Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape

by Mark C. Fava

Picture Book · Ages 3–8 · Adventure / Values / Military Life

A rhyming naval adventure aboard the aircraft carrier USS Shipshape, where Admiral Andy and his crew show young readers that teamwork, honesty, and kindness matter as much as the mission.

Family Choice Awards
WINNER
2026

Project Overview

Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape follows Admiral Andy and his crew through a day aboard a Navy aircraft carrier, using shipboard routines, like arriving on time, keeping things squared away, and looking out for shipmates, to teach young readers about teamwork, honesty, respect, and preparation. Written in rhyme by retired U.S. Navy Captain Mark C. Fava, the story draws on real naval tradition to make life at sea feel both exciting and true to life for children.

The central creative challenge was giving an adult, procedural world (rank structure, shipboard duties, naval routine) enough warmth and whimsy that young readers stay engaged, without losing the authenticity that gives the book its credibility with Navy families.

Role

Mark came to the project with a rhyming manuscript rooted in thirty years of real naval experience, and a clear picture of Admiral Andy as calm, kind, and unmistakably in command. The challenge was translating shipboard life, ranks, routines, a whole floating city of a ship, into something a three-year-old could follow and love, without flattening the authenticity that made the story matter to him.

Working on this book was a unique experience. Without firsthand experience onboard an aircraft carrier, the process relied on the author’s provided photos and careful research. But the result had to somehow feel familiar to those who’ve served on one.

From the first character sketches through to print-ready files, the work spanned 37 pages, keeping Andy’s crew visually consistent and the rhythm of the illustrations matched to the bounce of the rhyming text, so the finished book reads the way Mark heard it in his head.

Selected Double-Page Spreads (Final Book Layout)

The opening spread, where Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape are introduced together, establishing the ship’s scale before a single crew member is on deck.

Life spread across two decks at once, the bridge and the flight deck, each sailor absorbed in a distinct task. A visual cue that the ship runs on everyone doing their part.

A sailor caught mid-mistake, the moment chosen to show that owning a problem, not hiding it, is what real responsibility looks like.

The view from the command center as the ship eases toward dock, a quieter, wide-angle beat after the deck’s earlier bustle.

Character Design

Before a single page is illustrated, I develop the main characters in full — defining their proportions, expressions, and personality. This is the foundation that keeps your characters recognizable and consistent across every scene, every lighting condition, and every emotional moment in the project.

Andy the Admiral’s character sheet, built from the author’s photo references and developed into defined proportions, expressions, and personality before any page was illustrated.

With the design approved, the character sheet became the reference point for the whole book, the tool that kept Andy and his crew consistent across all 37 pages.

Process

Every project follows this same structured path, so you always know where we are and what comes next. You review and approve at the sketch stage and the line art stage — nothing moves to color until you’re happy. By the time the final spread is rendered, there are no surprises.

The rough sketch stage, translating Mark’s manuscript into composition and blocking, shared for his approval before any linework began.

Clean line art built from the approved sketch and Mark’s feedback, the stage where composition was locked in before color began.

The finished, colored spread, approved and ready for print, the final stop on the sketch-to-color path.

From the Author

Illustrators Prajogo and Bastian deliver richly detailed, cinematic illustrations that
capture the impressive scale of an aircraft carrier while keeping the warm,
accessible energy appropriate for picture book readers. The diverse cast of sailors
depicted across the spreads is a welcome and natural touch, reflecting the real-world
makeup of the U.S. Navy.

Mark C. Fava – Author of Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape

Book Details

ISBN-13

979-8891388031

Publisher

Mascot Kids

Publish Date

September 1, 2026

Reading Age

3 – 8 years

Page Count

37 pages

Format

Hardcover, eBook

Available at:

Amazon

Publisher’s Website

More Books on Similar Themes

Let’s Work Together

Have a story that matters to you? Whether you need full illustration for a picture book, chapter book interior art, or just a cover — I’d love to hear about your project.

Tell me your story idea, timeline, and budget, and I’ll get back to you within 1–2 business days.

Tell Me About Your Project

Browse More Books