Patience is a difficult skill to master. In a world that moves nearly as fast as a child’s mind, it’s hard to accept or merely tolerate waiting for something you want. In The Wishing Tree, Kallie George’s new picture book, the main character anticipates the fall of the last autumn leaf so he can make a wish. We sat down with Kallie to talk about her new book, the importance of patience, and the joy of writing for younger audiences.
About Kallie George
Kallie George is an author, editor, and creative writing teacher living in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has written acclaimed books for children, including The Lost Gift, Secrets I Know, Duck, Duck, Dinosaur, and The Melancholic Mermaid, as well as The Magical Animal Adoption Agency series and The Heartwood Hotel series. She has also taught writing workshops for children and adults across Canada, as well as in South Korea, and she currently teaches at Emily Carr University.
Thank you, Kallie. Let’s get started.
In The Wishing Leaf, we follow Bear as he waits for the last leaf in the forest to fall so he can make a wish on it. Where did the inspiration come from for this concept?
I was working on a set of short stories about animals called Tales for Reluctant Hibernators, and this one emerged. It felt a bit more like a picture book! I pulled it from the set and developed it from there. Often, I share the ideas of my stories with my good friends, many of whom are writers and/or illustrators themselves, and they seemed to really like it, which encouraged me to continue working on it.
One of the main themes in this story is patience. Why do you think that this is an important concept to explore with young readers?
Practicing being patient is hard for everyone, especially me! But if you are good at being patient, it’s like a superpower! You can enjoy the process rather than focusing on the end product. Nurturing patience in young kids can help them to wait for turns and keep trying when something is hard, too.
Another lovely aspect of the book is Paola Zakimi’s artwork. As a children’s author, what goes into collaborating with an illustrator to help achieve your vision?
Paola Zakimi’s artwork is so gorgeous. She’s completely captured the characters and the fall/winter setting. It feels so classic. Ultimately, collaborating with an illustrator is what a picture book is all about. It is the coming together of text and illustrations to tell a story. Usually, the editor and art director are in correspondence with the illustrator, but usually, I (luckily!) get a chance to see sketches.
What is your favorite part about writing books for younger audiences?
I love how young readers so enthusiastically enjoy stories. When I was young, I used to playact different books that I read. I love how now kids do the same with some of my stories — they live in the worlds and believe in them.
On your website, you mention that you also enjoy visiting schools, libraries, and bookstores to share your work. Has there ever been a particularly memorable visit?
There have been so many enjoyable, memorable moments, it’s impossible to pick one. I think my favorite part of a school visit is when kids ask me questions about writing. I also love when kids come up and share books that they are writing and working on. And it’s so great to meet teachers and librarians and booksellers too, to bond over a shared love of books and reading. Once, I got to visit P.E.I. and do a book tour there, visiting schools and libraries. That was particularly magical.
You also mention that you teach writing workshops to students. As a writer, why is it important to you to share your process with others? Is this a rewarding experience for you?
I do like sharing my process with others — I like to share that I’m not a great speller, and tell kids that it’s ok if they aren’t naturally good at spelling either, that they can still be a writer if they love creating stories. It’s inspiring to witness kids working on their own books. I am always honored when a kid shares a story with me.
As someone with a large backlist and a few series within your catalog, what has been your favorite book or series to write so far? Are you working on any future sequels?
I don’t know if I have a favorite book or series that I’ve written. Each has been a surprisingly different process, although some parts are the same — I love coming up with the idea, and I really do love the editing process. Probably, I’ve spent the most time in the Heartwood Hotel world. I’m actually writing more books in that series right now! Heartwood Hotel Book 5, Family Forever, comes out in September 2 from Little, Brown. And I’m currently working on Book 6, A Brave Beginning.
Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring children’s book authors looking to break into the industry?
That’s tricky! Perhaps some advice would be to really enjoy the process of writing and to work on your manuscript/story as much as you can before you submit it, so it is the strongest it can be. And, try not to take rejection to heart. Just keep submitting and persevere. Being patient — as I mentioned before — is such an important thing in this industry. I need to take a lesson from Bear myself! I often want things to happen quicker than they do, and I have to remind myself to just enjoy the process.
A huge thank you to Kallie George for speaking to us about her latest children’s book. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook and add The Wishing Leaf to your kiddo’s TBR. Happy reading!
Want to hear more from a children’s literature author? Check out our interview with John Parra!
For more book recommendations, browse our Mini Bookworms Delightful Recommendations collection on Bookshop!
