Salmon Run by Annie Chen at ALA

I was able to see Salmon Run by Annie Chen at ALA in Philadelphia. It was hot off the presses. Not even the author/illustrator, Annie Chen, had seen it. It felt like a full circle moment because Annie Chen is my oldest daughter’s best friend from college.

A dual degree RISD/Brown student, Annie took the famed picture book class at RISD. I happened to see her cover image when she was at my house. If the rest of the book was even half as gorgeous as the cover, I knew there was a 95% chance that I could get it published.

It took me a few months to chase down Annie’s picture book dummy. It wasn’t that she was reluctant to show me; she was in her final year of college, trying to finish her thesis. It was worth the wait.

I sent it to my dear friends at Red Comet Press, and Angus said, “She had the most beautiful infographics that he had ever seen.” This is high praise coming from a children’s book industry veteran of 30 years!

The book is finally printed and will be released on November 4, 2025. I can’t wait!

Salmon Run: An epic journey to the ocean and back by Annie Chen

An exquisitely presented account of the life cycle of a Pacific salmon that is sure to entice young naturalists with its accessible design and inviting and informative text

She begins as a tiny orange egg . . . smaller than a pea! Salmon Run follows a Pacific coho salmon as she begins her journey in the freshwater rivers of Washington State, travels to the vast Pacific Ocean, and finally returns to the place of her birth to spawn and begin the cycle of life once again. During this arduous adventure that spans hundreds of miles, she will grow and change through five distinct stages of life: egg, alevin, fry, smolt, and adult. From river to estuary to ocean, she will hide from predators, search for food, and encounter a range of marine environments. With a careful balance of scientific accuracy and luminous illustrations, Salmon Run invites young readers to explore the remarkable life of this keystone species in the North Pacific ecosystem—and the magic of its journey home. [nonfiction picture book, ages 4 and up]

p.s. Related posts:

Painted Lady Butterfly Migration is AMAZING!

7 Bird Migration Children’s Books

Whale Watching in Maui & Whale Book List

7 Stories About Saving Sea Creatures That Center BIPOC Protagonists

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My books:

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods

Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat

Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection