Three local children’s authors and illustrators share the goals behind their books

 

 

Derville and Tasha Lowe

 

“We believe books are excellent resources for introducing and explaining difficult topics.”

 

It started off as a “simple project” to keep them connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Travel restrictions kept designer, editor, publisher and author Derville Lowe and his wife Tasha, a social worker, author and illustrator, apart. “Tasha was in Canada and I was in Florida, then Jamaica,” says Derville. Their first collaboration, a book called Animal ABCs, “lit a fire in us.”

 

Nearly five years later, the owners of Just Genios Kids’ goals for their work include fostering early literacy, awareness and imagination in children through a diverse book collection that covers difficult topics including autism awareness, diversity, emotions, body safety and self-esteem.

 

The books use simple, clear language that is appropriate for children, but “provide a way to start conversations and present information in a relatable and engaging manner,” says Tasha. “They encourage children to ask questions and express their feelings. Our books also provide the opportunity for parents to revisit these topics regularly to reinforce understanding and provide ongoing support.”

 

With titles including Kids and Emotions with Aiden and Bobbo, Pretty for a Black Girl and When My Body Feels Unsafe, many books are inspired by real-life experiences. The latter was inspired by Tasha’s own experience with child sexual abuse. “I was both crippled and muted,” she says of the incident. “I never told my parents when it happened… growing up, good touch/bad touch, body boundaries, consent, etc., was never something that was taught to me.”

 

“I lacked both the knowledge and language of how to process or verbalize that I was abused,” Tasha continues.

 

As an adult, Tasha realized that many parents and guardians do not have the language or know-how to teach these important lessons. The Lowes’ books, she says, “aim to bridge that generational knowledge divide.”

 

“I don’t want a child to be deprived of the language or skill set which I did not have,” Tasha continues. “This book is a great way to empower children about their bodies, talk about good touch and bad touch and call each body part by its right name without feeling guilty or afraid. I want every parent and child using this book and its tools to feel confident in having information that supports the child’s development and safety.”

 

Although Tasha says she’s seen similar books on these subjects, there is still “a significant gap” that she hopes to close.

 

“As a social worker, it’s crucial to me that our books do more than tell stories,” she says. “They should also offer valuable resources for parents who might not have access to them otherwise.”

 

Anastasiia Temborska

“My books are filled with sound bubbles–similar to comics–that guide parents in making playful noises as they read. Kids love it when parents make silly sounds like ‘om-nom-nom,’ which not only enhances early literacy but also strengthens the parent-child bond through shared laughter and interaction.”

 

When award-winning children’s author and illustrator Anastasiia Temborska creates, she has several goals.

The first, says Temborska, who moved from the Ukraine to Ottawa in 2023, “is to give parents a few extra minutes of free time, like when they need to make their morning coffee. The books are designed so that children can open to any page and spend time exploring the illustrations independently…This gives parents a precious minute to add milk to their coffee.”

Temborska’s other goal is educational, through her use of onomatopoeia.

“Early language development benefits greatly from sounds like ‘rumble-rumble’ or ‘tap-tap-tap,’ which are easier and more fun for kids to say,” says Temborska.

The owner of Happy Coyote Books and the author and illustrator of works including The Big Mouse Party, The Missing Mice Treasures and Mice and their Christmas Mission, Temborska—who has a background in marketing and as an artist for game development studios and film industry—says she’s inspired by her son, as well as her own experiences as a child.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved detailed illustrations in books,” she says. “That passion for small details has always stayed with me.”

 

Brian Nolet

“The stories are fun, but have an underlying lesson that touch on different social-emotional learning topics.”

A father of two young children, Brian Nolet has read “many, many children’s books. They were fun to read,” says the Half Moon Bay resident, “but I found that many of them were missing a teaching element to them.”

Upon discovering that his friend Dave Mossman, a teacher on a First Nations reserve roughly 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay had similar goals for writing a book, they set out to create The Buddyz, series of children’s books that teach kids different social-emotional learning lessons. 

Their first book, The Jungle Buddyz: A Race to Remember follows Scooter the sloth, who gets nervous when a big race is about to happen in the jungle. His friends help him overcome his fears and believe in himself.

Nolet and Mossman’s second book, The Jungle Buddyz: The Surprise Party, was released just as Parenting Times went to press.

 

In The Surprise Party, Milo the monkey feels left out when all his friends are invited to a birthday party, but he isn’t. The book touches on the power of friendship and inclusion, says Nolet.

“Not everyone can be invited to everything, but it doesn’t mean you aren’t loved also. I felt this was an important topic as it happened to my son and, at the time, I struggled to find how to help him get through the issue.”

Having a teacher as a co-author is a huge asset when creating books with underlying lessons, says Nolet, and illustrator Chris Rose “has done a fantastic job of bringing our vision and characters to life.”

The team has also created other learning tools to complement the series, including a journal where children can express their emotions in a safe place, and a website with lesson plans for students in kindergarten to Grade 3 to accompany the book.

The purpose of the stories, says Nolet, is to deliver the educational component. “Our first book teaches kids about believing in yourself, overcoming obstacles and the power of friendship,” Nolet says. “You don’t need to be the fastest or the best at something in order to be proud of yourself and feel a sense of accomplishment.”

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Parenting Times asks our authors about how to raise a reader

Parenting Times: How can parents and caregivers instill a love of reading in children?

Anastasiia Temborska: Start early and make reading a fun and regular part of your routine. Read with different intonations and voices to make the stories come alive, and be a reading role model by letting your kids see you enjoy books too. And if your child doesn’t like a particular book, don’t push it—even if it’s your favourite! Just switch to another book and keep reading.

PT: How early should parents begin reading to their children?

Brian Nolet: It’s important to read to your children at a very early age so that it becomes routine for them. Reading a quick story each night provides bonding time with your child and also encourages discussion with them about the story. Over time, my boys have wanted to read books on their own before bed.

PT: How much time do you recommend parents and caregivers spend on reading each day?

AT: For younger kids, it can be harder to keep their focus for long periods. I believe that reading regularly, even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time, is more beneficial than longer, less frequent sessions. Be flexible and adjust the duration based on your child’s mood and interest. The key is to keep reading a positive and enjoyable experience.

PT: Even after children can read on their own, what are some reasons why parents and their kids should continue to read together?

AT: It’s wonderful quality time and a shared experience where you can discuss complex topics or just laugh together. It helps keep the love of reading alive!

PT: What are some of the benefits of reading with children?

AT: Reading together gives parents and children valuable one-on-one time, strengthening their bond and creating shared memories through stories and characters. It also helps with literacy and cognitive development, but nothing beats building those long-term relationships.