Introducing
Luna The Owl
How Luna came to be.
I have always been a fan of owls.
Growing up in the country, I was lucky enough to see quite a few different kinds of them. I was so fascinated by owls that I even did a project about them in high school. Apparently, some interests just stick with you.
But there is one owl I remember more than the others.
From time to time, a huge owl would perch in one of the trees along our driveway. The funny thing was, even though he was huge, you could walk right past him without ever knowing he was there.
He blended into that tree almost perfectly.
If you weren’t actually looking for somethin, you would have missed him completely.
But he didn’t miss us.
He would sit quietly on his branch and watch as we walked past, keeping an eye on everything going on around him. He never seemed bothered by us. He was just…watching.
And somehow, he always seemed to know exactly what was happening.
I think that’s what stayed with me the most.
Years later, when I started creating the characters of Our Backyard, I needed someone for the nighttime hours. Someone quiet and observant. Someone who could sit high above the backyard and notice all of the little things happening below.
And without really planning it, I found myself thinking about that owl in the driveway.
That’s how Luna the Owl came to be.
She watches.
She listens.
And while everyone else in Our Backyard might be getting themselves into a little bit of trouble…
Luna probably already knows about it.
How Jet came to be.
Every character in Our Backyard has a story, but Jet’s begins long before the book was ever imagined.
Dragonflies have always been one of my favorite insects. There has always been something magical about them. When I was growing up, huge swarms of large black dragonflies would gather over our driveway. They looked a little intimidating at first, and the sound of hundreds of wings buzzing together was unlike anything else. They scared a few visitors, but not us.
Jet The Dragonfly
We quickly learned they were completely harmless. In fact, they were helping us by eating mosquitoes and other tiny flying insects. Before long, those dragonflies became part of our summers. We looked forward to seeing them each year, watching them dart through the air with incredible speed and grace.
When it came time to create Our Backyard, I knew a dragonfly had to be part of the adventure. That’s how Jet was born-a fast-flying explorer who loves discovering everything happening around the backyard and sharing it with his friends.
Sometimes the smallest memories become the biggest inspirations.
Rusty The Raccoon
How Rusty Came To Be.
Every night, just when the backyard had settled down, a familiar little visitor would arrive. We started hearing bumps, bangs, and the occasional crash outside. One night, we looked out the window and found a determined raccoon trying his very best to drag away our compost bin!
He wasn’t exactly quiet about his adventures, but he was clever, curious, and never seemed to give up. Before long, he became one of the backyard’s most memorable visitors.
As I sketched different raccoons, that midnight troublemaker slowly came to life on the page. He became Rusty-a curious raccoon with a knack for getting into mischief and always keeping the other backyard friends wondering what he’ll do next.
Although Rusty loves exploring and sometimes finds himself in a little trouble, he’s a reminder that every backyard has its own unforgettable visitors… especially after the sun goes down.
Wiggles The Worm
How Wiggles Came To Be.
Every backyard has a creature that’s always hard at work, and for us, that was an earthworm. As I sketched and erased, then sketched some more, one little worm slowly developed a personality all his own. Before long, he wasn’t just another drawing-he was curious, a little nervous, always asking questions, and somehow seemed to find himself in the middle of every adventure.
Wiggles became the perfect guide for our backyard. He reminds us that you don’t have to be the biggest or bravest to be an explorer. Sometimes all you need is a little curiosity and the courage to peek under one more leaf.
Today, you’ll find Wiggles and his signs sharing fun facts, creative humor, and welcoming explorers of all ages into Our Backyard.
