How I Brought a Children’s Book Dragon to Life in Felt
- Leah Herde
- Sep 12
- 4 min read
Some projects arrive like assignments. Others arrive like gifts from the universe. For me, creating a five-foot felted dragon named Draco was absolutely one of those gifts.
Friendship, Storytelling, and the Night Sky
My dear friend Amy Jackson and I go way back. We first met when our oldest children were in second grade, and over the years we have supported each other through the ups and downs of motherhood. This year we shared the bittersweet milestone of sending those same two kids off to college. Through all of life’s seasons, Amy has been a constant encourager of my felted art, and I have had the privilege of learning from her as a night sky advocate and educator.
Amy is the director of Starry Sky Austin, where she works to protect our view of the stars and inspire wonder about the cosmos. Her children’s books are an extension of that mission, teaching kids to fall in love with the night sky. Her latest book, Little Sky Bear and the Dragon, tells the story of unlikely friends who journey beneath constellations in the Northern Hemisphere. It is both a tale of courage and friendship, and an introduction to the magic of the night sky.
How the Felted Dragon Came to Be
One day, during one of those universe-inspired conversations, I shared with Amy about my vision of helping people connect with their spirit animals through custom felted creations. In that moment, Amy realized she had been searching for a way to bring the dragon from her new book to life. My heart leapt. I had never been so excited to felt a creature into being.
Together with Amy and her mother, illustrator Donna Paredes, we designed a five-foot wool dragon to travel with Amy to her live readings. We named him Draco, after the constellation. He was sculpted as the sleeping dragon from the book’s illustrations, soft and approachable, so children would feel safe to come close.
At storytime events, Draco rests peacefully nearby. Children tiptoe up, give him a gentle two-finger touch, and their faces light up with awe. In that moment, the story steps off the page and comes alive in the room.
More Than Wool and Wire
This project was so much more than an art commission. It was a way to honor an artist, author, and educator who has poured her heart into teaching others about the sky above. It was a chance to merge my own creative path with hers in a way that celebrated friendship, storytelling, and advocacy.
I often told Amy during the process that I was not sure I could part with him. Draco had become my “emotional support dragon,” keeping me company in the studio and reminding me why I love this work. Creating him was a reminder that when we align our gifts with what matters most to us, the result is more than a product. It is meaning, connection, and impact.
Journal Prompts for Your Own Creative Journey
Draco’s story is also an invitation for you. If you are a creative, entrepreneur, or someone seeking to align your work with your deeper passions, take a moment to reflect. Use these questions as journal prompts to spark new ideas:
What part of your life or business lights you up the most, and how could you lean into that energy even more?
Where do you feel the spark of excitement in your work, and how might you expand it to create even more joy for yourself and your customers?
What is the part of your business you would love to do more of, the piece that feels most aligned with your passion and purpose?
Where do you feel most alive in your work, and how could you grow that space to make an even bigger impact?
Which ideas or offerings make you excited to get out of bed in the morning, and how might you bring more of that magic to your clients?
When we align our creativity with our soul’s mission, we do more than create products or services. We create transformation, inspiration, and lasting connections.
Meet Draco and Bring the Story Home
If you would like to meet Draco in person, you can find him at Amy Jackson’s upcoming children’s book readings in the Austin, Texas area. He will be snoozing nearby, ready for soft pats from little hands.
And if you would like to bring a piece of this magic home, order a copy of Little Sky Bear and the Dragon today. It is a story of courage, friendship, and the wonder of the night sky—one that will inspire your family to look up and dream.
At Roving Way, we believe every creation can carry soul and meaning. If you are feeling called to connect more deeply with your intuition or explore your own creative path, know that you have friends here ready to walk with you on the journey.
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