“It was the first time that I had tried to make a book that rhymed, which was very challenging. I actually enlisted the help of graduate students who have their own children who are really great judges of books,” she said. “I had them go through and help me gauge if there were any spots that tripped them up or that they didn't understand which was really helpful.”

Karla Moeller

The illustrations for “Moms, Dads and Lily Pads” were created by Sabine Deviche, an ASU alumna who earned her bachelor’s degree in drawing with a minor in biology in 2010. Moeller and Deviche first met during their time working together on Ask A Biologist.

For many years, Deviche served as a graphic specialist and visualization lab team member for ASU’s School of Life Sciences. Today she works as an independent contractor for ASU, creating graphics for a variety of projects mostly related to developing science-based educational material for K–12 audiences.

Deviche said through her collaboration with Moeller on her first book, the pair realized they make a great team.

Sabine Deviche

“Creating the illustrations was a highly collaborative process with Karla. I’d send her work-in-progress images to review throughout development to get her input on all aspects of the page,” Deviche said. “Her feedback was especially valuable in ensuring that the anatomy of the animals and their environments were correct. My favorite part was learning more about the animals and their habitats myself, especially some of the lesser known animals.”

With the book, Moeller and Deviche hope to encourage families and children to broaden their definition of what a family can be while celebrating what makes their own family unique.

“It's so important that children have role models and examples that help them understand that there's no one ‘normal,’” Moeller said. “If they have a type of family that is less common, it doesn't mean that they are any less special. Diversity in families should always be celebrated.”

To learn more about “Moms, Dads and Lily Pads” or to purchase a copy, visit Moeller’s Etsy shop

Emily Balli

Manager of marketing and communications, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences