The Story Behind Tubba and Friends

It all started on a hot Arizona day in the middle of May… and with a pink guitar.

One afternoon, I was sitting on the couch, drawing and coloring, when my little girl came downstairs strumming her toy guitar. She started playing on one side of the room… then the other.

I said, “You’re playing music over here, you’re playing over there… you can play it anywhere.”

She giggled and replied, “Maybe I can play music with friends.”

That’s when she sat down beside me and asked the question that would change everything: “Daddy… how do you make friends?”

She was just about to start kindergarten, stepping into a big, unfamiliar world. And that question stopped me. Because behind her innocent words was something bigger: nervousness, curiosity, vulnerability… and a real longing for connection.

So I told her, “Friendship starts with kindness. Say hello. Share a smile. You’ll meet kids who may not look like you or sound like you, but who, like you, want to belong.”

I explained that every day at school would be a new adventure, maybe in the music room, maybe on the playground, maybe somewhere she’d never been. And the best part? Adventures are always more fun with a friend.

She then asked me to draw a bear, a monkey, a tiger, an elephant, a pig… and more. With each sketch, the characters came to life. We gave them in bright outfits, gave them musical instruments, and imagined a world where friendship, kindness and adventure lead the way.

And just like that, Tubba and Friends were born. What started as a way to comfort and connect with my daughter became something much bigger: A mission to help all kids feel seen, valued, and connected—to themselves, to each other, and to the world around them.

----- Michael Ivery | Author Illustrator Creator