Although the light verse opens and closes with ten fish swimming in a line, page-by-page the line grows shorter as the number of fish diminishes one-by-one. This charming, colorful counting tale of ten little fish runs full-circle. And of course, I love seeing the face of a young child, sitting on a bookstore floor, completely immersed in a book that I have created.Īside from being a children's book illustrator, I also surf, snowboard, and sail, which means that I do get to see the sun sometimes. I love telling stories with my art, and picture books are just that. My mom wrote the story and my dad, Don Wood, functioned as art director. The book took me over two years to make, and it was a true family collaboration.

This year I joined my family's creative team and illustrated my first book, The Christmas Adventure of Space Elf Sam. Then, in 1993, I decided to enroll in the innovative San Francisco State Multimedia Center, where I pursued my long-standing interest in designing computer programs by studying animation and 3-D modeling. In 1991, I attended the California Institute of the Arts, where I studied drama and advanced my interest in art created on the computer. Since then, I was always interested in how companies made computer games, and I think that's what ultimately led me to 3-D design. I started using Commodore 64's when I was eleven or twelve, and by age thirteen, I could do basic programming. My initial interest in digital art came about at a young age. It took me a few years to realize that not all my friends' parents were as creative as mine. One year for my birthday, my parents made me a kid-sized cardboard castle out of refrigerator boxes in our backyard. One of the major advantages of growing up in a family of artists is the support you receive while learning your art form.

I have always been very interested in art – it always seemed like a lot of fun.

She lives with her husband in Hawaii, under the blue sky, rain sky, and changing-all-day sky.Īs a fifth-generation professional artist, I grew up with art all around me – in the studios of my parents and grandparents. Audrey has illustrated numerous popular books herself, including SILLY SALLY, A DOG NEEDS A BONE, and BLUE SKY (2012).

She often collaborates with her husband, Caldecott Honor illustrator Don Wood (THE NAPPING HOUSE KING BIDGOOD'S IN THE BATHTUB IT'S DUFFY TIME!), and she created many bestselling books with their son, Bruce Wood (ALPHABET MYSTERY TEN LITTLE FISH). Audrey Wood has been writing award-winning children's books for more than thirty years, and she is a fourth-generation artist.

Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood