Behind the Book with Kelsie Dayna, Illustrator of From Aloha to Zippy’s

Photo: Courtesy of Kelsie Dayna

Coming this month from local publisher Bess Press, From Aloha to Zippy’s is a dazzling and playful alphabet journey through Hawai‘i’s diverse cultures and communities. The book features art by Honolulu-based artist and illustrator Kelsie Dayna, honoring the original 2007 classic while offering a beautiful reimagining of the beloved plants, animals, artifacts and foods that make up our island home.

We caught up with Dayna to discuss her artistic process and dive deep into the ins and outs of creating an alphabet book.

Congratulations on the publication of From Aloha to Zippy’s! This is such an outstanding alphabet book. Can you speak about your process creating these dynamic illustrations?

KD: I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to reimagine Bess Press’s classic From Aloha to Zippy’s through a new set of illustrations. From the beginning, our goal was to create artwork that feels timeless—using imagery that resonates with keiki while also sparking meaningful conversations with older readers. We wanted each page to celebrate Hawai‘i’s diverse communities and cultures in a way that feels both playful and lasting.

Each letter unfolds within a Hawai‘i-inspired vignette, where objects and details are thoughtfully hidden throughout the scene. I wanted to play with positive and negative space: the cover uses negative space to subtly spell out the title, while the interior pages rely on illustration to form the positive space of each letter. It became a visual dialogue—between space and shape, discovery and storytelling.

Photo: Courtesy of Kelsie Dayna

How does the process of creating an alphabet book differ from creating other artwork?

KD: Creating an alphabet book is a very different process than developing a single illustration. With an alphabet book, the structure is already defined. There are 26 letters, which can be both a creative guide and design challenge. Each vignette has to clearly represent its letter while still feeling cohesive with the rest of the book. It’s a constant balance between clarity and creativity while being mindful to always keep Hawai‘i at the forefront of every letter.

Your style is incredibly distinct—bold and playful while exquisitely detailed and just so visually engaging. Did you learn anything new or surprising about your style and your approach to art-making in the process?

KD: This project helped me hone in on what I love most about illustration—storytelling! In the early stages, I considered using simple, icon-like images arranged inside the shape of each letter. But I quickly realized the pages needed narrative energy. When I began thinking of each letter as a familiar Hawai‘i gathering or activity, the illustrations immediately started to feel more alive.

I also love experimenting with composition, and this project really pushed that. Each spread had to function as a story while simultaneously forming the structure of a letter. Balancing those two goals helped me creatively and ultimately strengthened the way I approach visual storytelling.

Photo: Courtesy of Kelsie Dayna

I wonder if you have a favorite illustration (letter!) from the book, and what you enjoy about it?

KD: Hands down, my favorite letter is Q. It was definitely a challenge—there aren’t many words that begin with Q, and the shape itself presents a compositional hurdle. While we could have chosen words like “quesadilla” or “quail,” it was important to keep Hawai‘i and storytelling at the heart of every letter.

For Q, I chose to feature the Queen’s Quilt, sewn by Queen Lili‘uokalani during her imprisonment at ‘Iolani Palace in 1895. The quilt documents significant moments in her life, and I did my best to thoughtfully reference the individual squares she created.

Did you have an ideal reader in mind while working?

KD: The ideal reader is a curious keiki sitting next to a parent, kūpuna or teacher. I think the book is visually exciting and accessible to keiki but also layered enough for older readers who can point things out, explain cultural references and share their own stories and connections. My own kids were also a big inspiration for the book because they love look-and-find books, and to have the images reflect their home and culture made it that much more special.

In engaging with this book, it’s clear that food is a recurring motif across letters. Thinking of food as such a vital gathering point in Hawai‘i (and knowing that Zippy’s concludes the book!), how did food and local cuisine inform your drawings?

Food is essential. In Hawai‘i, food isn’t just about eating—it’s really about gathering, celebration, and community. It’s how we show love, how we connect across generations and how different cultures intersect. So incorporating local dishes and shared meals into the illustrations was natural and necessary.

Related to the above: what’s your go-to Zippy’s order?

I’m a sandwich and fries girly, so my go-to Zippy’s order is the Clubhouse sandwich!

Mahalo to Kelsie Dayna for sharing these insights! Dayna has also collaborated with Zippy’s on a keiki menu inspired by the illustrations featured in From Aloha to Zippy’s. For the month of March and in celebration of National Reading Month, keiki who dine in at any Zippy’s location across Hawai‘i can enjoy this fun and engaging takeaway.

SEE ALSO: A Conversation with Lauren Trangmar, Author of An Illustrated Map Book of Hawai‘i

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., Kaimukī, open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl