Otto: The Not-So-Little Giant follows a young boy who lives in a village of giants, but he is much smaller than the rest of the giants and wishes he could be bigger. What was the inspiration for your story?

After years of working with and performing for young children, I began to see how they start to identify themselves by their “differences” and how that often makes them feel like they do not fit in with their peers or the world in general. It can be anything from being “too short” or “too tall” or “too skinny” or “too heavy” or having to wear eyeglasses or discovering their sexual orientation….mostly things they have no control over. This leaves them feeling “small” and with a sense of not belonging. I was inspired to remind little ones that those things that create these insecurities are actually what makes them unique and special and can be viewed as strengths. And I wanted to tell it in a way that was fun and exciting and in a positive way.

Otto starts off being picked on and has low self-esteem but grows to appreciate his differences. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

When faced with his insecurities, Otto is fortunate enough to have loving and supportive parents and a best friend Lizzie who does not see his “difference” and celebrates each day with him. He is taught to never give up. That anything he wants to achieve is his for the taking. When he is faced with a real-life emergency and discovers that what makes him “different” is actually what will allow him to save his friend, he begins to realize his own self-worth and his value in his village. He is also celebrated for what he is able to do.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

That each child is unique and special and they should be celebrated for who they are. Childhood for everyone comes with tests on our self-worth and questioning where we fit in. I hope that this story will remind little ones who are questioning themselves, that being true to yourself, finding the good around you, and celebrating our differences will always make them a “giant”!

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

I am currently working on a follow up that will take Otto and Lizzie on a new adventure with some lessons to learn along the way with hopes that it will be ready for publication in 2023.

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