All About Sprout Storytelling

In the fall of 2024, Peyton Stoller embarked on the journey to create her very first environmental children’s book. She was a part of the Environmental Leadership Incubator (ELI) course offered at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Through this course, she had the support from her professor, Erika Zollett, to bring this project to life. Inspired by her research on olive ridley sea turtles in Costa Rica the previous summer, Peyton became deeply passionate about these remarkable creatures. Fueled by her vision, she sought to gather a team in her vibrant college town of Isla Vista, CA, to craft books that would be shared with children in the local community. With just an idea, a love for sea turtles, and an extroverted personality, she set out to create stories that could inspire and educate the next generation.

Once Peyton connected with Iris, a talented local illustrator and fellow environmental studies major from Isla Vista, it was clear that they were meant to work together. The two quickly assembled a team of professors, mentors in art and writing, designers, and fellow students to brainstorm and pitch ideas. Through collaborative effort and shared passion, they meticulously built the foundation for their first book. What began as rough sketches on newspaper at Caje, the local coffee shop in Isla Vista, gradually transformed into a fully realized manuscript, accompanied by scanned artwork — a true testament to their dedication and creativity.

After gaining experience in self-publishing and printing, Peyton ordered multiple proof copies to determine which version offered the highest quality. She then read the book aloud in both a first-grade and a second-grade classroom to identify the most suitable target audience. To expand the book’s reach, Peyton plans to distribute a copy to each elementary school where Sprout Up operates, as well as to the Goleta Library and several Little Free Libraries throughout Isla Vista. She also made the book available for global purchase through online distribution. Looking ahead, Peyton envisions developing a full lesson plan centered on the book’s theme of keystone species, which Sprout Up could implement nationwide. Her long-term goal is for all nine Sprout Up chapters across the country to incorporate her book into their programming.