My Inspiration
The day has finally come when I can announce that my first book is now available! It has been a long process but the journey was worth it.
I have been thinking about how I wanted to announce this book and the easy thing to do would be to add the link and press post. But I think it’s important to explain why I decided to publish this book. The truth is, I wrote this book to use with my class. I wanted a book to read that allowed all students to see themselves on the pages and connect to the characters and words. I wanted to have one book that I could reach for that explained all the ways that children are brave every day. I wanted to empower children and help them see all the things they do every day that should be celebrated and also show how we can acknowledge the efforts of others. I wanted students to work as a community and understand that something that might be “easy” for one person requires a lot of courage and perseverance for another. I wanted to have a book that provided inquiry questions and guidance to its readers. I wanted a book that offered questions so teachers and parents could help children to think deeply about who they are and how to see the challenges that others overcome each day. I wanted a book that would help us to support one another in the everyday situations we face in our lives in the classroom, at home, on the playground, or in our own brains.
I never thought that publishing this book was a possibility because I had no idea where to start. I had no idea what I was doing!
After losing my grandma, a woman who defined bravery and strength and faced each day with a huge smile and amazing sense of humour, I decided it was time to go for it. I would face each new learning experience as it came. I could be brave for her and I could be brave for myself. So I did! And now, almost a year later, the book is here and I have dedicated it to her.
Growing up I never felt smart. I was athletic and good at sports but I never felt like I had anything to offer when it came to “academics”. I was shy, nervous, unsure of my abilities, and constantly judging myself before others could judge me. As I’ve gotten older, I have learned that the only person stopping me from doing all the things I wanted to do is myself and my own fear. We all have those moments in our lives when something happens to change how we see ourselves. I have had a few of them (I’ll save those for another day) but it’s a great feeling to see something in yourself that others have always seen. My dream was to create a book that helped children see their worth, their value, their strength and their bravery every day.
“Being brave isn’t just big and scary things in far off places. Bravery happens every day. When were you brave today?”
Today, my brave is pressing publish on this post.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me with this book and throughout my whole life journey to get to this point.
“If you don’t see the book you want on shelves, write it.” - Beverly Cleary