• A Little About Us

    Author. Illustrator. Dad.

    .....and here's how it all began.

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    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 the music room, maybe the playground, maybe somewhere she’d never been. And the best part? Adventures are always more fun with a friend.

    My daughter 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 dressed them in bright outfits, gave them musical instruments, and imagined a world where kindness, friendship, 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

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