Just Add Water

This book was almost too fun to write. Imagine all the places a toy that grows in water could go, then imagine just about all of those scenarios written out. My incredibly long first drafts put Dino-Gro in a swimming pool, Niagara Falls, and the ocean. But while all those places were exciting, they took Dino-Gro too far from home, and home was exactly where the story needed to stay.

Originally Dino-Gro had a lot to say, but my wife Maya (also a picture book writer) suggested my expanding dinosaur should only be able to say one word—wet.

After sketching out the book, I tried a painting in oils, but it didn’t feel light enough for the mood. Besides, watercolors are the obvious choice for a toy that grows in water, right?

Click on any image to enlarge it. 

Scroll down to see some of the sketches that led to the final art.

And check out the video below, for more on how I made the book.