A bedtime story about the courage it takes to find yourself in the dark. A watercolor picture book by Skyler Stever and Cathy Stever.
Every night before bed, Jasper — a cautious little bear — plays with his shadow and sings his mom's song, the one she taught him to keep the night from feeling long. But tonight his shadow is gone. Worried, Jasper begins to hum. The room goes still. Nothing hums back.
With his bedroom companions — White Bunny, Black Cat, Old Owl, and Ducky — Jasper follows a sound he can almost hear: under the bed, down the bathtub drain, through the old couch, and finally through a tear in the cushions into the Shadow Place, a dark world ruled by a cruel king who hunts shadows and locks them in a golden suitcase.
Paralyzed with fear, Jasper does the only thing he knows — he hums his mom's song. And then, from inside the golden suitcase, a voice sings back. His tune. The one only he knew.
He sings. The Shadow King and his army of soulless kittens sway, then dance, then sleep. Jasper opens the suitcase. Every shadow flies free, and Jasper becomes whole again.
The story ends with Jasper and his friends safe in bed, making shadow puppets on the wall — while Jasper hums his mom's melody until everyone drifts off to sleep.
Every night before bed, Jasper and all his friends played with their shadows. Ducky would dance, Old Owl would prance, Bunny would bounce, and Black Cat, without fail, would be spooked by his own silhouette. Best of all, Jasper... a cautious little bear... got to sing his mom’s song, the one she hummed to keep the night from feeling long. And play and sing. And sing and play. Sometimes it almost felt like his shadow was humming along. It was magical. But tonight, something was missing...
Jasper looked down... and froze. His shadow was gone. This had never happened before. Worried, he wondered, "Where has it gone?" He took a breath and began to hum his mom’s quiet tune. The room went still. Nothing hummed back. "Let’s ask Black Cat," said White Bunny. "He’s very fast and can catch mice in the blink of an eye." "Good idea," said Jasper.
Black Cat was snuggled under the covers, deep in one of his long naps. "Check under the bed," he yawned. "That’s where Old Owl lives... and where lost things go."
And so Jasper climbed down to look.
Jasper crawled under the bed, humming to himself as he searched. The sound followed him... or maybe he was following it. He couldn’t quite tell anymore. “Whoo, whoo,” muttered Old Owl. “Things often get lost down the bathtub drain. That must be where your shadow has gone.” Jasper thanked Old Owl and hurried off to look.
Jasper peered into the dark, slimy drain, humming to himself. Ducky waddled over. "What are you looking for?" "My shadow," said Jasper. "Quack, quack!" said Ducky. "I’ve got it — I’m always getting lost in the old couch. You should look there."
Down the hallway and across the kitchen, Jasper and his friends made their way to the old couch. Shadows danced on the walls. Jasper’s heart beat faster... he remembered the time he was lost in the couch for three whole days, scared and alone. But as he hummed his mom’s tune, he noticed something strange. The sound was no longer just his. It was ahead of him now. Waiting.
Jasper and his friends squeezed down into the old couch. This time, Jasper felt so snug, safe, and cozy, like bugs nestled between the cushions’ hug.
"Be careful," said White Bunny quietly. "There’s a tear deep beneath the cushions... and that’s where lost things go. Some never come back." They followed the humming... not just hearing it now, but knowing it was leading them. "That’s where my shadow went," said Jasper. He took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Beneath the couch, there were no stars or rainbows. As Jasper fell, his chest tightened… thinking about his shadow, and sunny days, and chasing each other until they laughed. But the humming grew louder... clearer... closer. It sounded like it was calling him home.
The Shadow Place was ruled by a cruel beast who hunted shadows and locked them in his golden suitcase. "Why have you come here?" roared the Shadow King. Jasper and his friends stood perfectly still. "I am the king of all shadows. And once I have them — I never let them go." Jasper’s heart was racing. Without thinking, he began to hum his mom’s song. Mmm... mmm... And then — from inside the golden suitcase — a voice sang back. His mom’s song. His tune. The one only he knew.
That’s my shadow. Something warm and quiet stirred in Jasper’s chest. He needs me. And I need him. Just then, the Shadow King unleashed his army: a nasty horde of soulless kittens, charging straight toward them. Deep in Jasper’s toes, a feeling stirred. It crept up to his tummy, then to his heart. And Jasper began to sing.
Jasper sang. And kept singing. The Shadow King and his army of shadow kittens began to sway… and then to dance… and then, slowly, to sleep. This is my moment, thought Jasper. He crept toward the golden suitcase — quiet as a mouse.
Two clicks and a turn. The golden suitcase opened — and in a flourish and a spark, all the trapped shadows flew back to where they belonged. Jasper reached out to his shadow. Reuniting with his shadow felt like finding a long-lost friend. And slowly, like a sunrise lighting up a dark valley, Jasper became whole again.
"Look up," whispered Old Owl. "A magic ladder!" trumpeted White Bunny. "All the way to the sky," added Black Cat. Jasper smiled. "You're the best friends ever." Quietly, he climbed - careful not to wake a single soul.
Back in their room, hearts full of joy, everyone gathered together. "Shadow puppets!" hooted Owl. "Mine's a mouse," said Black Cat. "Mine's a duck," quacked Ducky. Jasper smiled at his shadow on the wall - a perfect reflection of himself. His shadow would always be with him, just like his friends.
Jasper tucked in his friends. And as he snuggled down into his own cozy bed, he thought about the darkness, the ladder, the song. He began to hum his mom’s melody... ...and everyone drifted off to sleep.
Now it’s your turn. Find a light, make a shadow, and play.
Play with Jasper!
The author–illustrator relationship here is family: Skyler wrote the story, and his mother, Cathy, brought it to life on every page—a shared piece of their legacy.
Cathy is a self-taught artist inspired by the colors, light, and textures of the Columbia Gorge. She creates intuitively, using luminous color and organic forms to bring emotion and imagination to life.
She works from her studio in the Gorge, where nature continues to shape her work. This is her second illustrated book - and a meaningful collaboration with her son.
Skyler Stever is a 12-time Emmy Award-winning Executive Creative Director with 25 years leading creative work in broadcast and brand. This is his debut picture book — written for his children, painted by his mother. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area.
Jasper's Shadow is Missing is Book one of five. Each companion carries a distinct way of meeting the world — Jasper feels deeply, Ducky leaps without looking, Bunny plans for every outcome, Black Cat anticipates the worst, and Owl seeks stillness but can't quite find it. Five characters. Five emotional truths. One world, one melody, one found family holding it all together.
A son writes a story for his kids, then brings it to his mother to paint. The origin story is deeply human and unusually press-friendly. It's a story about making something together across generations — which mirrors the book's themes exactly.
The story is designed for quiet connection—inviting children and caregivers into a shared emotional space they can return to again and again.
Children today are navigating more emotional complexity than ever, often without the language to express it. Jasper's Shadow is Missing meets that moment quietly—offering a story that helps children recognize fear, sit with it, and find their way back to themselves.
Cathy's watercolors are original paintings — warm, moody, and technically accomplished. They don't look digital. In a market saturated with flat-vector illustration, that handmade quality is increasingly rare and commercially compelling.
Cathy and Skyler are actively seeking representation. The full manuscript, additional art samples, and a book dummy are available on request.
The full book dummy is available on request.
