Coming Up for Air

How a Turtle Helped Us Through Illness and Recovery

Written & Illustrated by Suzanne Stryk

In a small town in western Virginia, Suzanne and Dan Stryk share a rich life of writing and visual art. When Dan is diagnosed with cancer, both their daily routines and their creative lives are put on hold and turn messy. The story Suzanne tells traces the struggles she and Dan have under the unrelenting strain of an uncertain future and the tension created in navigating the bewildering universe of a hospital, talking with doctors to try to understand what is happening, figuring out meds, and taking on the demanding day-in-and-day-out care of someone who is seriously ill. Enter a “little package of wildness,” a yellow-belly slider turtle. The care and sharing of the turtle’s life turn the couples’ focus outward and becomes a source of solace and wonder. Suzanne’s vibrant and expressive drawings accompany her down-to-earth narrative that captures the challenges, the joys, and even the humor that comprise the couple’s journey toward recovery with a turtle at their side.

Please click on the images below to review our proposal, the sample pages, and the whole manuscript.