What if even in the darkest nights we could find reminders that we are never truly alone? Nelly and the Night Sky explores the gentle space between missing someone and feeling their love all around us.
Where did the story come from?
I had wanted to write and illustrate a children’s book for years, and the earliest idea for Nelly and the Night Sky actually began more than six years ago.
Originally, I imagined it as a short chapter book for slightly older children. The characters and pieces of the story were there, but it hadn’t yet become the story it was meant to be.
That changed after my mom passed away.
Watching my own children experience the loss of their mimi made me think differently about what this book could become. I wanted to create something more meaningful—something that could help young children navigate the loss of someone they love while still giving them a sense of comfort, hope, and connection.
Our family became the inspiration behind the story. I began imagining each of us represented by one of the animals in Nelly’s world, which made the characters and their relationships feel incredibly personal to me.
Then came the stars.
My husband works for NASA and has always loved astronomy, so bringing the night sky and constellations into the story felt like such a natural connection between our family and Nelly’s journey.
So although Nelly’s story belongs to her, there are little pieces of our family everywhere.
That makes this book incredibly special to me.
What began years ago as a completely different book slowly became a story filled with pieces of the people I love.
So Why did I create this story?
I created Nelly and the Night Sky because I wanted to turn something deeply personal into something that might help another family.
After losing my mom and watching my children process that loss, I kept thinking about how difficult grief can be for young children to understand.
I didn’t want to create a book that tried to give them all the answers.
Instead, I wanted to give them a gentle way into the conversation.
Through Nelly’s journey, the friendships she encounters, and the lessons hidden within the stars, children can explore ideas of love, memory, courage, connection, and hope.
My hope is that it can become special to another family too—especially during a time when they may need a little extra comfort.
Why does this Theme matter to me?
This theme matters to me because it grew out of something our own family experienced. Also, having lived through many losses as a child this is an important topic for me. I want to be able to give back in a way that resinates with me.
When my mom died, my children weren’t just watching me lose my mom, but someone I considered my best friend and They were losing their mimi too.
Grief looks different for everyone, and children often have feelings and questions they don’t quite know how to express. They also don't understand the feelings and emotions you may be going through. As a parent, you want to make those feelings easier for them, but there isn’t always a perfect answer.
That experience made me want to create a story that could offer children a little comfort.
I wanted Nelly and the Night Sky to acknowledge that missing someone is hard, while also reminding children that the love and influence of that person doesn’t just simply disappear.
There can still be joy. There can still be wonder. There can still be beautiful reminders of the people we love all around us.
That is ultimately what I hope children feel when they read Nelly’s story.
Why I choose this illustration style and visual world.
I wanted the visual world of Nelly and the Night Sky to feel magical, emotional, and full of discovery.
Because the story is rooted in my own family, I wanted the characters to feel full of personality and connection. Each animal represents someone in our family, so their expressions, relationships, and little moments together are an important part of how I tell the story visually.
The ocean and night sky also gave me this incredible opportunity to create a world filled with rich color, movement, glowing light, and wonder.
The stars were especially important.
Like I mentioned before my husbands works for NASA and loves astronomy, so constellations became a beautiful way to weave something meaningful from our own lives into Nelly’s world. Throughout her journey, the night sky becomes more than a backdrop. It becomes part of the storytelling.
My own illustration style is naturally colorful, layered, and painterly. I love the softness and texture of watercolor and gouache, and I want my work to retain that hand-created feeling even when I am working digitally.
For this story, I wanted the artwork to feel almost cinematic at times. Nelly might appear very small beneath an enormous sky in one scene, while another moment feels warm, intimate, and close.
That contrast helps communicate what Nelly is feeling without having to explain everything in words.
Ultimately, I wanted to create a visual world where grief and wonder could exist together.
A world that feels safe, beautiful, hopeful—and filled with little reminders that love is still there.
Nelly isn’t simply inspired by my experience with loss; the entire world of the book grew out of my family.
Love Nelly and the Night Sky?
If you fell in love with Nelly and the Night Sky and would love to see this book on your shelf or simply want to follow along and see more of what I’m creating I’d be so grateful for your support. ✨
You can follow me on Instagram at @juliemstudios for more behind-the-scenes peeks, stories, and new projects.
And if you’re a literary agent who’s passionate about emotionally resonant picture books, or you know someone who might be a good fit, I’d love to connect. 💛
With love and color, Jules,