Illustrator: Susan Esson

My parents encouraged me in art from a very early age, and encouragement, I think, is an essential ingredient for any future endeavor. As an adult, a separate path presented itself and I became a registered nurse. I worked for 9 years as a nurse before changing hats and becoming a wife and mother raising two beautiful, intelligent and successful daughters with my husband of 23 years. My ideas for the illustrations in this book did surface from personal experience. More than anything though, my ideas developed from an empathy for children's, sometimes, rocky and confusing introduction to the perplexing world of adults. Everybody needs a strong sense of self and art has always offered that for me.