Write2Ignite

A few months ago, I heard Valerie Ellis speak at a webinar for children’s book writers. When I heard the title of her upcoming book, I couldn’t wait to learn more about it. Today, I’m happy to introduce Valerie and to join her in celebrating the launch of Let’s Go! Bible Adventures! Real Bible Stories for Kids Who Love Trains, Tractors, Ice Cream Trucks, and More! (illustrated by Carolina Farias, published by Tyndale Kids). Let’s get going!

Welcome, Valerie! Thanks for taking the time to meet with us today.

Sue: Please tell us the story behind the writing of the book, Let’s Go! Bible Adventures!

Valerie: Let’s Go! Bible Adventures! is a rhyming storybook Bible with 40 stories that contrast modern-day vehicles with Bible-times transportation to draw kids in and get them excited about God’s Word.

I got the idea for the book because my two-year-old (who is now 14) only wanted to read vehicle books when he was little. Occasionally, he would read about animals too, but whenever we read Bible stories, he’d simply snap the book shut. This was quite a shock for a young mom who wanted to teach her son about Jesus. I remember lamenting to God that my life would be a whole lot easier if there were bulldozers and trains in the Bible. What started out as an honest, albeit somewhat silly, prayer sparked an idea that wouldn’t let me go.

A lot of people wonder how the book can include airplanes and buses without ruining the integrity of the Bible stories. I know that would be my first question.

The book uses silly questions to introduce the vehicle element. For example, when Jonah was in trouble, “Did God send a submarine, diving to save?” Or, when Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus, “What did he use? A tall basket crane with its outstanding views?” Then kids turn the page to see the real Bible stories. God rescued Jonah with a big fish! Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus! It’s full of fun and gives caregivers, children’s ministers, and teachers lots of opportunities to share God’s story of hope and love.

The first draft I wrote had only four stories. I imagined it as a picture book! Over time, it grew to 8 stories, then 12, and when we decided to make it a storybook Bible, I brainstormed more than 40 stories we could include. It was fun to talk with friends, family, my critique partners, and my agent during this process and hear their ideas for stories and vehicles. Many made it into the book!

Several editors shaped other parts of the book, like the book title and the inclusion of a refrain. Then it came down to writing all those rhymes!!

Sue: The illustrations for Let’s Go! are so fun. If you were asked to choose just one spread to frame and hang on the wall, which one would it be?

Valerie: Oh, that’s such a hard question! Carolina Farias did an amazing job with the illustrations, so the real question is: Do I pick a silly spread with the modern vehicle or a big reveal with the real Bible story? I’ll choose the one where the little boy is sharing his lunch with Jesus right before Jesus does a miracle to feed thousands. It’s such a warm picture of the crowds gathered around, having listened to Jesus all day, and Jesus accepting the boy’s offering with love. It reminds me of the amazing things Jesus can do when we give our lives to Him.

Sue: At Write2Ignite, we aim to “to share our faith with the world — through literature,” and our services and resources can be used by writers, educators, and parents and caregivers, too. Your work with “Our Everyday Parables” sounds amazing. I’d love to hear more about that.

Valerie: Thank you for asking! Our Everyday Parables is a multi-author online resource offering children’s book reviews and ideas for families pursuing faith and compassion. We love to share simple ways for families to connect with God and each other in the everyday moments of life. Our articles help caregivers and teachers find great faith-focused books, discover natural ways to talk to kids about God, and find faith connections in all kinds of different books. We have tons of free downloadable tools, so I hope everyone will check it out and subscribe to our newsletter.

Sue: What can we look forward to seeing from you next?

Valerie: Hmmm…I’m not sure how much I can talk about my next book because we haven’t officially announced it yet. So, I’ll just say it’s a devotional on a very special topic for kids ages 6-10. It’s coming out this fall from WaterBrook, a division of Penguin Random House, which makes my third publisher. My Christmas lift-the-flap book is with Paraclete Press, and Let’s Go! Bible Adventures is with Tyndale.

Sue: Please finish these thoughts:

My go-to Bible verse is… “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8, NLT)

I’ll never stop… singing in the car.

I was hoping you’d ask…about author visits. One of my greatest joys is reading to students, hearing their questions, and sharing God’s love. I find the teachers and other adults in the room get a lot out of it, too.

It was so fun chatting with you today, Valerie. Thanks again for joining us!

Readers, when you preorder Let’s Go! Bible Adventures!, you can go to Valerie’s website to download preorder bonuses: an exclusive sneak peek of 4 stories from the book, 12 faith-building transportation play ideas, and 18 biblical truths for little ones.

GIVEAWAY!

Valerie is giving away a copy of Let’s Go! Bible Adventures!, and we’re delighted to pass this along to one of our readers. For your chance to win, enter the contest by leaving a comment on this post by January 27.

Sue Irwin is a children’s author and educator. For fun, she loves to read funny stories, mystery adventures, and intriguing nonfiction. In addition to two middle-grade nonfiction books about sports, she has written articles for Clubhouse Jr, AppleSeeds, and Highlights for Children magazines. When it comes to writing, more than anything, Sue enjoys sharing the story of God’s love with kids. Sue is W2I’s Time2Write coordinator. You can connect with her here.