Andy the Admiral Has Set Sail!

My first children’s book was more than a year in the making, and launch day was yesterday.

Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape was released on September 1, 2026.

Andy is the first book in The Shipshape Shipmates, a new children’s book series that introduces young readers to the people, traditions, and values of the U.S. Navy through colorful characters, rhyming stories, and adventures at sea.

At its heart, Andy the Admiral is about character. Through a day aboard the USS Shipshape, Andy and his shipmates help children learn lessons about teamwork, preparation, responsibility, kindness, respect, and doing your best—even when no one is watching.

And Andy is just the beginning.

The next two Shipshape Shipmates books are already in the works and are scheduled for release in 2027. Each book will introduce new characters, new Navy adventures, and new lessons for young readers.

I’m also grateful that Andy the Admiral has already received multiple awards and accolades before its official publication, including a Literary Titan Gold Book Award and an Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards.

After more than 30 years in the Navy, including thousands of hours flying as a Naval Flight Officer, I never expected that some of the lessons I learned in uniform would eventually find their way into a children’s picture book. But that is exactly what makes this project so meaningful to me.

I recently had the opportunity to appear on television to talk about Andy the Admiral, the inspiration behind the Shipshape Shipmates, and what I hope children and families will take away from the series.

You can watch that here.

You can learn more about The Shipshape Shipmates and the adventures ahead at https://theshipshapeshipmates.com/

And you can order Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape here:

Thank you to everyone who has encouraged this project, shared Andy with friends and family, and helped get the USS Shipshape underway.