This summer I got to illustrate a very sweet children's book called "Merrigold's Very Best Home," a story that was written to teach children to be grateful for the people and things in their lives. It follows the titular character, Merrigold. She, being sick of the sorrows of her life (bedtimes, baths, and broccoli), sets off to find a more suitable home, free of oppressive practices such as personal hygiene and healthy eating. She visits several animal residents in her neighbourhood and tries to fit into their homes, but guess what? Human children should live with humans, no puppies or ravens or foxes. Those animals are fine to visit, but their homes are not fit for people. What will Merrigold do? Continue down the path towards the next, and next, and next home? Or will she turn back to her loving parents and comfortable house?
If you want to find out... join the Indiegogo campaign and back this project. ;)
For those of you who don't know, Indiegogo is a crowdfunding website that allows people to solicit funds for an idea, charity, or start-up business. Marcia Laycock, the author of Merrigold's Very Best Home, is using it to help crowdfund the publication of Merrigold's Very Best Home, and will be campaigning all September to raise about 2000 dollars (which basically covers the cost of the illustrations! So if you want to help her pay me, go ahead and join up! :P) and will also be giving out little perks at each fundraising level!
I hope you enjoy this new children's book! You can check out my new Merrigold site page to see a few of my favourite illustrations, or you can straightaways join the Indiegogo and get on the proverbial bandwagon with us!