One night while watching the evening news I saw a story about a young boy who rescued his little sister from the jaws of a viscous dog. She was fine, but he sustained serious injuries to his head and face and would need multiple surgeries to repair it. He was going to live with those scars visibly and emotionally for a long time. It just broke my heart. I went to bed thinking about him and all he would endure during the reconstruction of his face, and the hurtful comments he might hear from kids who didn’t understand. I guess I was subconsciously thinking of him the next day because I sat down and wrote my first book, “I Didn’t Understand” in less than an hour. I really had no intentions of writing a book, but there it was!
2020 had become a confusing and disturbing year in so many ways. Children were home watching a lot more television than normal, and seeing prejudices and intolerance play out on a daily basis. “I Didn’t Understand” addresses some of those prejudices as a young boy and his mom spend a day together, and he encounters things he doesn’t understand. The mom’s explanations are simple enough for a young child to comprehend, yet deep enough to make even the reader think about them.
The lesson here is acceptance. We may look a little different, but we are all the same.
Not long after writing “I Didn’t Understand,” I was talking to my daughter and the subject of swans came up. I don’t even remember why, but it dawned on me I had never seen a swan fly. I asked her if swans fly and she mocked me saying, “How do you think they get from place to place?” Well, I was embarrassed and replied I had never actually Seen one fly, then I laughed and said, “I should write a book about that,” which I did that very day!
“I Never Thought I’d See or Hear...” is a fun, rhyming book about animals in unheard of situations, with a jaw-dropper ending. The bright, witty illustrations are sure to hold a young child’s interest and the little surprises on each page are unexpected extras.
This book will bring hours of laughter and is sure to make everyone laugh!
Finally, I must mention my two Incredibly Talented illustrators, Ben Martin and Maddie Salapow. They took my words and visions and brought them to Life! It was an amazing journey to take with them and I am forever grateful to both of them. Someday soon,I hope to hug each of them in person! Thanks again Ben & Maddie❤️❤️