Inspiration Behind the Book

The Inspiration Behind Little Loonlet Meets the World

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The seed for this book was planted this past June on the lake. For three seasons prior, I had kayaked among the same pair of loons, quietly watching their lives unfold, but I had never witnessed them with a loonlet. This year was different. I was there when the pair reunited in the spring, observed them as they built their nest, and saw my very first loon eggs resting safely among the reeds and buttonbush. When one finally hatched—27 days later—I witnessed a miracle I had long hoped to see: a tiny loonlet nestled against its mother’s side as she waited for her second egg to hatch. The father soon arrived with offerings of little fish—already trying to feed the loonlet before it was even ready.

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The very next day, the family left the nest, drifting into the open marsh with only one loonlet. From that moment on, I observed and photographed them closely, awed by the parents’ devotion. They sheltered the loonlet on their backs, fed it constantly, and seemed to marvel at their little one as much as I did. Each day felt like a gift—glimpses of pure tenderness in the wild. Over four days, I spent nearly fifteen hours with them, quietly watching and capturing their story. I wasn’t able to get out on the lake on the fifth day due to a heavy rainstorm.

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On the sixth day, I returned to find the loonlet gone. The parents swam back and forth carrying fish in their bills, calling again and again with plaintive, heart-wrenching cries. They searched tirelessly, mourning in a way that made it impossible to deny the depth of their bond. I sat in my kayak, crying with them, feeling the raw truth that humans are not the only species capable of love and grief.

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Even in their loss, the pair stayed together—united on the water, their bond unbroken. Next spring, they will return and try again, as loons have for countless generations.

Out of that experience, Little Loonlet Meets the World was born. The book does not end in sadness but rather in celebration—in the joy of new life, the strength of family devotion, and the wonder of a little loonlet discovering the world. From this one story came not only my first published book, but also the founding of Hopper Books & Images, and the beginning of a journey to bring more wildlife stories into the world. This loonlet’s brief life gave rise to a path I will walk for years to come—telling the stories of wild creatures so their voices may be heard.

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​I will forever cherish the moments I spent with Little Loonlet. This book is a dedication not only to that tiny life, but to all the young wild creatures on earth beginning their fragile journeys.