Publishing is a long game, especially when it comes to picture books. It takes at least two years from the time a publisher accepts a manuscript to the day the book appears on shelves. Then there’s the time spent writing the story in the first place. Sometimes the words flow and other times it takes years for a manuscript to gel. No instant gratification in this industry. But when a story grabs your heart, it’s well worth the wait. That was the case with my latest picture book The Dog Who Saved the Bees. I wrote my first draft of the manuscript in 2018 and then revised it at least 27 times before it was published by Sleeping Bear Press on August 1, 2025. It was a seven-year journey that started well before I had an agent and to be honest, well before I truly knew what I was doing. But I did know it was a good story, and I was determined to share it. The Dog Who Saved the Bees is the true account of Cybil Preston, chief apiary inspector for the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and her rescue dog Mack. Cybil is responsible for certifying commercial beehives free of disease before they ship across the United States to pollinate crops. Without these honey bees, people wouldn’t have foods like almonds, apples, and strawberries on their tables. But if even one diseased hive leaves Maryland, it could decimate local bee populations at its destination. So, Cybil’s job is essential. However, there are too many hives for Cybil and her team to inspect on their own. To lighten the load, Cybil uses scent detection dogs.  Mack inspecting a beehive Cybil’s first sniffer dog was a Labrador retriever named Mack. Before Cybil rescued him, Mack lived alone in a family’s garage. He was unruly and untrained, but Cybil couldn’t bear to leave him there. So she took him home and started working with him. At first, Mack wouldn’t listen and couldn’t focus. But Cybil wouldn’t give up. Thanks to her hard work and perseverance, Mack eventually became the only certified foulbrood detection dog in the United States. And the work he does is so important, Cybil and Mack were awarded the Customer Service Heroes Award by the governor of Maryland. I first met Cybil in the summer of 2018 when I interviewed her for an American Kennel Club article. From that initial conversation, I was hooked. Although I was unagented and still learning my children’s writing craft, I asked Cybil if I could tell her story to kids. She graciously accepted and I started writing. The first few versions of the story read like a magazine article instead of a picture book. Later drafts ballooned to over 1,700 words. I even worked on a version for middle grade readers. I revised and rewrote and invited as much feedback as I possibly could. And the manuscript got tighter and more engaging. Eventually, I queried agents and submitted the story to editors through webinar and conference opportunities. One editor even took the story to acquisitions, but it didn’t make it through. And still I kept revising. Just like Cybil, I wouldn’t give up.  Interior spread from The Dog Who Saved the Bees illustrated by David Hohn Finally, in February 2023, after my amazing critique partners helped me to polish the manuscript one last time, my agent sent it out on submission. And by April, we had an offer from Sleeping Bear Press. I was overjoyed! All the hard work and perseverance had paid off. Then when I saw David Hohn’s brilliant illustrations, I cried. It was better than I had ever imagined. Cybil and Mack’s journey was finally going to be on bookshelves. Nothing came quickly with The Dog Who Saved the Bees, but telling this story was well worth the wait. I hope it grabs your heart as much as it grabbed mine.
Stephanie Gibeault is an award-winning author of children’s picture books and middle grade nonfiction. As a former biologist with a Master of Science in animal behavior, Stephanie used to spend her time grunting with gorillas and stinking like marmoset monkeys. Years later, being a certified professional dog trainer meant being covered in fur and drool. Now she spends her days just outside of Toronto, Canada, sharing her love of dogs and other animals through her writing. For more information, please visit stephaniegibeault.com. Social Media Handles: Instagram: @stephanie_gibeault Bluesky: @stephaniegibeault.bsky.social Comments are closed.
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