Sense of Place Press
Sense of Place Press is located in Kodiak, Alaska, home of big brown bears, amazing wildflowers, octopi, and wonderful sea creatures.
About Us
Sense of Place Press is located in Kodiak, Alaska, the home of big brown bears, amazing wildflowers, octopi, and other wonderful sea creatures.
We strongly believe that you can know a place by knowing its nature.
Stacy Studebaker, Author
Stacy Studebaker has lived most of her life in the wilds of Alaska. She migrated to Alaska in 1972 and later moved to Kodiak Island, which has been her home since 1980.
As one of Kodiak’s leading naturalists, she has worked as a science teacher, naturalist, botanist, musician, artist, and photographer. As host “Lila Liverwort,” Stacy co-produced “My Green Earth,” an award-winning weekly radio show about the environment that aired throughout Alaska and the U.S.
Publications
- 2011 — “Wildflowers and other Plant Life of the Kodiak Archipelago, A Field Guide for the Flora of Kodiak and Southcentral Alaska.”
- 2013 — “Hey Bear Ho Bear,” her first children’s book
- 2015 — “Octopus in the Outhouse!”
- 2020 — “Beaver’s Song”
Awards
Stacy was awarded the Celia Hunter Award by the Alaska Conservation Foundation for her lifetime of volunteer conservation work.
Stacy has also been honored with many additional awards, including the following:
- National Audubon Presidential Award for outstanding chapter leadership
- National Audubon Green Hero Award
- An award from the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge for ongoing dedication to biological research and education.
Kay Underwood, Illustrator
Since 1978, Kay Underwood (left) has fished commercially for salmon with her husband and four children at their setnet site on Kodiak in the heart of bear country.
Kay has illustrated a series of children’s books for the Northword Press of Minnesota and the BBC featured her artwork for a documentary on wild salmon. Her vibrant artwork is used by Alaskan businesses, graces the walls of many Alaskan homes, and illustrates her well-known note cards.
Kay and Stacy published their first children’s book in 2013, “Hey Bear Ho Bear.”
Kay has always been passionate about science and art and loves the opportunity to illustrate for children. By blending art and science, she strives to educate people about the natural world around us.
The Books
Mail order copies available by exclusive arrangement with the Islander Bookshop, Kodiak, Alaska. (Other bookstores may contact us directly for wholesale prices at kodiakbirder@gmail.com.)
Beaver’s Song
$15
A full-color, vibrantly illustrated children’s book that is a poetic view into the busy lives of the Earth’s most industrious rodent engineers and water guardians.
8.5”x11” format. 32 pages. Soft cover.
Hey Bear Ho Bear
$15
A full-color and vibrantly illustrated children’s book that takes a look into the secret lives, unique habits, and habitat of brown bears with ideas on how humans and bears can better coexist. Illustrated with rich and accurate details of the plants and animals that share the world of brown bears.
8.5”x11” format. 32 pages. Soft cover.
Octopus in the Outhouse
$15
A full-color and vibrantly illustrated children’s book that is a humorous, poetic journey through Alaska with unique views of remote outhouses and encounters with audacious wildlife.
8.5”x11” format. 32 pages. Soft cover.
Wildflowers and Other Plant Life of the Kodiak Archipelago
$25
The first comprehensive field guide to cover the flora of this unique region, the author illustrates and describes 365 species of vascular plants with over 650 full color photographs.The plants are organized by flower color in an easy-to-use format and is full of interesting tidbits on habitats, uses, folklore, history, and other fascinating information.
6”x9” format. 224 pages. Soft cover. Flex binding.