I’M… Picture Book Series
(Updated 2025-11-23: I’m in the midst of heavily revamping this resource page! Stay tuned. — D. )
Welcome to the I’M… Book Resource Page! This picture book series written by New York Times bestselling author Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi features a girl, a flamingo, and a potato.
Titles in the series so far: I’m Bored, I’m Sad, I’m Worried, I’m Sorry, I’m Busy (Feb. 24, 2026)
Author: Michael Ian Black ~ Illustrator: Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
How the I’M books were made:
The Inspiration:
What inspired author Michael Ian Black to write these books?
From Michael: “I wrote I’m Bored as a reaction to my children constantly telling me how bored they are. How boooooored! They are eight and ten, and it seems as if there are not enough activities in the world to keep them occupied. Not going outside or staying inside. Not playing games or reading books. Nothing. So I thought it would be funny to imagine something even more boring than being a kid: being a potato!
“Once I had the idea, the book was actually pretty easy to write. I’d written three previous children’s books, but this was the first one I conceived with some visuals in mind. Unfortunately, I am not an artist, but thankfully my editor Justin put me in touch with the amazing Debbie Ridpath Ohi, who really made the text come alive. Children’s books are a collaborative medium, similar in a way to film and television. Because I do not have the ability to actually create the art I see in my head, it’s so important to have people like Debbie who can not only translate my words to the page, but also make them so much better through their artwork.”
From Michael, about why he wrote I’m Worried: “When I was a kid, I used to worry about all kinds of stuff. Small stuff and really big stuff. I always felt like adults tried to smooth over my worries, telling me that everything was going to be okay, which was a little bit reassuring but I also remember thinking: ‘How do they know???’ Now that I’m an adult, I realize they didn’t know. They had no idea if things were going to turn out okay or not. Most of the time, things turn out okay, of course, but we can never know for sure and so I wanted to write a little book that says everybody worries, and that one good way to deal with worry is to focus on the present. Right here and now, things are ok. Right here and now, you’re with people who care about you and love you. And that’s a pretty good place to be.
“One of the things I’ve rediscovered as a parent and as a kids’ author is that children are no different from adults. They have all the same questions, concerns, and emotions. The idea behind the ‘I’m…‘ books is to let children know that whatever they’re going through is normal. Childhood is an amazing period of exploration, and I’m interested in letting kids (and potatoes and flamingos) know that they can feel however they feel at any given moment without judgment.”
The Illustration Process:
How did illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi illustrate these books?
Character Sketches:
One of the first things that Debbie does is figure out what the characters will look like. Here are some of the sketches she initially came up with for the little girl in I’m Bored.
My editor and art director leaned toward Option C.
Debbie also had to decide on an outfit for the main character:
And then there was the Potato!
Also see: How I’m Bored was created and How the I’M books were created
CLASSROOM GUIDES:
HOW SOME EDUCATORS AND LIBRARIANS ARE USING THESE BOOKS WITH YOUNG READERS:
Tina Cho uses I’M SORRY with young readers and asks questions like “Have you ever felt hurt like Flamingo? Tell us about it” as well as role-playing. Find out more in her Teachers | Books | Readers blog post.
Andrea Mack uses I’M WORRIED with her kindergarten students to talk about emotions. Read her blog post suggesting activities (Drawn & Write, STEM, STEAM) and discussion topics.
Margaret Hale uses the books in her 1st grade potato unit. “These books are a highlight of my 1st grade potato unit. You can teach EVERYTHING using potatoes, including science, math, graphing, art, and social emotional skills!”
Are you an educator or librarian with other blog posts or ideas? Please let Debbie know!
Graphics for sharing series:
