My Beginning

For years I drove from Los Angeles to visit the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. My favorite place was a special room—surrounding all four walls, under the ceiling, was a gigantic aquarium. I loved to watch my wondrous slow-moving manatee as he twisted and turned, swimming along. He'd been injured when young, rescued, and wouldn't be able to survive on his own.

One day the aquarium was gone. No meandering manatee. I was heartbroken and spoke to the museum curator. Soon after, a letter arrived explaining how saddened they were. The manatee had lived a long happy life and died of old age.

And then an idea struck! I would write a picture book titled Magnificent Manatee Chessie: A tribute to my memories of my manatee.