Clover and the Shooting Star

This is a special picture book that I have been working on and it's almost ready for the press.  I have one spread left to finish and then I will send it to the printer.  It is a board book format, so it's shorter than a normal picture book and I did all the art fairly quickly so it would have a fresh expressive quality.  Instead of finishing it in photoshop and laying in the text professionally, I decided to collage the text directly onto the pages.  It was important to me that it kept the handmade quality of the original because the whole project was done in love.  It is called Clover and the Shooting Star and it is dedicated to my niece Nicole Diane Miller-Harris who left us too soon.  I am giving it to her parents, my bother-in-law and sister-in-law, for them to read to their grandchildren as a way to remember Aunt Nicole.  

Above is the cover art with Clover the rabbit in the middle and his friends Raccoon  Mole, Porcupine and Possum and her babies.  The synopsis of the story is that Cover sees a beautiful shooting star and it touches his heart.  He wants everyone to have had the same wonderful experience.  But as he talks with his friends he can't find anyone else who saw the star that had moved through the sky so quickly.  It makes Clover sad.  Then wise old owl informs Clover that there others have seen the star and are carrying the hope of her brilliance on!  

Below are a few of the finished pages from the book.  The last page is the "big reveal" page and the tear jerker page, so I won't show you that one till it's published:)

I thought this book would be a nice way to help little ones deal with the loss of a special person.  The ending is hopeful and let's them know their loved one is not forgotten and will live on in a very special way.  While it came from a place of sadness in our family, my hope is that it brings healing and hope to many.

I plan to have this book available by the beginning of the year so I can share it with you at my art shows and openings.  Let me know what you think.  Would you like me to send one to you?  Or you can pick one up at my next art show!  You can let me know in the comments section:)