CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATION

Children have authoritative knowledge on many topics but social barriers often keep them from speaking up and sharing what they know. Well, Actually... is a book series that works to unseat the gatekeepers that have limited space for children at the proverbial table of scientific content.

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Well, Actually…. I am not a bee!, is a 1,000 word illustrated children's book for 7-10 year olds inspired by scientific field guides. It is the first book in a 6 volume series that merges life-like specimen illustrations with high-level conservation and biological content all within the whimsical Well, Actually... Universe. The books' guides, Dr. Mo and Evy, are characters that carry stories of important human connections and enough fodder to arm young naturalists with the vocabulary and facts to confidently say "Well, actually, that is not a bee because....".

 

This didactic children’s book works to create kid-experts on misnomers in nature by guiding them through the process of correctly identifying a variety of organisms. Well, Actually…. I Am Not a Bee! begins with an ecology primer that provides the young reader with background in mimicry and biological naming systems. After the primer, a variety of plant and animal species are investigated and compared to a bee. Each spread of pages will offer information about each highlighted species. This includes, geographic range, habitat, behavior, and so much more. The two characters, inspired by Evyn and Dr. Drinkard, will guide the reader and their understanding of each species in a fun and inviting way by creating a small narrative, having a conversation about the species, offering fun facts, or telling kid-friendly jokes about the organism.