All the Things Lenore is Not
A personal creative project I used to enter and win 1st place in the
SCBWI MI 2025 Illustration Mentorship Program
a dive into storytelling​
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This project began on a whim and quickly became
an adventure.
My full first dive into creating a children's story, inspired by aquariums and ocean folklore, and a little silliness.
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As a visual artist, words do not flow as naturally as images, but I was eager to give it a shot!
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After lots of brainstorming and picking out the perfect ocean creatures for this adventure, I crafted a dialogue
that felt as whimsical as the sea itself.
“Tell me what she looks like and I’ll search far and near.”
Gigi furrowed her brow, her wrinkles wrinkled as wrinkly as they would go. She thought real long and hard she started to glow!
Finally she said with some buoyancy, “I don't remember. But if I saw her, I am sure I would know.”
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Outside we found plenty of animals! Could one of these be Lenore?
“Look Gigi, here.” (granddaughter catches a clown fish)
“Nope”
“Ok, how about this one?” (sand dollar)
“Certainly not.”
“Is this your pet?” (pufferfish)
“Couldn’t be.”
Then it came to me, a brilliant idea! “Tell me what Leanor is not. We can work from there!”
“So smart, my minnow. ” She shined in glee, and began pointing out animals exuberantly.
how it starts
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Since this was my very first children’s book, it was also my first time tackling a full book layout. It’s definitely not the neatest thing to look at, but it was perfect for getting all those first ideas out on paper.
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Below, you can see how one of those early doodles grew
into a more polished illustration.
grandma mermaid​
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One of the main characters in my story is inspired by my late grandmother.
You might have already read a bit about her on another page where I show one of my favorite illustrations ever!
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If not, feel free to check that HERE!
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Here I have combined some of my grandmother's most endearing traits, with her love of the color purple,
to create a perfectly silly, forgetful character.
​By the end of this project, I learned so much about storytelling and what really makes a story come alive.
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As my first full attempt at building a story from start to finish, complete with dialogue and matching illustrations,
I can clearly see what worked, what didn't, and where I want to keep improving.
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I am eager to keep creating, experimenting, and connecting with others in the industry as I continue to grow.
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Below are a few of my favorite moments from All the Things Lenore is Not. I hope you enjoy the creative exploration
that brought this world to life.
