Philip! He's a little boy with a big imagination, and lots of love to give! He gets into mischief like many little kids, and at first he doesn't know the Doots can move and talk. Once he finds out, much adventure ensues with no end in sight!

Philip is based on my father. When I was 7, he passed away. He was an incredible man with a very giving heart. If you needed a shirt, he'd take the shirt right off his back and give it to you and just walk around half-naked. He was that kinda guy. He was also crazy and funny, and all sorts of things an awesome dad should be. I, sadly, did not get to spend much time in my life with him, but he'll always be remembered. Much of Congo Anywhere! is a tribute to my father, as well as other loved ones. I'm going to use much of my mother's and family's stories to draw as much as possible to give him a very true-to-life personality for the book.

His place in the book.. He is the little boy who owns the Doots. He has a big room where they stay, and he is quite adventurous himself. When he learns the Doots are alive, he takes them everywhere with him. Together, they live life happily and have lots of fun.

(FOOTNOTE: The moose doll in the bottom left corner is based on an imaginary friend of my father's when he was little. Morty the Moose, he called him, and any time my father got in trouble he blamed it on Morty! I just had to include a new Doot of the same name.)