CANTON — Spring Break did not go as planned this year due to the coronavirus. Instead of exploring the sites, sounds, and smells in Thailand as originally planned, Sarah Murphy (Tulloch) of Canton, was stuck on a Navy base in Japan wondering when the next time she would be allowed to leave.

Murphy, along with Amy Dobbins (Brauckman) of Katy, TX, rather than letting these circumstances get them down, got to work. Setting up a makeshift headquarters in the small parking lot between their homes, they took the first step towards turning their idea of creating a children’s board book about their time living on a military base into a reality.

Murphy’s vision was to capture some of the more quintessential places on the base, and instead of using some of the rudimentary and elementary artistic portrayals in most children’s books, she decided to turn these key places into works of art. That’s where her friend, John Molinero, a friend from her Canton youth, comes in.

Molinero recently moved to the Seattle area where he works as a freelance artist. Murphy pitched the concept to him, sent a few photos, and then he quickly turned around some breathtaking paintings. With the production process underway, Dobbins then lent her talents in graphic design, supply-chain management, and internet marketing to put the finishing touches on the book and take over sales and distribution.

They launched the book July 28 with a virtual event that had more than 200 people watching.

They have sold nearly 400 copies since launch. The event and book gathered attention and were featured on the cover of the Pacific Stars and Stripes newspaper as well as on an NCPR interview which airs on Nov. 6.

The book, Good Morning Yokosuka, starts in the morning and goes throughout the day as well as the seasons. It shows various locations and vocations that represent the military community. The book’s cover presents a Destroyer sailing in front of Mount Fuji at dawn. It costs $14 and is available at goodmorningmilitarybooks.com. The next book, Good Morning Okinawa, is also available for pre-sale and will be shipping mid-December. The duo plans to continue producing books for military bases worldwide for all branches of the service.

Sarah Murphy's husband, Commander Micah D Murphy, USN, is the Commanding Officer of Afloat Training Group Western Pacific in Yokosuka, Japan. Amy Dobbin’s husband, Lieutenant Jonathan Dobbins, USN, is the Explosive Ordnance Diving Officer for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.

Murphy is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Michael Tulloch of Canton.

For more information email goodmorningmilitarybooks@gmail.com .