Deep Sea Farmer

Dahlov Ipcar’s book about an underwater farmer, published in 1961, sheds light on the hidden world beneath the water, where a tireless merman tends to his marine farm. With the help of two seahorses, he patrols his domain, protects manatees from fierce tiger sharks, and frees creatures caught in the many traps and nets that litter his underwater world. In the evenings, he removes his cowboy hat and rocks in his favorite chair, accompanied by the purring of catfish and tuna nestled at his feet.

In her autobiography, Dahlov wrote that when thinking about a new book, she first draws the illustrations and then invents the story to go with them.

She created her books based solely on her own vision, with minimal interference from publishers. Her guiding principle was always a sense of responsibility to her young readers. Dahlov believed that a child growing up without access to art was like a child growing up without love, and she considered children’s books to be the most accessible form of art for young readers.