RhinoRAM: Your Friendly Neighborhood Cybersecurity Protector! follows a guardian angel, Rino (RhinoRAM), who has made it his mission to teach children about cybersecurity. What inspired you to write this children’s book?

I’m part of the micro-generation of Millennials born between 1987-1992 whom grew up with and without the Internet. I graduated from high school in 2005 as the social media wave crested. I’ve always had a fascination with computers and the impact of technology on society. As a security professional, I have extensive experience thinking strategically about physical dangers and policy solutions. But in today’s world, digital dangers deserve just as much attention as physical dangers. Spending time with my five-year old goddaughter Rosalie, I noticed that whenever she took my phone to play with it, she knew how to navigate it much better than I anticipated. This pushed me to think: who is talking to her about cybersecurity and dangers on the Internet? Currently, there are not any comprehensive products, educationally focused or not, designed to teach those 12 and under about cybersecurity. This represents a critical gap for the future of learning and for current domestic infrastructure, national security, and foreign policy implications. Inspired by this, I created RhinoRAM. RhinoRAM represents a prime opportunity to teach youngsters about cybersecurity and its impact on the globe.

The art in this book is fantastic and brings the concepts and story to life for children. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator LaTosha Maddox?

Working with Tosh was one of the best parts of bringing this book to life. I met her at a local artist market in Baltimore, MD and bought one of her original paintings. She did an awesome rendition of the ancestral plane from Marvel’s 2018 film Black Panther. It currently sits above my desk. When I began thinking about illustrating RhinoRAM, I looked at the painting and immediately contacted her. I also spoke with several other illustrators that I found from folks in my network and on social media. But Tosh was the clear choice. It was very important to me that someone who looked like me, with shared live experiences, would help me bring the character and concept to life. Tosh had never illustrated a book before so we were deliberate about meeting periodically to discuss my vision. I encouraged her to take artistic freedom in creating the pages. We worked on the book in four stages, knocking out a quarter of the book at a time. As you stated, her illustrations are fantastic and I am still blown away with how vibrant the pages are. 

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

Cybersecurity basics is an area that does not currently have many resources for young Internet users. I chose animals, specifically rhinos as my favorite land animal, to make it easy for young Internet users to grasp the concepts. Understanding what the Internet is and why protective measures are necessary is repeated with the three main lessons of the book. Digital literacy and resiliency are crucial for any young Internet user to know. This is especially true for those from marginalized populations, where folks are often the most vulnerable on the Internet. 

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when will the next book be released, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

Yes, this is the first book in a series. I am working on text for the second book. Thankfully, Tosh has already agreed to illustrate the next book so we will keep her amazing artwork coming in the next one. I don’t know how many books we will do, but I would like to have at least four. I have drafted curriculum documents to accompany the book. I’ve already had the opportunity to pilot the curriculum at several Washington DC public schools and conducted live reading events with an organization called Protect Us Kids. 

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