Why I Wrote a Children's Picture Book

First, let me make this clear: The concept and the words for Mr. Mosquito were mine, but the illustrations of the talented Ellen Howell brought the character to life. 

The Kindle version of Mr. Mosquito will be free Thursday and Friday, May 26-27. Here's a link to it.

I live in south Louisiana, so there are two things I understand: humidity and mosquitos.

At some point in late 2014 the muse struck. I was sitting at my desk, sipping on my first cup of coffee, pecking away at the laptop keyboard...and you guessed it-- a pesky mosquito buzzed me. Right away, I thought about the trivial fact that only female mosquitoes feed on humans, and that prompted me to consider the poor, misunderstood male mosquito. I started typing life from his perspective. Within minutes, the rough draft for the book was on the page.

I decided to send it to my friend Ellen to see if it inspired her enough to illustrate. She and I worked together via email to collaboratively work out details between the words and the images.

That's basically how the book came about. Another question, though, is "why?"

Why write a children's picture book?

1. We need books for children that are FUN. Brain researchers have found that our brains retain information when it is tied to emotion. If we smile or laugh while reading a book, the odds are greater that we'll remember what we've read.

2. A children's book is a very ACCESSIBLE way to teach scientific facts. While the premise of the book may seem trivial, it's still a biological fact.  I can't tell you the number of times people have told me that they did not know that only female mosquitoes "bite."  

3. SIMPLE truths told as stories can operate as ANALOGIES. As you read Mr. Mosquito, you will laugh at his tormented existence (using your best Inspector Clouseau accent, please), but you might also realize that there are people who suffer harm in one fashion or another due to the ignorance of others. When we understand the perspective of the male mosquito, it makes us want to ask the question before swatting next time..."is that Mr. Mosquito or Ms, Mosquito?" Unfortunately, male mosquitoes don't all wear black and white striped shirts. That would make it so much easier to tell the difference.

So if you're thinking about writing a children's book, I say "go for it!"  Do the illustrations yourself if you're able; if not, find someone who can capture the essence of your characters on canvas. You will grow from the experience, and you'll share something that will encourage or instruct someone in your audience. Don't let fear of rejection or the ideal of perfection stop you from getting started. 

Have you written a children's book or thought about writing one?

What are other reasons you think we need them?

Join the discussion by leaving a comment.