Martha Zschock

Martha Day Zschock is a former elementary school teacher turned celebrated author-illustrator who brings the world alive for young readers. Drawing from her classroom experience and boundless creativity, she guides children through engaging locales and landscapes in her Journey Around and Hello! series, crafting immersive board books and illustrated stories that spark both curiosity and a love of place.

Her popular Hello! board book collection—featuring titles like Hello, Cape Cod!, Hello, San Francisco!, Hello, Washington, D.C.!, Hello, Texas!, among many others—invites families to travel alongside charming parent-and-child animal characters as they explore iconic cities, states, and landmarks. Each book combines bright, detailed illustrations with accessible text that encourages early exploration and familiarity with geography and culture.

Similarly, Zschock’s Journey Around… from A to Z series (including Journey Around Cape Cod from A to Z and others) grew directly out of her enthusiasm for taking field trips with students. These alphabet-scoped picture books introduce local history and interesting facts in an alphabetical format, blending educational detail with playful storytelling.

Each book in these series is a captivating, age-appropriate journey—ranging from 16-page board books perfect for toddlers to more expansive illustrated picture books—designed to encourage exploration, discovery, and early literacy. Zschock often collaborates with her twin sister, Heather, a professional designer, to bring the artwork to life, making the visuals charming, informative, and richly textured.

Widely used by parents, educators, and librarians, Zschock’s books blend educational insight with artistic warmth, helping children build foundational knowledge about the world around them while nurturing a lifelong wanderlust and appreciation for reading.