Scarsdale Alum Publishes Children’s Book

Rachelle Gage, SHS’12 has just published her first book. She both wrote and illustrated “The Fantastic Pups,” a children’s book about three adorable pups each with their own unique traits, who ultimately work together to save the day. The charming story is paired with hand drawn characters and a dreamy pastel palette.

Rachelle graduated from Skidmore College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Design and has experience in drawing, photography, and graphic design.

According to Gage, “The book was sparked by a love for book design, from writing and illustrating numerous stories to redrawing book covers throughout childhood. I’ve always been passionate about art, which led to my design-oriented career.”

Asked about her experience at SHS, Gage said, “At Scarsdale High School I developed a love for printmaking and continued into the AP art class at Scarsdale High School. I was so happy to have more art incorporated into my school schedule and would even eat lunch in the art room to continue my projects. I am very grateful for the art department at Scarsdale, and that I was able to create a schedule catered to my passions.”

She continued, “I have worked in the graphic design department of a fashion company for a little over three years. On the side, I attend figure drawing sessions and photograph nature, two of my other passions. I’ve had the idea for my book for many years, and after a book project back in college, decided to revisit my Fantastic Pups idea. When my 3 dogs, who were the inspiration for the book, passed away after 14 years I pulled out my book and began to focus on it. The initial story began to evolve as I created the illustrations. I wanted to combine my fine arts and design backgrounds. My hand drawing style is more about the marks and sketchiness, while my graphic design is more pop art and about color. I used a hand drawn outline look for the characters, applied over a cleaner graphic background. I tested printing the final draft with various self publishing companies, and eventually moved forward with IngramSpark.”

The book can be purchased through various retailers, including Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Walmart. Purchase your own copy of “The Fantastic Pups” on Amazon here: