Current Project
Projected Title: Lost and Found Family
Format: Illustrated Children’s Book
Medium: Traditional Watercolor and Graphite
Target Audience: Ages 6-10
Project Description:
Lost and Found Family is a richly illustrated picture book telling a heartfelt story of two children separated by hardship and reunited by healing, trust, and chosen family. Lost and Found Family unfolds as a deeply personal and visually poetic journey, capturing the quiet resilience of children and the restorative power of compassion.
By the Hand of The Hudson
Watercolor and Graphite on Paper
The story follows a girl who journeys up the waterways of the East Coast—guided by rivers, lakes, and helping hands—in search of the boy she once called family. Along the way, she is aided by three mysterious figures in shelters (artist, teacher, and caretaker), while the boy awaits rescue in silence and fear. Their symbolic reunion on the beach forms the story’s luminous emotional center.
“Both inspiring and deeply thoughtful, this book offers a rare and necessary look at resilience and healing. Randall proves that his storytelling ability extends far beyond illustration—his words are just as moving and unforgettable.”
Jessica Tant, Fable ARC Review
Inspired by the structure of the Norwegian folktale East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and re-imagined through the lens of present-day trauma recovery, the book blends mythic archetypes with the modern realities of foster care, abuse survival, and belonging.
The illustrations for Lost and Found Family feature soft watercolor washes layered with pencil detail, expressive faces, coastal landscapes, and character vignettes. Spread compositions are guided by the golden ratio and feature motifs from water, sky, and memory. Select visual elements draw on quilt-like symbolism, found family themes, and the spiritual resonance of stillness and light.
This project is written with parental guidance in mind, offering a rare blend of vulnerability, visual beauty, and literary structure. It aims to honor children who have experienced abandonment or loss by helping them see themselves not as broken—but as brave, beloved, and never beyond hope.
A full story draft is available upon request for publishers, agents, or SCBWI reviewers.
Castles on Coney Island
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Lost-and-Found-Family-Expressions_webp-1920xa.webp
Fable ARC Review – Lost and Found Family
M. Chad Randall makes a stunning debut as an author in this modern fairytale for upper elementary through middle school readers. While the book weaves in heavy themes—trauma, neglect, and abuse—it does so with honesty and care, making it a story best read with an adult.
What makes this story stand out is that it isn’t a tidy “happily ever after.” Instead, it reflects the reality that recovery takes time. The children are learning to cope, heal, and move forward, supported by the power of found family and the power of friendship. Randall shows that strong, chosen bonds can help us overcome even the toughest obstacles.
Both inspiring and deeply thoughtful, this book offers a rare and necessary look at resilience and healing. Randall proves that his storytelling ability extends far beyond illustration—his words are just as moving and unforgettable.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the completed illustustrated version as I know the images will bring even more life into this story.
Interested in Collaborating?
M. Chad Randall is available for partnerships with writers, publishers, and editors who value timeless, story-driven illustration. He’d love to bring your next project to life.