The inspiration for this book began, unexpectedly, with what felt like a failure.

I had been invited to collaborate with a New York Times bestselling author on a map illustration of Martha’s Vineyard, drawn through the eyes of her characters. It was a dream project that I poured hours and hours into, thrilled to be working with an author I already admired. Somewhere along the way (a little too far along the way), it became clear that our visions weren’t aligning. Letting it go was so disappointing.

Weeks later we were listening (for the hundredth time) to my four-year-old’s favorite song, Old Neptune, He’s Roaring. Inspiration can strike at the most unexpected times - I had the thought, “If I can’t bring someone else’s world to life… why not build one of my own?”

I believed that what we consume—especially what our children take in during their formative years—shapes who we become. Because of that, I carry a deep sense of stewardship over the stories, images, and ideas that fill our home. We navigate a flood of content every day. Too often we’ve come home from the library with books that feel disappointingly shallow and, to be frank, dumb. Not just the writing, but the illustrations as well - oversimplified yet overstimulating, and increasingly produced by AI.

I want to create stories with rich language and quiet charm, beautifully detailed artwork, and worlds that invite children to slow down and imagine deeply.

Out of all of this - a disappointment, a song, a longing for something better - grew the beginning of a medieval world filled with knights, dragons, and brave-hearted wonder. A story crafted by beauty, imagination, and the belief that children deserve content that positively shapes their character and feeds their souls.

Here is my attempt to give them that.

Do yourself a favor and listen to the entire song