O is for Oil: The ABCs of Odessa
by Adrian Vega
Picture Book · Ages 3–6 · ABC / West Texas / Community / Local Pride
From art to oil to the wide West Texas sky — an alphabet adventure through the culture, heritage, and community spirit of Odessa, Texas.
Project Overview
O is for Oil: The ABCs of Odessa by Adrian Vega is a love letter to West Texas in alphabet form, taking young readers through the places, traditions, industries, and people that make Odessa and the Permian Basin genuinely distinctive. Each letter unlocks something specific about Odessa’s identity — from its deep roots in the oil industry to its art, education, and community life — making the book function as both a learning tool and a cultural keepsake for families with connections to the region.
The illustration challenge was giving each letter’s spread its own visual identity while maintaining a cohesive sense of place across all 26 — the vast West Texas landscape, its particular quality of light and sky, and the warmth of its community needed to feel consistent from A to Z, so that the book read as a portrait of one place rather than a collection of disconnected images.
Role
- Full book illustration across 26 alphabet spreads
- West Texas landscape and environment illustration
- Community and industry scene design
- Visual cohesion across a multi-spread alphabet format
- Print-ready file preparation
Selected Double-Page Spreads (Final Book Layout)
Book Details
ISBN-13
978-1645434221
Publisher
Mascot Books
Publish Date
July 7, 2020
Reading Age
6 – 8 years
Page Count
38 pages
Format
8.25″ x 10″ Hardcover
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