ocean!

handmade bookmarks & picture book preorders (a gift)

Hi friends! I have a new picture book coming out in three days, and a gift for those of you who would like to preorder a copy through my local Independent Bookstore.

hello, ocean! is the story of a small girl and a day at the beach. It is part celebration— of sand and waves, pelicans and seaweed, clam shells and driftwood and moonstones.

Also, in a world full of problems that can feel beyond our reach, this is a book about finding a problem in a place that you love, doing something about it with your own hands… and how powerful that can be.

And speaking of things we can do or make with our own hands— for the past few months I have been making bookmarks. Lots of them.

I have a few buckets full (see below) and would love to send one your way.

These bookmarks have become a tradition when I have a new picture book coming out into the world. They began as something I made for myself. A number of years ago, while cleaning out my studio I came across some early sketches and outtakes from previous books that weren’t quite nice enough to keep, but also felt too pretty to get rid of. So I took out a ruler and started trimming them into bookmarks.

I’m usually reading 5-10 books at a time, so I sprinkled them throughout my pile. Later, each time I opened a book these little torn paper bits of art gave me a surprising amount of joy. I started thinking other people might enjoy them too. So with my next picture book, the tree in me, I created large sheets of flower patterns with the intention of cutting them up to make bookmarks, to give away.

People loved them, and I’ve been doing this for every book since.

Some leftover bookmarks from earlier books (Patchwork, In The Dark, Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have A Horse, the tree in me, The Book of Mistakes)

In this age of glossy stickers and plastic coated bookmarks, of computer generated art, and so called art made by machines…it feels good to make something with my own hands, to share with readers.

They are a gift, from me to you.

A gift that celebrates a different kind of web— the large, intricate and interconnected world of books. A world of readers and bookmakers, booksellers, teachers and librarians. We are all part of an ecosystem that keeps visual storytelling alive for the next generation.

And Independent Bookstores are a critical part of this ecosystem. In our increasingly online world I am trying to find ways to support them. And to encourage others to do the same. So, my hope with these bookmarks is that they will encourage some of you to buy my books from an independent bookstore instead of an online conglomerate. It could be Browsers, where you will get a signed/personalized book as well as a bookmark. Or it could be your own independent bookstore, where you are part of a larger local book community. Either way, thank you.

This feels (in a world that is often overwhelming) like a small thing I can do.

Here’s a video with some of the bookmark making process—

I’ll have a more to say about the actual book making process next week, when hello, ocean! is out in the world. (A process that includes a mix of painting and printmaking with foam brayers and washed up nets found on the beach.)

If you’d like to see more ocean inspiration and process you can also find photos and videos on my IG over here.

For now, please know that preorders are one of the best way to support both bookmakers and booksellers.

Have you already preordered or plan to support another Independent bookstore? Mention your favorite Indie (that you’ve ordered a copy of hello, ocean! from) in the comments and I’ll choose a few readers to send bookmarks to.

For all of you who have already preordered, thank you!!