Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends follows a dog in a new class who has trouble making new friends until he gets the following advice: name the difference, find the good, and move on with kindness. What was the inspiration for your story?

My kids are the inspiration for the story. There was one specific situation that was the catalyst for the book. My kids were at the playground and a curious friend repeatedly asked what was wrong with one of my kid’s eyes. It upset one of my other kids and also caused the curious friend to walk away. This all happened around the time we found out that my child with the beautiful, and maybe a little differently shaped eyes, has a syndrome. I knew we would be getting more questions. How could my husband and I teach our kids how to navigate differences in a way that is kind and inclusive, instead of isolating and divisive? I wrote the story as a way to process everything. A poignant playground situation led to reflecting on how we are all different in some way. We all feel different at times. The characters are based on my kids and situations we have worked through together. The three-step process has been helpful for our family, but there are many ways to handle differences. My hope for the book is that it will encourage conversation about differences in an open, positive, respectful, and inclusive way.

I loved the unique characters you have created in your book, especially Layla Squirrel. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?

Thank you! All of the characters are based on my dog and 4 children. Willard is based on my dog, a German shorthaired pointer, who is not named Willard, but I always thought he looked like one. The four friends that Willard meets on the trail are based off of my kids and situations we have navigated with them. Each character has personality traits and gifts that I see in my kids. For example, my oldest wears glasses, and when he was 4 years old, he recruited two of his friends to help him bury his glasses in the mulch on the school playground. It took two days to find them. He really did not want to wear glasses. One of his gifts that is so fantastic is that he is a magic maker. He enjoys elevating any situation to make it extra special. This became Tommy Tiger. The character that I found the toughest to write was Layla Squirrel. I knew I wanted to have her bring everyone together, but went back and forth over what all these animals could realistically eat together. Throughout the story are bits and pieces of my family with a story behind the story.

What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?

My mission was to write a story that promotes kindness and embracing differences. Each friend that Willard DoGooder meets on the trail, teaches him how we can approach differences, learn from one another, and appreciate each other. The world feels more polarized these days, and I think it is important for my kids to know that if you don’t think the same, or look the same, or act the same, you can be friends. Also, sometimes you may not have a friendship, but you can still be kind and appreciate the differences. My hope is that reading the book together will encourage conversations about difference in an open, curious, positive and inclusive way.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

This is my first children’s book and I am excited to write more Willard DoGooder books! Currently, I am working on a story about affirmations for kids. After that, I have a few ideas for the next Willard DoGooder tale.

Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Amazon

Willard DoGooder has trouble making friends in his new class. Things are just … different. One day, he spots a magical trail and sets out on an adventure where he meets new friends, learns how to think through differences, and celebrate others just as they are.

Each friend that Willard DoGooder meets on the trail teaches Willard exactly how we can approach differences, learn from one another, and appreciate each other’s gifts. Over the course of the book, Willard learns a three-step process for approaching differences in others: name the difference, find something good about it, and move on with kindness.

With characters based on the author’s children and the real-life issues they’ve learned how to work through together, Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends is a fantastic adventure grounded with a message that we can all use in our daily life. Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends is a beautifully illustrated story about how our differences aren’t that different when we love and accept one another just as we are. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the book’s straightforward and simple message that show kids exactly how to treat someone when they notice a difference between them, and start conversations about appreciating and encouraging each other.

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/08/24/appreciate-the-differences/