Pony ✦ Turbo Horse
Pony
Donut 🍩
Donut
✦ Boca Grande, Florida ✦

Big Lessons from
Little Whiskers.

Heartfelt children's stories set in sunny Boca Grande, Florida.

🐾 Explore Our Books
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Our Story

Meet the Kitties

Donut, always dressed up
Donut, always dressed up
Silly Pony
Silly Pony
Pony out and about
Pony out and about
Donut, blep in the sunshine
Donut, blep in the sunshine

Whiskered Moon Press is a passion project born from our love of creativity and our cats. We started this company because we love the opportunity to be creative, and because we absolutely love our cats.

Meet Pony (aka Turbo Horse), our adventurous calico, and Donut, our dapper tuxedo, the real stars behind every story, who inspire us every day. Plus their pal Miso, the sunny orange cat with a big heart.

🎨 Two illustration styles:
A Mindful Day With Miso is lovingly hand-illustrated with watercolors. The other books use computer graphics designed to look like hand illustrations. Both styles bring these furry friends to life in full color!

Each story is crafted to help little ones navigate big feelings, from making new friends to finding courage in the waves of life.

The Whiskered Moon Team
🐾🐾🐾
Meet the Authors
5
Books Out Now
1
Coming Soon
3
Cat Stars
📸 The Real-life Kitty Friends
Silly Pony
Gulf Coast Vibes 🌊
Boca Grande Days ☀️
Moonlight Paws 🌙
Best Friends 💛
Sunny Afternoon ☀️
Dock Life 🐟
Pony & Donut Forever 🐾
Donut & all the toys 🧸
Donut belly time 😻
Donut on the blanket 🛋️
Sleepy Donut 💤
Donut loves fish 🐟
Pony feet up ✌️
Pony nap time 😴
Pony on the chair 🪑
Pony perched up high 🐱
Sleepy Pony closeup 🌙
tap any photo to view
📚 Our Storybooks

The Book Collection

20 to 60 pages of full-color illustrated adventures featuring Pony, Donut, and friends. Perfect for bedtime, storytime, or anytime.

🎨Full Color Illustrations
📖20-60 pages
🐱Illustrated Cats
🌊Boca Grande, FL
💙 Heartwarming
Not a Horse of Course
🐱 Pony & Donut

Not a Horse of Course

Pony is definitely a cat. But try telling that to her.

Pony has whiskers, she purrs, and she might sneak up and pounce on her toys just for fun. But when she starts trotting around wearing a saddle and chewing on reins… well, her chicken friend might start asking questions.

✨ A playful, laugh-out-loud story celebrating imagination, identity, and being exactly who you want to be - even if that means pretending you're a galloping pony while still demanding snacks like a cat. Perfect for bedtime giggles and silly story times ages 3-9.

💻Digital Art
📖 26 pages · Full color⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Buy Now on Amazon
💙 Heartwarming
The Curious Case of Donut the Cat
🐱 Pony & Donut

The Curious Case of Donut the Cat

A tuxedo cat, a banyan tree, and the magic of being loved.

Meet Donut, the sweet little tuxedo cat with a tiny white tip on her tail and a heart as big as the ocean. A cozy, feel-good story capturing the warmth of friendship and the wonder of nature.

✨ Donut spends a sunny afternoon surrounded by new friends. With a gentle girl smiling nearby and the ocean breeze rustling the old banyan tree, she discovers the magic of kindness, connection, and the simple joy of being loved. Perfect for ages 3 to 9.

💻Digital Art
📖 28 pages · Full color⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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🐾 New Friend
Pony and the Donut Dilemma
🐱 Pony & Donut

Pony and the Donut Dilemma

Two cats, one big dilemma.

On a sunny Florida day, Pony and Donut discover that having a new family member can be a wonderful thing, even if adjusting isn't always easy.

✨ A silly, joyful celebration of play, discovery, and the joy of finding your place beside a new friend. Every moment becomes a little brighter when you're together.

💻Digital Art
📖 38 pages · Full color⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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🎃 Spooky Fun
Trick or Treat on Banyan Street
🐱 Pony & Donut

Trick or Treat on Banyan Street

A Halloween night full of treats, tricks… and a mysterious pirate ghost!

Under the glowing lanterns of Banyan Street, two brave cats set out on a Halloween night full of treats, tricks… and a mysterious pirate ghost! Join Donut the wizard and Pony the dragon as they follow curling roots and uncover the magic in every shadow.

✨ With gentle rhymes, glowing illustrations, and a cozy message about courage, curiosity, and friendship - this is a Halloween adventure your family will want to read again and again.

💻Digital Art
📖 58 pages · Full color⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Buy Now on Amazon
🧘 Mindfulness
A Mindful Day with Miso
🐱 Miso

A Mindful Day with Miso

A curious cat learns to slow down and find wonder in every moment.

A gentle, beautifully illustrated story about a curious cat who learns to slow down, breathe, and enjoy each moment, with help from a human and a little snail.

✨ Miso discovers that peace and wonder are always close, as long as you know how to look. A cozy introduction to mindfulness for ages 3 to 7.

🎨Watercolor
📖 32 pages · Full color⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Buy Now on Amazon
🎄 Next Up from Whiskered Moon Press
🎄
Cover Art
Coming Soon
🐱 Pony & Donut

The Light That Brought Them Home

A Boca Grande Christmas.

A warm and magical Christmas story set against the glowing shores of Boca Grande, where the lighthouse lights the way home for the holidays.

📖 47 pages · Full color

Cover art uploading soon. Check back! In the meantime, find us on Amazon 🐾

📰 In the News

Press & Features

Whiskered Moon Press authors Jack & Gabrielle Gibbons and their beloved cats, Pony (aka Turbo Horse), Donut, and Miso, as featured in the local press.

Newspaper article about Jack and Gabrielle Gibbons - Page 1
🔍 Click to enlarge

Page 1 of 2: Jack & Gabrielle Gibbons feature

Newspaper article about Jack and Gabrielle Gibbons - Page 2
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Page 2 of 2: Pony, Donut & the Boca Grande story

Jack & Gabrielle Gibbons
Authors · Whiskered Moon Press · Boca Grande, Florida

The creative duo behind Pony (aka Turbo Horse), Donut, and Miso, turning their love of cats and coastal Florida into stories that help children navigate big feelings, one page at a time.

🌊 The Story Behind the Books

Why We Write

A husband-and-wife team, three beloved cats, and a sun-drenched barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Florida. This is how Whiskered Moon Press began.

Born on a Gulf Coast Island

Whiskered Moon Press was founded by Jack and Gabrielle Gibbons, a husband-and-wife creative team deeply inspired by Gasparilla Island and Boca Grande, Florida. Surrounded by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the ancient banyan trees of Banyan Street, and the glow of the historic Boca Grande lighthouse, they found the perfect setting for stories that feel both magical and completely real.

The press started as a passion project, a way to channel their love of creativity, storytelling, and their three beloved cats into something lasting. What began as a single picture book has grown into a full series of five published titles, with more on the way. Every book is a love letter to this beautiful island and the animals who inspire them.

Stories That Teach Big Lessons

Each Whiskered Moon Press picture book is designed to do more than entertain. Through the adventures of Pony, Donut, and Miso, young readers explore themes of imagination, friendship, kindness, courage, and mindfulness. Big ideas wrapped in warm, funny, and heartfelt stories that children ages 3 to 9 can truly connect with.

Not a Horse of Course celebrates the joy of imagination and being exactly who you want to be. The Curious Case of Donut the Cat explores kindness and the wonder of nature. Trick or Treat on Banyan Street teaches courage through a spooky Halloween adventure. And A Mindful Day with Miso gently introduces children to the practice of slowing down and finding beauty in everyday moments.

Art That Comes Alive on Every Page

The illustrations in Whiskered Moon Press books are crafted to feel warm, tactile, and full of life. Most titles use rich digital computer graphics designed to look like hand-drawn artwork, full of texture, color, and personality. Every spread is packed with detail that rewards repeated reading, with children discovering something new each time they open the book.

A Mindful Day with Miso stands apart as a true collector's piece: every single page is hand-painted with real watercolors by Gabrielle Gibbons, making it one of the most unique children's books available today. Parents and collectors alike treasure it as a one-of-a-kind work of art that also happens to be a beautiful story for children.

Boca Grande, Florida: The Heart of Every Story

Boca Grande is a historic barrier island on Gasparilla Island along Florida's Gulf Coast in Charlotte County, southwest Florida. The island is famous for its iconic lighthouse, ancient banyan trees, world-class tarpon fishing, and pristine white-sand beaches. Its relaxed, old-Florida charm, quiet streets, colorful cottages, warm Gulf breezes, makes it the perfect backdrop for stories about curiosity, friendship, and the joy of everyday adventures.

Jack and Gabrielle draw on the real sights, sounds, and spirit of Gulf Coast island life to craft stories that feel both magical and completely true. From the glowing lanterns of Banyan Street to the sparkling waters of Charlotte Harbor, every Whiskered Moon Press book is a love letter to this extraordinary coastal corner of Florida.

Five-Star Reviews from Families Across America

Whiskered Moon Press books have earned five-star reviews on Amazon from parents, grandparents, and educators across the United States. Readers consistently praise the warmth of the stories, the quality of the illustrations, and the way the books spark meaningful conversations with young children about feelings, friendship, and the natural world.

Whether you're looking for a bedtime story, a classroom read-aloud, a holiday gift, or a mindfulness resource for young children, the Whiskered Moon Press collection offers something truly special. All five titles are available now on Amazon with fast shipping across the United States and internationally.

Every Book in the Series

1

Not a Horse of Course

🐱 Pony📖 26 pages

Pony the calico cat is absolutely, positively not a horse. Except when she is. A laugh-out-loud picture book about imagination, identity, and the joy of being exactly who you want to be. Perfect for ages 3 to 9, this is the book that started it all for Whiskered Moon Press. Available on Amazon.

2

Pony and the Donut Dilemma

🐱 Pony & Donut📖 38 pages

On a sunny Florida day, Pony and Donut discover that having a new family member can be a wonderful thing, even if adjusting isn't always easy. A joyful, full-color celebration of friendship, play, and finding your place beside someone new. Set in Boca Grande, Florida. Available on Amazon.

3

The Curious Case of Donut the Cat

🐱 Donut📖 28 pages

Meet Donut, the sweet tuxedo cat with a tiny white tip on her tail and a heart as big as the ocean. A cozy, feel-good story set on the beaches of Boca Grande, Florida, capturing the warmth of friendship, the wonder of nature, and the simple magic of being loved. Available on Amazon.

4

Trick or Treat on Banyan Street

🐱 Pony & Donut📖 58 pages

Under the glowing lanterns of Banyan Street in Boca Grande, Florida, two brave cats set out on a Halloween night full of treats, tricks, and a mysterious pirate ghost. With gentle rhymes, glowing illustrations, and a cozy message about courage and friendship, this is a Halloween adventure your family will want to read again and again. Available on Amazon.

5

A Mindful Day with Miso

🐱 Miso📖 32 pages

Miso, the bright orange cat, learns to slow down, breathe, and find wonder in every moment, with help from a human and a little snail. A gentle, beautifully hand-watercolor-illustrated introduction to mindfulness for children ages 3 to 7. Every page is painted by hand with real watercolors by Gabrielle Gibbons, making it a one-of-a-kind collectible. Available on Amazon.

🌊 Our Story

About the Whiskered Moon Press Series

Five heartwarming illustrated picture books set in the real magic of Boca Grande, Florida, written by local Gulf Coast authors and inspired by three very real, very beloved cats.

Children's Books Rooted in Real Florida Life

Every Whiskered Moon Press story is rooted in the real magic of Boca Grande, Florida, a beautiful barrier island on Gasparilla Island along the Gulf Coast of southwest Florida. Authors Jack and Gabrielle Gibbons draw daily inspiration from the Boca Grande lighthouse, the ancient banyan trees of Banyan Street, Charlotte Harbor, and the warm Gulf of Mexico beaches.

The result is a series of illustrated picture books that feel both imaginative and completely authentic, stories set in a real, sun-drenched Florida island community, told through the personalities of three very real cats. Each book captures the warmth, wonder, and gentle pace of Gulf Coast island life in a way that resonates with children and parents alike.

Meet Pony, Donut & Miso

Pony (also known as Turbo Horse) is the adventurous calico at the heart of Not a Horse of Course and Pony and the Donut Dilemma, a spirited, imaginative cat who dreams big and gallops even bigger. Donut is the sweet tuxedo cat with a heart as wide as the Gulf, starring in The Curious Case of Donut the Cat and the Halloween adventure Trick or Treat on Banyan Street.

Miso, the bright orange cat, takes center stage in A Mindful Day with Miso, a one-of-a-kind book hand-painted entirely in watercolor, offering children a gentle, beautiful introduction to mindfulness, curiosity, and the art of slowing down. Together, these three cats have captured the hearts of readers across the United States.

📖

Ages 3 to 9

All five published titles are designed for young readers ages 3 to 9. With full-color illustrations on every page, the books work beautifully for read-alouds, bedtime stories, classroom sharing, and independent early readers. Parents and grandparents love reading them too.

🎨

Two Illustration Styles

Most books feature rich digital computer graphics crafted to look like warm hand illustrations. A Mindful Day with Miso is unique in the series. Every page is hand-painted with real watercolors by Gabrielle Gibbons, making each copy a collectible piece of art unlike any other children's book.

🛒

Available on Amazon

All five Whiskered Moon Press children's books are available for purchase on Amazon with fast shipping across the United States and internationally. Search "Whiskered Moon Press" on Amazon or visit our books section above for direct links to every title.

Set in Boca Grande, Florida: A Real Gulf Coast Island

Boca Grande is a historic, sun-drenched barrier island on Gasparilla Island along Florida's Gulf Coast in Charlotte County, southwest Florida. Famous for its iconic lighthouse, ancient banyan trees, world-class tarpon fishing, and pristine white-sand beaches, Boca Grande is one of Florida's most beloved and unspoiled coastal communities. The island's relaxed, old-Florida charm, with its quiet streets, colorful cottages, and warm Gulf breezes, provides the perfect backdrop for stories about curiosity, friendship, and the joy of everyday adventures.

Authors Jack and Gabrielle Gibbons draw on the real sights, sounds, and spirit of Gulf Coast island life to craft stories that feel both magical and completely true. From the glowing lanterns of Banyan Street to the sparkling waters of Charlotte Harbor, every Whiskered Moon Press book is a love letter to Boca Grande, Florida.

❓ Got Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you want to know about our books, our cats, and our little corner of Boca Grande, Florida.

All five of our children's books are available on Amazon with fast shipping across the United States and internationally. Simply search "Whiskered Moon Press" on Amazon, or use the direct links on our Books page above. Each book ships quickly and arrives ready to read, or gift!

Still have questions? We'd love to hear from you!

hello@whiskeredmoonpress.com
🗺️ Explore the Island

The Boca Grande Map

Discover where Pony & Donut live, play, and go on adventures!

Whimsical paper-cut map of Boca Grande Florida
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N
🌴 Boca Grande, FL
1 mile
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📍 Story Locations

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What Readers Are Saying

Real reviews from Amazon readers who love Pony, Donut, and Miso

M. CM Blasgen
Verified Purchase
📖 Not a Horse of Course

Not A Horse, but a happy kitty!

“This delightful book is a glimpse into the wonderful world of kitty fantasies. You will love sharing the pictures and story with your young friends and early readers. I hope there will be more of Pony's adventures!”

Reviewed August 9, 2025
🐾🐚🐾🐚🐾
Victoria
Verified Purchase
📖 Not a Horse of Course

A funny, feel-good story with heart and charm

“Not a Horse, of Course! is a hit in our house. Pony is a confident little cat with a huge personality, and her adventure is playful, sweet, and full of humor. The message lands beautifully: be yourself, celebrate your quirks, and have fun while you're at it. The artwork is gorgeous. Cozy colors, expressive characters, and small details keep little eyes locked on every page. My kids laughed at Pony's antics and asked to read it again right away. It is the perfect blend of silly and sincere, and it leaves everyone smiling. If you want a joyful read that reminds kids to love who they are, this is a wonderful choice.”

🐾 From the young readers:
Daughter:“I think this book is supposed to tell you be who you are, don't be who other people think you are, but also sometimes it's fun to just go crazy.”
Son:“I think it's really really good. Teaches you about a lot of stuff.”
Reviewed October 31, 2025
Victoria
Verified Purchase
📖 Pony and the Donut Dilemma

A Beautiful Story About Friendship and Finding Joy in Small Moments

“Pony and the Donut Dilemma is a gem. The story is simple and warm, reminding kids that curiosity and kindness can turn small moments into real adventures. The writing has an easy rhythm that works beautifully for bedtime, and the message about play, discovery, and friendship feels true. The artwork is breathtaking. Every spread glows with rich color and cozy light. You can almost feel the Florida sun and the sandy paws. My kids were hooked from the first page and it has already become a go-to read. If you want something gentle, meaningful, and beautifully made, this belongs on your shelf.”

🐾 From the young readers:
Daughter:“It's like a cat thinking about what she's doing. Have fun no matter what you're doing.”
Son:“I think it's really good. The problems in the book are like the ones you can have in life, and after a while they became friends because they bonded with each other. That's how you can make new friends in real life.”
Reviewed October 31, 2025
Victoria
Verified Purchase
📖 The Curious Case of Donut the Cat

A sunshine-filled story about friendship and little adventures

“The Curious Case of Donut the Cat is a breath of fresh air. Donut explores her beachside world with curiosity and heart, and the story gently reminds kids to slow down and notice the magic in small moments. It feels like summer on the page, soft and warm, with a kind message about friendship and wonder. The illustrations are beautiful. Golden light, lush plants, and cozy rooms make every spread feel inviting. My kids loved lingering to spot details, and Donut's happy personality shines through in every scene. This book is peaceful, kind, and surprisingly calming at bedtime. It leaves the room smiling.”

🐾 From the young readers:
Daughter:“Some lines rhymed, and some lines did not. I think this one is supposed to show you the beauty of nature.”
Son:“It is really good. I think this one is for to show you to not be afraid about stuff that can scare you.”
Reviewed October 31, 2025
Linda Covney
Verified Purchase
📖 Trick or Treat on Banyan Street

Great!

“Great quality and a wonderful gift for Halloween.”

Reviewed September 29, 2025
🐾🐚🐾🐚🐾
Victoria
Verified Purchase
📖 A Mindful Day with Miso

A gentle story that calms the heart and brightens the day

“A Mindful Day with Miso is such a special book. It invites kids to slow down and appreciate the quiet moments, showing that being calm can be just as fun as being busy. Miso's gentle journey feels like a deep breath on the page, and it beautifully encourages mindfulness, kindness, and awareness. The illustrations are breathtaking. The soft glow of the moon and warm tones throughout the book create a calm, safe feeling. It's peaceful to read aloud and lovely for winding down at bedtime. What makes it even better is that it's great for all ages from 2 to 11.”

🐾 From the young readers:
Ava:“I feel like this book is supposed to teach you to be happy and not just be afraid of things like she shouldn't be afraid of.”
Maverick:“I think it's really good. It teaches you how to relax and take a break when you feel too busy.”
Reviewed October 31, 2025
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