Congratulations, Elizabeth Shreeve on ON AN OCEAN JOURNEY: Animals in Motion through the Seas!

Thank you so much for sharing the release of ON AN OCEAN JOURNEY with us! Young readers love STEAM books and I’m sure yours will find many happy readers. Can you share with us a bit about the inspiration for this book? What was your initial spark?

On an Ocean Journey has an unusual origin story: it began with the artwork. Back in 2007, Alaska-based artist Ray Troll created a beautiful set of murals for a marine science laboratory operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Pacific Grove, California. (It’s worth a visit if you’re in the Monterey area; go to 1352 Lighthouse Avenue, near Asilomar State Park). When budget cuts forced NOAA to abandon the building, Ray held onto the original colored pencil drawings. In early 2022, Ray sent me an email. Would I consider a picture book collaboration? Imagine my delight! I’m a big Ray Troll fan, and apparently I’d caught his attention through my earlier books. Ray soon filled my inbox with gorgeous depictions of marine animals. On the phone, he briefed me on the NOAA project. Then it was up to me to transform a collection of images into a picture book. What a joy to explore storylines inspired by these stunning, scientifically accurate renderings! Writing STEAM books requires a substantial amount of research. Often it is the most fun part of our writing process. Did you meet any challenges in your research journey? You might think the research for this book was buttoned up; after all, Ray had worked closely with scientists at NOAA on the murals. They focused on an oceanic pattern known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), which describes warmer and cooler phases of water temperature over ten-year increments in the Northern Pacific. Interesting…but was that the right topic for a picture book? To me, Ray’s bold images seemed best-suited to a younger audience. So, what was my angle? I decided not to decide. Instead, I dove into research. I outlined key facts for each species: range and habits, role in the food web, important features, and conservation status. Soon I was swimming in some deep waters of information on marine zoology.

(Author and artist at the former NOAA marine lab in Pacific Grove, CA) Often one of the most difficult parts of crafting our books is not deciding what to include, but deciding what to leave out. What did you choose to leave out of this book and why? Ray provided about 50 images. We decided that each one deserved a page, so I had way too many for a 32-page format (22 drawings ended up in the book, including a few new ones). After color-coding the factual material on each animal, I spread drawings on our big table and began to edit. Some images were particularly striking; those made the cut. (Fortunately, Ray’s favorites coincided with mine.) Ray is a big fan of fish, but I wanted a variety of creatures including reptiles, birds, and marine mammals. Sorry, fish! Many beauties hit the floor. To increase the overall appeal of the book, I gave preference to animals that ranged beyond the North Pacific into other ocean environments. As I winnowed, I admired the dynamic quality of Ray’s drawings. A theme emerged: how do animals move through the water? I wrote a fact-filled manuscript entitled “One Ocean in Motion.” My agent sent it out. Darn, no takers! I started over. This time I kept it simple, with a structure that goes from shallow water to ocean depths. The two images of divers serve as bookends for the opening and ending, while a full spread of predators closing in on a baitball of sardines provides a high point. Less science, more poetry! I hope the final version lets Ray’s artwork shine, as it should.

(Artwork with color-coded research notes: plenty to choose from!) What tip can you share with teachers who want to use your book in the classroom? On an Ocean Journey will be a fun read-aloud and also lends itself to creative writing and art projects for Grades K-2. The “Field Guide” at the end provides details on each animal, along with links for learning about the ocean and how to protect it. You’ll find an Activity Kit created by the publisher, with input from Ray and me, on my website . One activity instructs student to arrange a set of images in the order of their choosing. Add imagination and color. Voila, a story!

Congratulations on this book release! What comes next for you? Can you give us a peek at what you are currently researching? My next publication will be a middle grade book entitled Dinosaurs to Dragons: The Lore and Science of Mythical Creatures. It’s coming from Atheneum/Simon & Schuster in the next year or so, with artwork by Violeta Encarnacion combined with photographs. The project has stretched my science-oriented mind into archaeology, mythology, and history. It’s a thrill to discover new topics, and a privilege to share with young readers.

About the author: ELIZABETH SHREEVE grew up in a family of writers and scientists who taught her to pay attention to horseshoe crabs, seabirds, and other wonderful creatures along the Atlantic coastline. Now based in California, she writes books for young readers that celebrate the origins and diversity of life on Earth. Her recent books include The Upside-Down Book of Sloths, The Oddball Book of Armadillos, and the award-winning Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas. Learn more about her books, author visits, and fishy adventures at ElizabethShreeve.com and on social media @ShreeveBooks.