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With Only My Inspiration To Guide Me
Johnny Peppertoes follows a spirited boy in 1950s Plainsville who, after his father is injured in a mill fire, must confront grief, fear, and his own mistakes to discover what true courage means. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I had never written a chapter book, only picture books before Johnny Peppertoes. The name came to me as I walked through my bedroom. My Mom (who lived with me) thought it was a silly name and said so 3 times that day. At 3:00AM and in a sound sleep, I was suddenly awake and a voice said “this will be a book” referring to JP. I was overwhelmed but eventually proceeded with only inspiration to guide me. An editor eventually came into my life who helped with boy issues as I did not have any sons. Past experiences from my childhood came to mind (i.e.: licorice) but most was just following thoughts which came to my mind. I was not college educated because of family trauma nor was I ever a teacher.
Johnny’s father remains influential even while absent from much of the story. How did you approach showing the lasting power of a parent’s words?
Johnny’s father developed as a good, wise father whose actions and words would cause a child to remember them, and we as parents can only hope our children will benefit from example.
What did you hope young readers would understand about courage, particularly through Johnny’s fear, anger, and mistakes?
I felt that Johnny gave children courage to overcome obstacles like fear and anger, that they are normal. Mistakes happen but good character results when you realize the strength within you can make a difference in tough situations and that children can make a difference in the world.
How did you collaborate with the illustrator to create artwork that matched Johnny’s personality and the story’s nostalgic, homespun atmosphere?
13 year old Alberto Gonzalez came knocking at my door to welcome me to our new home. He somehow heard I was writing a book and wanted to know if he could do the illustrations. I politely said no, thinking how could a young boy, newly arrived from Puerto Rico, be a good enough artist for my book. Humbly, three months later, I realized I made a big mistake and welcomed him to begin what turned out to be a two and a half year project. We met many, many times to discuss what I wanted and he always did it right, unbelievable as it may seem. When a fourth grade teacher friend agreed to use JP for her English classes one semester (used it for 3 years) the principal told me at the end that she credited it for the highest grades ever in 4th grade. I was a guest as well as Alberto once a year on author’s day and the kids went wild for him. The teacher handed me responses by children giving thanks to me and saying what they liked about the book. I’m especially proud of the ending pic of the different children of the world. Sometimes, I tear up, wondering how in the world someone like me, late in life, could be gifted to write inspirational stories. Surprisingly, I’ve had older children, an eighteen year old, sixty-five year old and even older people read and tell me it reminded them of their childhood. Maybe, that’s why there is no mention of age in the book. To God be the glory.
Johnny Peppertoes
Johnny Peppertoes follows Johnny Ashton, a spirited boy growing up in 1950s Plainsville, as he stumbles through anger, grief, friendship, fear, and unexpected bravery. After his father is badly injured in a mill fire, Johnny has to grow up in ways he doesn’t fully understand yet. With the help of his mother, his cat Simms, his new friends Tom and Nathan, and the quiet refuge of his treehouse, he slowly learns that courage isn’t about never being scared. It’s about telling the truth, asking for help, and doing the right thing when it matters.
What stayed with me most was the book’s old-fashioned moral heartbeat. I liked that Johnny is allowed to be messy. He gets angry, wants revenge, sneaks around, makes questionable choices, and sometimes lets fear steer him straight into trouble. But the story never shames him for being a child. Instead, it gives him room to learn. I liked that his father’s lessons keep echoing through the book even when his father is absent, because that felt emotionally honest to me. Children do carry our words with them, sometimes in ways we don’t see until much later. The writing has a homespun, earnest quality, full of period details, family sayings, soda fountains, fishing trips, parade wagons, and neighborhood mischief.
The ideas in the book are sincere and surprisingly layered. It touches on grief, disability, honesty, prayer, patriotism, community, and the fragile pride of childhood without making Johnny feel like a lesson pasted onto a page. I was especially moved by the way the story treats his eyesight and his smallness. Those details don’t define him, but they shape how he moves through the world, and I found that quietly powerful. The artwork adds to that feeling. The illustrations have a pencil-sketched, youthful charm. I found that fitting. The drawings have a candid, handmade energy that matches Johnny’s scrappy personality and the book’s nostalgic setting. Some images are playful and some simply catch the warmth of a small-town moment.
I found Johnny Peppertoes to be a heartfelt, character-driven story with a strong sense of memory behind it. For young readers who enjoy gentle adventure, moral reflection, vintage small-town settings, and stories about children discovering their own courage, there’s a lot here to enjoy. I’d recommend it for older elementary readers, especially those who like classic-feeling tales about friendship, family, bravery, and the idea that kids really can make a difference.
Pages: 115 | ASIN: B09DGL1LWN
