AUSTIN (KXAN) — Not everyone can say they’ve published a book during their lifetime — but that’s an achievement one Austin high school senior is crossing off her bucket list.

Jing Graber, a senior at Regents School of Austin, wrote and illustrated the book, “Can You Sea Me?” The children’s picture book published in late February, inspired by Graber’s own love for the ocean and marine biology.

“I grew up in Austin, Texas, so I was always very far away from the coast. But I would read these children’s picture books when I was little, and the stunning illustrations and all of that would really teach me to love the ocean and see it as almost like a magical place,” she said. “So when I was finally able to go to the beach for the first time, it’s been my passion ever since.”

An artist since childhood, the specific idea for a children’s book first came when the title randomly popped into her head. From there, she wanted to marry her love for the ocean and animals into a book that tracked the ways animals camouflage, or “play hide and seek,” in the water.

The illustrations took her an entire summer to complete, while the writing and editing process took an additional year and a half. For her, she said it was exciting to immerse herself into the world of publishing and get a behind-the-scenes look into decisions made and the fine tunings of each detail.

“I was just working with these amazing literary agents and amazing people,” Graber said. “They taught me so much about, I guess, the business world. Because I was the artist, I was the writer and there’s this whole other realm beyond all of that that I was being introduced to.”

Graber added the reception from her school, friends and family has been extremely welcoming. She’s been able to even read it to some of the younger students at the Regents School of Austin, who’ve begun to share in her passion for aquatic life.

“I realized that so many other people are passionate about the ocean as well,” she said. “And it’s just so endearing to hear all of these children just say that they love nature and they love art.”

And her personal love of art doesn’t stop with the publishing of her book. Graber said she’s interested in studying marine biology in college, but she also wants to continue making that science and research accessible to younger generations of kids.

“[The ocean is] just really what connects everything,” she said. “The feeling of dipping your toe in the ocean and knowing that you’re connected to the water all across the world was really powerful for me. And it just made me see the ocean in a different light.”