Caren Loebel-Fried
artist & author
Caren Loebel-Fried is an artist and author from Volcano, Hawai`i & Half Moon Bay, California. She learned the ancient art of block printing from her mother. Conservation and the natural world are the inspiration and the foundation of her work.
Caren creates award-winning books for children through adults, and art for conservation organizations, government agencies, and Hawaiian Cultural organizations. All art is available as museum quality fine art giclee prints and hand-pulled block prints. Caren aims to bring people closer to the natural world in the hope that they will want to help care for it.
Finding Home,
A Hawaiian Petrel's Journey
Published by
University of Hawai‘i Press
Finding Home, a Hawaiian Petrel's Journey,
a Nautilus Book Awards SILVER MEDAL WINNER!
Finding Home educational resource guides
for Fourth & Fifth grades- Free downloads!
more grades coming soon...
Developed by Leayne Patch-Highfill
Curriculum Developer & Instructional Coach
Finding Home: Fourth Grade Educational Resource Guide
Finding Home: Fifth Grade Educational Resource Guide
"A new book about Hawaiian petrels is flying off the shelves. The illustrated chapter book is titled “Finding Home” and recounts the real-life stories of conservationists who work on the Hawaiian petrel, also called the ʻuaʻu.
It features vibrant, hand-colored block prints, pencil drawings of seabird chicks in their burrows and adults sailing over the waves. HPR spoke with the book's author and illustrator, Caren Loebel-Fried, about the book and where her interest in Hawaiʻi's seabirds began." Listen to the interview
by Island Conservation
"Loebel-Fried’s prose is as elegant and acrobatic as the ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian Petrels) themselves. She often brings us to the perspective of a petrel, giving an intimate and exciting portrait of a bird. Makani’s story and the story of the petrels are intimately intertwined, and the sense that we humans live in an interconnected world pervades the book… The wealth of resources at the end of the story makes the book feel adult, a resource that kids can return to again and again, making it a valuable addition to any bookshelf… And where a lot of environmental stories can be hard to tell to kids, this tale of the Hawaiian Petrel is one of hope." Read the full review here
“Finding Home is an engaging, educational, and visually stunning book that fosters awareness and appreciation for Hawai‘i’s native wildlife. Perfect for children who read or can be read to, educators, and families. It’s a must-read for those passionate about protecting Hawai‘i’s endangered species and the lands and oceans they rely on and help sustain.” Read the full review here
The Brown Pelican
This hand-colored block print was created for
Pacific Beach Coalition in celebration of their "Earth Honoree" for 2025. PBC educates students and families along coastal California and online around the world with free educational resources about ocean and beach creatures and habitats.
