Seahorses Are Sold Out

A lockdown bestseller and high spirited story about an enterprising only child and a single-father’s juggle to work from home.

Mika’s father works from home and he’s very busy! He can never find time for the promised swimming trip. So Dad allows Mika to choose a pet from the store while he finishes the project—something quiet like a mouse. And so begins a wonderfully turbulent story in which Mika brings home one animal after another… The mouse gets lost so they need a dog to find it. The dog is followed by a seal, the seal a penguin. One pet for Mika leads to another and another. How many animals can come to stay before a harassed father notices?

A relatable, cheerful and wild picture book for families during lockdown, with a single-parent juggling working from home and childcare. Celebrating Mika’s initiative and creativity, this is a fun and absurd story ideal for 5-7 year olds to read independently or together. Featuring a single dad working from home and gender neutral child, Mika, this picture book allows young readers of all ages to identify with diverse characters.

“Absolutely hilarious.”—Kirkus Reviews

Constanze Spengler is an author and illustrator living in Germany.

Katja Gehrmann writes and illustrates children’s books. She studied illustration in Mexico, Spain and Germany, where she now lives.

Praise for Seahorses Are Sold Out:
"Lively, colorful illustrations drawn in loose black outlines track this incredible saga of a bored kid, an opportunistic pet-shop owner, and a clueless father in comic double-page spreads chronicling Mika’s wild, unsupervised activities, culminating in a surprising climax. Absolutely hilarious."—Kirkus Reviews

“Here is a book that shows a single Dad and never uses a pronoun for its protagonist all whilst being an entertaining page turner in a longer picture book format. It is also a celebration of children’s independence and ingenuity.”—Love Four Learning

“This fun picture book shows how independent our young people can be, and how sometimes bedlam can follow.”—Schools and Libraries Association New Zealand Aotearoa