Hugh the Hippo Camps Out In My Head follows a young boy and his friends who go on a magical adventure to learn about the hippocampus. What was the inspiration for your story?

As an early childhood educator, I teach my ‘littles’ (K-5) about their amazing brain, specifically the importance of their PFC, Hippocampus and Amygdala.  They are fascinated by how their brain learns!  Since incorporating brain based teaching (neuroscience) in my classroom (8+ years), I have seen tremendous growth in academic achievement, as well as social-emotional learning (SEL).  It changes how students approach learning by empowering them to learn more efficiently, calmly and confidently.

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

How amazing our brain is and how we learn and remember things.  My students love learning about their brain and how they can make their brain “smarter and stronger”!  Additionally, it was important to integrate not only neuroscience, but also interesting science facts that children would enjoy learning.

The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Mark Jackson? 

I met Mark through a mutual friend.  It was absolutely Divine!  He grew up reading comic books and is a self-taught graphic artist.  This is the first book he’s illustrated, and he was an absolute delight to work with.  He and I met twice a month to collaborate on the concept, characters, and amusing scenery (we wanted to add an abundance of fun visuals, like gaming, dragons and venus flytraps, so children could make ‘connections’).  

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

I have published eight books, and am currently concentrating on marketing my books.  I plan to write a Cindi (the Teenie Chiweenie) Easter book in 2024.

Author Links: Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok