A Calf Named Brian Higgins is based on your real-life experiences of traveling to Africa. Why was this an important book for you to write?

It was important for me to write this book because of how much I loved spending time with the wonderful people in Sauri, Kenya. Part of the reason I had gone to rural Kenya was to be helpful to a community suffering from poverty and I quickly learned that while they are lacking in many basic resources, the people there know more about taking care of each other than any community I have ever known.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

The people in Sauri, Kenya worked together and established a rule: leave what you can, take only what you need. Since abiding by this simple principle, no one in their community has died of hunger. When I speak at schools, I ask the kids to think about that: leave what you can, take only what you need. That can be tough to live by under any circumstances, and certainly when you’re lacking food and medicine. When they took only what they needed, there was enough for everyone.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from A Calf Named Brian Higgins?

I hope readers will be inspired by the love and solidarity of the people in Sauri and will help end global poverty.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I am working on a book about the love we have for our dogs/pets. The manuscript should be completed this summer.

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