Ella Minnow P. follows a bright little girl on her first day of school who is teased because her name sounds like part of the alphabet song, and uses this to teach her classmates about kindness and empathy. What was the inspiration for your story?

My children inspired me to write this book. Three years ago, we were saying the ABCs one night in bed, and my oldest daughter kept saying what sounded like “Ella Minnow P.” at the LMNOP part, and then my kids would giggle. I immediately thought it sounded like a girl’s name. Everything just clicked, and I thought of the storyline. When I sat down to write the story, it only took a few hours. Then I had to get it all to rhyme.

As for the storyline and message of the book, again, my children inspired it. As a military spouse, I’ve guided our three children through five relocations and nine schools in nine years. Through this journey, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of kindness, courage, and inclusivity in children. Their love and acceptance as they learn and grow together are qualities I hope to inspire in other families. Like Ella, I’ve taught my kids that it takes both bravery and kindness to navigate any new chapter in life, especially the first day of school! These are lessons I share in my book to help others do the same.

What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?

I absolutely wanted the book to rhyme because I just feel like rhyming books hold kids’ attention and are cute. Your review said, “The writing is bouncy and rhyming, and the story moves along at a perfect pace for young readers.” And that is exactly what I was aiming for! While the message in this book is extremely important, I wanted this book to be one that children can learn to read from. That is why this book is recommended for ages 0 to 6 as a read-aloud, but also for 5 to 8-year-olds as an early reader. My kindergartener is actually learning to read with this book! The sentence structure is simple and rhythmic, making it fun to sound out the words. The text also highlights different, simple vocabulary words.

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

Here is an article that was written in a local publication. Thus far, this is the first and only article that includes an interview with Emanuela. She was absolutely incredible to work with. I had been working with another illustrator, but I had to end that partnership because it was taking so long. It just wasn’t a good fit. I found Emanuela because she was the illustrator of the book Unicorn Wishes, which my children loved. I thought, “If my kids love the artwork in this book, why not just ask her to illustrate mine?” So I googled her and figured out how to get a hold of her, and the rest is history! She lives in Italy, and we did everything via email.

What story are you currently in the middle of writing?

We are in the middle of yet another military move, but I have ideas for more books involving Ella’s character, and the manuscripts are underway 🙂

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