Noah’s Wild Birthday follows a boy who loves lizards and plans to show his mother that he’s responsible enough to care for a Leopard Gecko. What inspired you to turn your real-life story into a children’s book?  

For my children, having pets was a great way to bolster responsibility, encourage learning, and increase compassion for others. Just as Noah wrote his parents a letter in the book, my middle child used to write us persuasive letters explaining how much he wanted a pet and which pet would be best for him. But, having a pet is not without its mishaps, and we experienced a few in our family! My youngest child’s leopard gecko went on an unexpected adventure once that turned into a story in my head over the years. I hoped one day to share the excitement of meeting new animals and searching for a lost pet in a children’s book. I was inspired to put pen to paper once the idea of my middle son becoming the illustrator was discussed. 

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

Collaboration with the illustrator for this project was very special since the illustrator is my middle child. Each of my three kids has their particular giftings, and it is my middle child who is the artist. He has a humorous way of viewing the world and showing expression in the characters he designs. Together, we set a goal of creating two books before he graduates from high school, and Noah’s Wild Birthday is the first. 

While I provided some illustrator notes in the manuscript, Danny took control of how the illustrations actually appeared. He was also in charge of the cover design and all formatting. This was a great opportunity for him to expand his skillset and for us to create something together before he moves into the next season in his life. 

What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?

My personal favorite is each birthday party scene where the children are introduced to different animals. It was fun reminiscing through photos of the real birthday parties that Danny had when he was younger and choosing the animals that would be introduced in the book. There was a real moment when a red-eyed tree frog did in fact jump onto my daughter’s face, and I love how Danny portrayed Noah’s expression as the frog jumps toward him in the book. 

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

I’m glad you asked! The next book is actually the real reason that we chose to create the two books together! In real life, the leopard gecko from the story belonged to my daughter. All I can say right now is that he went missing for quite some time. It was this event that has been in the back of my mind for over 6 years, and I’m thankful that we are finally able to share the story and hope that others enjoy it! My illustrator is busy working on the second book while also doing his best to finish his senior year strong. We are on track to have this book launched by May 2023.

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