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Fred The Coconut Takes Flight

June 8, 2026

Illustration from the children's book "Fred The Coconut," written and illustrated by Mark Armstrong. Fred The Coconut has fallen off Mt. Rushmore and is saved by his umbrella and a helpful air current.blank vertical space, 32 pixels highI’ve been working on a children’s book, and I’m pretty excited: I’m self-publishing it via Amazon KDP, and it’s scheduled to go live and be available for purchase on Friday, June 26, 2026.blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

The name of the book is Fred The Coconut. What’s it about? Here’s the blurb from the back cover.blank vertical space, 32 pixels highBack cover of the children's book, "Fred The Coconut," written and illustrated by Mark Armstrong. Fred The Coconut has washed up on a beach and has just met three girls who have built a rocket ship.

blank vertical space, 32 pixels highThat Fred– he really gets around!!blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

I put together some quiz questions to generate some buzz ahead of the launch. Each question has a little teaser spot illustration from the book. Hope you enjoy them!


blank vertical space, 16 pixels high1. True or False: There’s a horse race in “Fred The Coconut.”

Answer: True.

It’s a seahorse race. Fred wins, of course.

Here’s a picture of one of the runner-ups:blank vertical space, 32 pixels high

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blank vertical space, 16 pixels high2. In “Fred The Coconut,” Fred manages to sneak in a visit to what planet?

A) Venus
B) Mars
C) Saturn
D) Vulcan

Answer: B) Mars

Fred becomes the first coconut in space. He crashes on Mars, and you won’t believe what he finds there, or how he gets back!blank vertical space, 32 pixels high

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blank vertical space, 16 pixels high3. How many cartoon maps are there in “Fred The Coconut”?

A) None
B) 1
C) 2
D) 37

Answer: C) 2

There’s a map of Western Europe and the British Isles, and a map of South America and parts of Central America.

Let’s face it: if you’re 2-5 years old, the best way to learn geography is with cartoon maps!! The maps will also be helpful for parents who think Peru is somewhere in Australia.blank vertical space, 32 pixels high

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blank vertical space, 16 pixels high4. What’s the name of the hot air balloon Fred falls out of?

A) Gasbag
B) Buster Lung
C) Cloudjammer
D) Alps Express

Answer: D) Alps Express

Is Fred injured??— certainly not!! In fact, his fall helps him cross the English Channel. Fred is nothing if not resourceful.blank vertical space, 32 pixels high

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blank vertical space, 16 pixels high5. There’s a seagull that acts out in the background on several pages in the book. You can see him standing on what?

A) The frightened exclamation “YAAAAA—!!”
B) A thought balloon containing a coconut cream pie
C) A ski helmet worn by a penguin
D) All of the above

Answer: D) All of the above.

He also stands on a few clouds, but gee, a lotta seagulls do that. 😴blank vertical space, 24 pixels high

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blank vertical space, 16 pixels high6. When Fred arrives at the South Pole, what’s the name of the town he lands in?

A) Ernest Shackletown
B) West Rockhopper
C) Penguinville
D) Frost Heaves

Answer: Penguinville

Fred meets a lot of waddle-folk down there, and he sure stands out, being a colorful brown and all.

Ernest Shackleton was a polar explorer who’s worth checking out. His story is almost as exciting as Fred’s!!blank vertical space, 32 pixels high

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blank vertical space, 16 pixels highHow’d you do on the quiz?? The pictures may have given you a few clues!!blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

Fred The Coconut: a children’s book destined for bestsellerdom!! Going live on Amazon KDP on June 26, 2026.blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

Thanks for all your support!! 🙏blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

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About Mark: I’m an illustrator specializing in humor, branding, social media, and content marketing. My images are different, like your brand needs to be.blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

You can view my portfolio, and connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.blank vertical space, 16 pixels high

Questions? Send me an email.blank vertical space, 40 pixels highPhoto of illustrator Mark Armstrong. Mark's written a children's book and he's going to self-publish it. He'll be sharing his progress and his research on self-publishing in a Substack newsletter called "Mark Armstrong, Children's Book Author." You can subscribe for free.

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