Need help finding an illustrator for a children’s story, kid broke a tooth. advice? (Long)

Long story short, my boy was playing and ball hit a bat and hit him in the mouth and broke his tooth. Emergency dental work, got it fixed, told him he needed to take it easy, of course he doesn’t listen, messing around and repair comes loose. Nerve not exposed but need to get it fixed again.

They call me up thinking I’m gonna be super angry and yell. I start to, then think back, how many times me and my siblings accidentally hurt each other (lost a damn eye, plenty of scars) and how much all those cost, and yet my parents dealt with it all. My girl felt bad about horsing around with her brother and said I should punish her and yell (which made me feel about as big as a cricket) and so I didn’t. Instead I said we were going to write stories about things that got broken and learn from it.

So I decide, if they are gonna write stories, so am I. And I think about how worried she was that I was going to yell and be angry and it made me think how when we lash out at momentary frustrations, sometimes we burn things we don’t intend to, and those things have unintended consequences.

So, I’ve started writing a story for kids about it, in my own way, and want to get it illustrated and possibly share it. To help them, to help others, and to help myself understand things. Just how I process.

I had an illustrator before on a project but have since switched phones and lost the contact. Any other writers, artists, people the OT knows might be able to help finding someone? Help with the process? I have no clue how much it costs but I think it might be worth it as something to give my kids.

I’m open to critique, advice, leads, telling me I’m a piece of shite, whatever. I’m not done yet but posting what I’ve got so far and appreciate any guidance.
You lot are a mixed bag but overall, decent souls, growing and learning together.
Life’s a journey and I’m a wanderer, and think this place is more good than bad. Anyway, any help is appreciated. I’ve started on several projects like these, none finished yet. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.


Here’s what I’ve got so far, it’s a first draft and a working title and I’ll edit as I get closer to finishing to add stuff.
TIA.


Broken tooth


There once was a dragon who broke a tooth,
When he chomped on a piece of stone,
It snapped with a crack on the mountaintop,
And he let out a terrible moan,

He gnashed and he screamed with a Terrible ire,
He roared with a deep burning pain,
And the trees that were there,
By his feet,
They caught fire,
Down the mountainside spreaded his flame,

What a shame.


With the speed of a rumor,
It spread like a tumor,
Until it grew ten times its size,
All the critters they fled,
As the fire burned red,
With their nests turned to toast,
‘Fore their eyes,

Bad surprise

So they ran into town,
And the folks gathered round,
And they heard what the dragon had done,
They sasid we’ll put a stop,
To that burned mountain top,
So they picked up their pitchforks and guns

Better run,

So they readied the mob,
For the terrible job,
Until one little girl cried out “Wait!
There must be a reason,
He burned all trees ‘n
The nests with a fiery hate,

Let me go up and ask,
I shall take up task,
“I’ll go with her!” Her brother, he cried,
With a cat, and a dog,
And a green little frog,
They set off up the steep mountainside,

They climbed over the rocks,
With their shoes on their socks,
Til the sweat it poured off of their brow,
The frog gave a ribbit,
The dog barked along with it,
But the cat only managed a meow,

Okay Well the dragon still raged,
Up alone in his cave,
As his flames turned to steam with a hiss,
Through the cave, out the mouth,
Til the wind blew it south,
Grumbles drifting along with the mist,

So the boy, and the dog,
And the cat, and the frog,
Made their way up the slope with the girl,
On the cinders they’d stride,
Up the burnt mountainside,
To the cave where the steam tendrils swirled,

Said the girl

“Now see here mister dragon,
I’ve come up this far draggin,
A frog, dog, a cat and my brother,
For you’ve burned down the woods,
And done nobody good,
Causing problems for me and for others,

So perhaps you’ll explain,
Why just ashes remain,
Of the forest on this mountaintop,
For the animals homes,
Are now burnt to the bone,
And to be frank we’ll like you to stop,

The frog hopped,

Then a gravelly noise,
From the cave came a voice,
“To burn critters out wasn’t my aim,
I don’t mean to you see,
When I’m hurt and angry,
Well my words just come out in a flame,

I’m in pain,

For I’ve no soothing balm,
Here to help me keep calm,
Just the aching of my missing tooth,
And stuff just seems to burn,
Everywhere that I turn,
But I don’t mean to be mean, forsooth,

That’s the truth.”

So the little girl thought,
About what he had wrought,
And then there with her brother confirmed,
How we might not intend,
What in anger we send,
To result in a multitude burned,

But, we learn,

When we lash out in pain,
We don’t think with our brain,
And perhaps we should well be reminded,
How the fiery words said,
When we’re out of our head,
Can cause damage to which we are blinded,

So the children responded,
To dragon, despondent,
“If you had your tooth back, would it help?”
“Why, we’ll, yes.” he agreed,
“That is just what I need,
But I can’t seem to find it myself.”

So they delved,

In the fissures and cracks,
And the crags all burned black,
‘Til the little boy said, “hup, what’s this?”
As his hand held aloft,
Dragon tooth, broken off,
Gleaming white at the end of his wrist,


Anyway, that’s what I’ve got so far, will add more as I write more

Some of the rough work on another project to get sort of a style idea.