If Fishes Had Wishes And Birds Had Words

About the Book

The power of this little book is not in the plot; It has no plot. The power of it is in the images and the words that go with them. The text translates the illustrations into simple life lessons in a child’s daily experience like sharing, listening, being alone, being kind. For example the girl holding the bird saying it’s okay to be sad sometimes………the thought helps to clarify emotions that we share with animals too. The beauty of this book is in its simple celebration of life concerns and connections.

About the Author

My friend and I collaborated because I love her paintings and I put some of them together into a children's book. The illustrations are created by Martha Brouwer who for 25 years, was art director at Waterfront Press, a Seattle-based publishing company. She now paints full-time with showings at fine galleries throughout the Northwest. My own background, Maura Van Ness, is as a former journalist, single mom and now a happily working grandmother. I also live in the Pacific Northwest, in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range where birds and fish and humankind relate everyday. The illustrations are from Martha Brouwer, who was the art director for 25 years at Waterfront Press, a Seattle based publishing company . She now paints full time and has showings at fine galleries in the Pacific Northwest.