Northwest Twins Create Monster-Themed Children's Book

Seattle, Washington, June 3, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Derek and Kyle Sullivan are identical twins, and creative partners, looking to drum up support around their latest project: a monster-themed alphabet board book geared toward children, and adults, of all ages. With the writing and illustrating complete, they’re turning to supporters of independent art on the crowdsourcing website Kickstarter to help cover commercial publishing costs and make their vision a professionally printed reality.

“We’re re-envisioning traditional alphabet board books where ‘A is for Apple’ and ‘B is for Banana,’” said Derek Sullivan, a Seattle-based illustrator. “Instead, our book features one of our lifelong passions: monsters from American culture and across the world, both well-known and obscure. For us, ‘A is for Alien,’ ‘B is for Banshee’ and ‘ C is for Chupacabra.’ We hope to playfully introduce them to young children and reintroduce them to adult monster fans of all ages.”

"We're re-envisioning traditional alphabet board books where 'A is for Apple' and 'B is for Banana.' Instead, our book features one of our lifelong passions: monsters from American culture and across the world, both well-known and obscure. For us, 'A is for Alien,' 'B is for Banshee' and ' C is for Chupacabra.' We hope to playfully introduce them to young children and reintroduce them to adult monster fans of all ages."

Derek Sullivan, Illustrator, Hazy Dell Press

To fund the high-quality printing and distribution costs, the twins have launched a Kickstarter campaign with contribution rewards running the gamut from a copy of the published book to seeing your name printed in the first edition—with t-shirts, tote bags, posters and vinyl stickers in between. Positioning the book as accessible to all ages, their Kickstarter campaign appeals to adults searching for a quirky addition to their coffee table, as well as parents looking for a less-than-traditional volume for their children’s library.

“We want children to see ‘monsters’ as silly creatures, not frightening ones. The book is approachable and appealing for kids, but at the same time, it’s not boring for adults,” said Kyle Sullivan, a writer based in Portland, Ore. “We worked hard to find the right balance in our rhymed verses and illustrations so that both children and adults will laugh—and often for different reasons.”

The Monster ABC Kickstarter campaign runs throughout the month of June 2015 with a total funding goal of $8,000. To see examples of the work, and learn how you can contribute, visit www.hazydellpress.com.