"Pete's Too Sweet!" Children's Book — meghancoledesign

Pete’s Too Sweet! A brave child’s journey with Type 1 Diabetes.

Thesis / Spring 2023 / Art Direction: Paul Kepple

Pete’s Too Sweet, a brave child’s journey with Type 1 Diabetes is a story that takes the reader along for Pete’s transition into life with Type 1 Diabetes. Pete shares pieces of his life before being diagnosed, which is filled with spending time with friends and family, along with doing all of his favorite activities. He then gets diagnosed and is faced with a slew of challenges, creating a new reality that he has to adjust to. Although Pete’s life changes, he eventually starts to get back to his old self, not being held back by his diabetes.

I wanted to create “Pete’s Too Sweet” as a way to share pieces of my own experience with being diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes, to hopefully create a relatable story for children who are going through the same thing. It can be an extremely difficult and isolating journey after being newly diagnosed, so I want Sweet Pete to serve as a reminder that it is possible to live a normal and healthy life while living with Type 1 Diabetes.

Below, you can flip through Pete’s journey and learn about his life and taking his power back after his diagnosis.

About the Book & Author

Storyboarding

Storyboarding “Pete’s Too Sweet,” was a crucial first step in creating the copy and illustrations. Throughout my storyboarding process, I created simple illustrations and language to give myself an idea of what I wanted to include within the actual story. I then began the sketching process, where I explored various character styles, color palettes, body shapes/sizes, etc. Overall, these first steps set the foundation of the story and guided me in creating the story beats, character styles, and copy within “Pete’s Too Sweet.”

Character Exploration

Creating the main character, Sweet Pete, was one of my first steps in building the storyline and developing an environment that matched the design of the characters. I wanted to create a main character that reflected human-like features, while also incorporating an eccentric color palette for the skin, hair, eyes, eyebrows, etc. Above are some of Pete’s facial expressions that he uses to portray his feelings of happiness, worry/concern, and sleepiness, which provide the reader a look into Pete’s personality and how he expresses his emotions. The details on his face, such as his glasses, rosy cheeks, and puffy hair are all unique details that are memorable to someone reading this story. Overall, creating Sweet Pete, along with the other characters, created a foundation in constructing the entirety of this story.

Color Palette, Patterns & Textures

The color palette and textures portrayed throughout the story were all imperative details that helped shape the environment of the story. The color palette shown above are only some of the colors that are used throughout the story. It was important to assign a certain hue to each color that I wanted to incorporate and not stray too far away from that palette. As far as the patterns/textures, I wanted to incorporate brush strokes that elevated the two-dimensionality of the shapes that build the characters and their setting. I used these brushes to create patterns that can be seen on character’s clothing, eyebrows, objects within the setting and more. Adding those final touches really helped the story come to life and provided an individuality to each of the characters within the story. Overall, developing the color, patterns and textures within this story was a crucial process, that has ultimately led to a successful outcome.

Diabetic Tool Kit

These three illustrations are key components to what a diabetic will need in their day to day life. These objects are highlighted and explained within the story, but I wanted to call out the importance of insulin, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and sugary beverages to a Type 1 Diabetic (T1D). On the very left, this needle/shot represents insulin, which is the substance a T1D injects within themself before they eat carbohydrates, and/or sugar. Insulin lowers a person’s blood sugar, a vital natural substance that helps keep the body healthy. The middle object is called a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM for short. This gadget works like a sensor within the skin that measures a diabetic’s glucose levels. This device is very helpful to T1Ds, as it helps keep them healthy and to help better manage blood sugar levels. Lastly, the juice box on the far right is a symbol for low blood sugar. Sometimes, a diabetic can take too much insulin, which can lead to a rapid decrease in blood sugar which can be very dangerous. As a way to get it back up quickly, a sugary beverage, like an apple juice can serve as the perfect, quick acting remedy.

The Importance of this Story

Writing and illustrating “Pete’s Too Sweet” was a way for me to connect with other Type 1 Diabetics, but also shed light on what it is like to live with this disease. I was diagnosed in August 2022, as a 21 year old. I have lived almost my entire life without T1D, which made the diagnosis and lifestyle adjustments very difficult. Sweet Pete and I now have to eat carbs and sugars in moderation, always be aware of our blood sugar levels, and be prepared for the effects of high and low blood sugars. Another big piece of the disease is telling other people. After being diagnosed, I was flooded with questions and concerns about and wondered how I was going to handle this new life. The simple answer is to take everything one day at a time, give yourself grace and patience and try to seek out community, as diabetes can become very lonely. Although the transition has been difficult and still is, I am grateful that I now know how to properly take care of my body, so I can get back to doing all the things I love, just like Sweet Pete. I also owe a huge thank you to my friends and family for supporting me in every way, while navigating this new disease. All in all, “Pete’s Too Sweet” has been my way of sharing my own experience and teaching others about the ups and downs (literally) of Type 1 Diabetes.

The Black Pearl