Under the sea

While the ocean might be more than 1,000 miles from Iowa, it was the inspiration for Cedar Rapids author Charlotte Gunnufson’s latest picture book, “Dream Submarine.”

“I love the ocean,” Gunnufson, 57, said in a recent interview. “There’s something magical about it.”

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In her third picture book, out now from Candlewick Press, Gunnufson takes young readers on a gentle adventure under the sea, where they are introduced to a variety of sea creatures performing their bedtime routines, including getting settled in sponge beds, having their faces cleaned by a parent, and more.

Written in second person and featuring a young girl in a cozy submarine, Gunnufson hopes that kids can immerse themselves in the book by using their imaginations.

“I hope kids look at (the main character) and think ‘Oh, I’m her.’ Or … I’m in there with her, or I’m over here in my own sub and we are just kind of cruising along side-by-side.”

“I’m hoping kids have that experience. I like that feeling too — that feeling that you’re on an adventure or journey,” she said.

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Gunnufson has lived in Cedar Rapids for more than 25 years. As a parent and former educator, she has “been reading picture books forever” and understands the importance balancing an effective storyline with the language level of early-stage readers.

“It’s kind of thinking like a kid,” she explained. “Having been a teacher and having worked with kids and having been a parent … you just get a sense of ‘they’re going to understand that, they’re not going to understand that,’ and just trying to meet them where they’re at.”

Getting feedback from her readers also has been a fun experience. In addition to participating in the America Reads program, Gunnufson regularly visits schools, bookstores and libraries to read her books to kids.

The experience is good for the kids and “it also really benefits me because then I can see how they’re responding.”

“It’s very informative. You can see where … it’s almost like they get lost in the book. They step into it and they’re just suspended,” Gunnufson said.

Bonus material

At the back of the book Gunnufson also has included eight pages of fun, additional information about various sea creatures.

“Some kids really get into the facts. At school visits kids will come and tell me everything they know about sharks or any kind of ocean animal. It’s just great. They’re so excited about it,” she said.

In order to encourage this sense of wonder and exploration, Gunnufson persuaded her publisher to slightly expand the size of the picture book. Most picture books are 32 pages, she explained. With the additional facts at the end, her book is 40 pages.

“I just love being around kids and I love their innate curiously about stuff. They don’t hide their excitement and enthusiasm. If they’re really into something, you’re going to know it! Some kids just are so into facts about fish and once they know more, then they want to learn more. So I wanted them to have that opportunity,” Gunnufson said.

Gunnufson learned many of these facts through her extensive research, which became “very granular and very specific.” That’s because Gunnufson wanted both the bonus material and the picture book itself to be factual.

For example: the dream submarine takes a specific path and is at certain depths of the ocean at certain times of the day.

“Normally the illustrator just kind of runs with stuff,” said Gunnufson. But Gunnufson shared specifics and suggestions with the illustrator in order to make sure all of the illustrations were truthful to the location, depth, and time of day the imaginary submarine was passing by.

“There are so many different kinds of puffer fish. But if we’re in this area … well, there’s not every kind of puffer fish there, so you can’t just pick a puffer fish (to draw),” she said.

“The level of care from the illustrator, from the experts, from the editor, to the whole team is probably beyond what I thought it would be,” she added.

The result is a soothing, educational book sure to delight kids and adults.

“It’s a very safe, cozy way to have an adventure,” Gunnufson said.

“Dream Submarine” is available at all local booksellers as well as local libraries.