Earlier this year, I was delighted to introduce Valerie Ellis and her fun picture book, Let’s Go! Bible Adventures! to you. (In case you missed it, you can check out our interview here.) Today, Valerie is celebrating the recent launch of her middle grade devotional book, Wild Faith Devotional for Kids (illustrated by Jen Bricking, published by WaterBrook), and it’s my pleasure to meet up again with Valerie today.
Welcome, Valerie!
Interview
Sue: You’ve written several books for the Christian market, on a variety of subjects. Your work includes playful rhyming board books and picture books for little ones, and now, a devotional for older children. How did your process for writing this book differ from the one you typically follow?
Valerie: Great question! Though Wild Faith Devotional for Kids is my first book for older kids and my first book written in prose, parts of prewriting and research phases looked similar to what I did for Let’s Go! Bible Adventures. Wild Faith and Let’s Go both employ kids’ popular, evergreen interests—one has transportation, one has animals—to point kids to God. For both books, I had to research a lot about both the “hook†and the biblical takeaway, finding good strong connections that were fun and engaging while keeping the focus on God and His word.
But Wild Faith also required more in-depth research. I wanted to be sure I got the science right and explained it at an age-appropriate level. In addition, the writing style is much more similar to the articles I write for caregivers than it is to my other children’s books, so I had to be mindful to keep the information, vocabulary, and overall voice on target for the seven- to twelve-year-old age group.
People ask if my process started with the amazing animal attributes or the biblical concepts, and the answer is: both! I started by letting animals inspire connections to the Bible and the Christian life. After I had a good number of solid options, I analyzed which biblical concepts were “missing†from the list and went looking for animals that could help illuminate each of those topics in an interesting way.
Sue: Please tell us more about the animal in Wild Faith that amazed you the most. We’d love to hear details you didn’t have room for in your book.
Valerie: I discovered so many animals I wasn’t even aware of like the arapaima and the decorator crab, but one that continues to amaze me is a favorite of many kids: the axolotl. In the book, I focus on how this amphibian doesn’t go through metamorphosis! The way it keeps its youthful characteristics its whole life can remind us that Jesus wants us to keep our childlike faith in Him, no matter how much we grow.
Here are a few wild facts that I couldn’t squeeze into the book:
- Axolotls are found in the wild in only one place on earth: Xochimilco, a system of lakes and waterways near Mexico City.
- The trait of retaining attributes from their baby stages is called neoteny.
- In the book, I mention that an axolotl can regenerate body parts, including parts of its heart and brain, but I don’t mention some cool details. For example, an axolotl can grow back its leg in about a month. And a complex array of cells, acids, and enzymes work together to make sure the correct part grows back and that it doesn’t grow out of control and become too long.]
Didn’t God make them amazing!
Sue: What’s next for you in your writing journey?
Valerie: Wild Faith is my third book to launch in 24 months, so that hasn’t left much time for writing! But I have lots of ideas for picture books and devotionals, and I’m praying about what to focus on next.
Sue: Please finish these thoughts:
I go wild for… my husband and kids! Josh and our boys (ages 14 and 11) are just the best. We have lots of fun together. Plus, they graciously listened to SO many animal facts as I researched this book. They have my heart.
I have faith that… it’s not all up to us. Wild Faith encourages kids to live out their faith and grow in the ways of God. But I didn’t want to leave them with the idea that growing in God is all about our effort. I want kids to remember the beautiful truth that God is with us, helping us do the very things He asks us to do. Yes, He wants us to put one foot in front of the other as we do our best to follow Him, but He is also guiding, strengthening, and transforming us in ways we can’t explain.
I was hoping you’d ask…what my favorite animal is! It’s the octopus, and yes, that creature is featured in Wild Faith. I’d love if your readers would tell me their favorite animal in the comments!
Sue: Great suggestion, Valerie! Thanks again for joining us!
Readers, we just cannot end this interview without telling you about this YouVersion plan, where you can find shortened versions of five Wild Faith devotions and a fun-filled, jam-packed resource pack. You might also take a sneak peek at two full devotions at Valerie’s website. And you can find Valerie on Instagram. She’d love to connect!
GIVEAWAY!
Wild Faith makes a great Christmas gift for a middle grade child in your life, and Valerie is generously giving a copy to one of our readers. For your chance to win, leave a comment below by November 24th.
Children’s author and educator Sue Irwin has written nature features, biographical articles, and how-to craft articles for various magazines, including AppleSeeds and Highlights for Children, and she’s a frequent contributor to Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. She’s excited about her upcoming board book, Hey There, Blue Bird, Why Do You Chirp? (B&H Publishing, 2026) – and more coming in 2027. Sue hosts W2I’s monthly Time2Write sessions, and she invites you to connect with her here.
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Joyce McCullough November 20, 2025
Axolotls sound amazing!
pamwritesfantasy11 November 20, 2025
This devo sounds amazing! God’s creation is amazing!! He is the most creative of all, isn’t He? I don’t understand how everyone can’t see it when they study any part of our world.
carolbaldwin November 20, 2025
This book sounds AMAZING and I trust my grandkids will love it!
Robin Currie November 20, 2025
What engaging books for kids at that tricky age! Thank you for writing for them.
amyhouts November 20, 2025
This sounds wonderful, Valerie! Our grandchildren would love it!
Jean Matthew Hall November 20, 2025
My favorite animal species is horses
They are beautiful, intelligent, powerful, graceful, and companionable.
But Id reLly like to have an axolotl as a pet!
Marci Whitehurst November 20, 2025
What a fun devotional! This looks wonderful, Valerie. I don’t think I can pick a favorite animal. I think it changes!
Brenda Covert November 21, 2025
What a great idea for a devotional kids will want to read! My favorite bird is a flamingo. Favorite pet is multiple cats. Reptile? The chameleon. But I couldn’t pick just one animal overall!
Deborah DeCiantis November 24, 2025
What an inspiring interview, with lots of information to hook me! The book seems likely to interest my non-fiction-loving grandchildren.