Little did I know back in October 2004 that my award-winning book, Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef would be such a success.
It was my second book with Dawn Publications. They published Seashells by the Seashore (still going strong) in 2002, with misty watercolor illustrations of seashore life by talented artist, Robert Noreika. Bob also illustrated my first two published books, Marsh Music and Marsh Morning (Lerner Publications.)
When I signed the contract for "Ocean", I assumed Bob would do the illustrations, but art director and co-publisher, Muffy Weaver, had something else in mind. She told me about an art teacher who worked with polymer clay, whose husband, Christopher Canyon, had illustrated some wonderful books for Dawn. This would be Jeanette's first book.
Needless to say I was apprehensive about it all. But Muffy wanted dramatic illustrations that portray the amazing colors and shapes of a coral reef. So with painstaking detail, Jeanette Canyon illustrated all the colorful pages entirely in polymer clay, then photographed them, creating a 3-D impression of tremendous vitality.
Ten years later kids are still singing and counting their way among pufferfish that “puff,” clownfish that "dart" and seahorses that “flutter,” appreciating life in the ocean. And now they can enjoy the fun interactive app that was created in 2012 as well.
"Ocean" was the springboard for my other "Over" habitat books: Rainforest, Arctic, Australia, Forest, River and soon "Mountain." Thanks, Dawn Publications, for the opportunity to get kids "inside" these books, having fun while they learn.
It was my second book with Dawn Publications. They published Seashells by the Seashore (still going strong) in 2002, with misty watercolor illustrations of seashore life by talented artist, Robert Noreika. Bob also illustrated my first two published books, Marsh Music and Marsh Morning (Lerner Publications.)
When I signed the contract for "Ocean", I assumed Bob would do the illustrations, but art director and co-publisher, Muffy Weaver, had something else in mind. She told me about an art teacher who worked with polymer clay, whose husband, Christopher Canyon, had illustrated some wonderful books for Dawn. This would be Jeanette's first book.
Needless to say I was apprehensive about it all. But Muffy wanted dramatic illustrations that portray the amazing colors and shapes of a coral reef. So with painstaking detail, Jeanette Canyon illustrated all the colorful pages entirely in polymer clay, then photographed them, creating a 3-D impression of tremendous vitality.
Ten years later kids are still singing and counting their way among pufferfish that “puff,” clownfish that "dart" and seahorses that “flutter,” appreciating life in the ocean. And now they can enjoy the fun interactive app that was created in 2012 as well.
"Ocean" was the springboard for my other "Over" habitat books: Rainforest, Arctic, Australia, Forest, River and soon "Mountain." Thanks, Dawn Publications, for the opportunity to get kids "inside" these books, having fun while they learn.