Welcome to the third Q&A on my new illustrated kids storybook, I Can’t Believe My Eyes!, a book to help young kids (ages 4-7) believe in a God they can’t see and to encourage adults to use everyday moments to point kids toward eternal truths. I hope this gives you a fun, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the book!
Also be sure to check out the first two related Q&A posts (from 8/9/24 and 8/16/24)!
Q: How did you come up with the different settings in the book?
A: Once I settled on the idea of a dad taking his son on a kite-flying adventure to teach him about the invisible God’s existence, I knew that I wanted I Can’t Believe My Eyes! to be set in autumn. The fall season lends itself so well to the theme of flying a kite on a windy day. And even though I’m not an illustrator, I knew a great artist like Hannah Green would be able to do amazing things with autumn backdrops . . . and she did! IMHO, Hannah’s color palette in the book is fantastic.
The story starts in the boy’s leafy yard, shifts to a beautiful outdoor park, and then returns back to the home. I hope the settings, colors, and overall story arc featured in the book gives readers young and old the same feeling of warmth that I had while writing it.
Q: How long did it take you to come up with the rhymes?
A: Great question! For those who haven’t read the book yet, it’s not a rhyming book in its entirety, but it does have sections of rhymes.
I spent a fair amount of time on the rhyme sequences while writing the original manuscript, and there some tweaks were made in the editing process. I wanted them to have a natural flow and catchy cadence, both in a reader’s head and while being read out loud. But equally as important was the message. All together, I hope the rhymes spark wonder in kids and stay with them for years to come.
Q: Why make the kite a main character?
A: The kite acts as a literary tool to help teach an amazing truth to young readers. Just like we know that wind (though invisible) exists because of what it does and its effects (like carrying kites into the sky), we can also know that God (though invisible) exists because of what he has done in us and around us.
Q: Why did you choose wind to be a metaphor in the story?
A: Good question—and similar to the previous one. Of all the various ways to talk about God’s existence, I thought using the wind would lend itself well to some great visuals and kid-friendly connection points for a picture book. While no earthly metaphor can perfectly capture the infinite God of the universe, I thought wind was one of the strongest options.
Q: Why did you choose to feature that particular verse at the end of the book?
A: The verse in question is Hebrews 11:6. I think it captures the essence of the book quite well and gives us great hope in trusting in a God we can’t yet see.
Q: Are there others verses that could help people on this subject?
A: Yes, there are many! Here are some good ones to start with: Exodus 33:18-23, John 1:18, John 6:46, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 John 4:12, and Revelation 22:3-4.
Q: Will you be writing any more kids picture books?
A: Yes! My next illustrated storybook, which is entitled Empty! and celebrates Jesus’ resurrection, is scheduled to release in January 2025. I’m very excited about this book too!