Q&A With Jason Lavender

Mickey Mikkelson connected me with children’s author Jason Lavender. Jason is the author of The Sad Giraffe.

Q: Jason, would you give a brief description of The Sad Giraffe & where the idea for the book came from?

A: The sad Giraffe is a book about a giraffe who feels self-conscious about his neck. He notices other animals with their various strengths like. Flight and speed while he is stuck having a long neck that provides no benefit. This idea didn’t really come from any one place. More a combination of many experiences. Such as, my disapproval of the current children’s book I’ve seen at book sellers. They seemed too simple with basic art and stories with not much depth. And experiences affecting people around the world and my friends. I want all the books I write to have themes for either the child or the parent to notice and appreciate. 

Q: How long did it take you to write The Sad Giraffe?

A: It didn’t take me very long. I practically had the whole book in my mind when I started writing it. The longest part I would say would be drawing it and then trying to get it published.

Q: What lessons do you hope children learn after reading The Sad Giraffe? What emotions do you hope children feel after reading the book?

A: I hope to teach children the message of self-worth and recognizing one’s own uniqueness. Everyone in the world is different, and it’s all about how you use that difference to help others. 

Q: In today’s world it seems as though children are more glued to their tablets rather than reading a book which I find sad. What advice would you give to parents who want their children to read more?

A: This all comes down to parenting. If a child is glued to their tablets, it’s because their parents let them. A child doesn’t really need a tablet until they reach middle or high school depending on how technology reliant the school system is. My advice would be don’t force reading. If a child is anything like me, I have too much energy to sit and read for a long stretch of time. The best way is to pick a fun and interactive book that will help the kid enjoy reading so that way it’s fun and not like a punishment. And then the child will most likely want to progress onto something more challenging. A good example is my book, The Sad Giraffe. It’s not very long and has a fun game at the end. 

Q: Who is your favorite author?

A: I have two authors who have been a big help in boosting my inspiration and creativity. The author of Mouse Guard, David Peterson I hope he makes more one day, and the author of Bone being Jeff Smith. They both have amazing stories in their fantasy worlds with original art styles which has inspired me to improve.

Q: What advice do you have for those wanting to write?

A: My advice is that if you have an idea on a book you want to write. Do it. There is an audience for everything. The hardest part of book making is publishing and finding the best publisher for you without getting taken advantage of. The best way to combat that is to find already published authors in your genre and ask them.

Q: Where can readers find you on social media?

A: I am active on my social media. Instagram: Jason.Lavender1 Facebook: Jason Lavender. And you can preorder my book on Kirkhouse publishers

Q: Do you have any new childrens books in the works?

A: I hope to see the rest of my children’s books published, which would be six more. And then I will branch into other fields of writing. I’m working on multiple graphic novels and chapter books for a more mature audience. Still exploring deep themes but with way more vibrant and detailed imagery because my skills have only grown since my completion of The Sad Giraffe.