The Colorful World of Hadley the Hippo with Kayla E. Green.

Author Kayla E. Green talks with BookWorthy about her latest book, a colorful board book for young readers with a strong message.

Don't forget to join in the Middle Grade March Madness. Fill out your bracket and follow the fun as you, the reader, help BookWorthy choose the #1 Middle Grade book for ages 8-12.

Follow over on YouTube

---

Valerie- Welcome to Bookworthy, where we talk about the heart behind the books your kids are reading. Today, we're talking with award-winning YA fantasy author Kayla E. Green about her colorful picture book, Hadley the Hippo is What She Eats. Hadley the Hippo explores a world of color in the food that she eats. Welcome to Bookworthy, Kayla.

Kayla - Valerie, thank you so much for having me today.

Valerie- It's a pleasure to have you. I'm excited to talk. Kind of YA has kind of been your home for a while, but you're jumping over to a little picture book. So I am excited to talk more. But before we get going, we have to start with our random question of the week, which is: What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still talk about?

Kayla - So just one story comes to my mind, and it's not so much me as me, my sister, and my brother. You remember those Go-Gurts, the yogurts to go, they still have them today? Well, my brother wanted one, instead of saying, he was the little one, and instead of saying, Hey, can you help me? He decided to beat it on the back of a chair, I believe it was. The yogurt went everywhere. And my mom was like, Why did you help? We were like, we didn't know we needed help. So a lot of mishaps ended up with food. We weren't allowed to have red Kool-Aid, Go-Gurts, and no one was allowed to do oatmeal in the microwave except my mom. There was always something with food. And we all still talk about those incidents today.

Valerie - That's fun. Food definitely has a way of coming up in stories a lot. You said red Kool-Aid, and I can think of a few with my kids who are like, yeah, red Kool-Aid may not have been the best choice. And yes.

Kayla - We're not in the... Me and my twin sister and I tried to get a jug apparently out by ourselves, and my mom, we're no longer in that house, but she still jokes to this day that that house still is stained with red clay.

Valerie - Of course, because that never comes out. Beverages, yes, I like that. Very fun. Okay, let's tell us a little bit about Hadley the hippo and all that she eats.

Kayla - No, it's like glitter. It's the glitter of beverages. Yeah, perfect segue. So, Hadley the Hippo is, you know, talking about it's my first children's book, and I wrote and illustrated this, and that was extra fun. I've always had a heart for children, and I've written YA I'm drafting a middle grade project right now, and before coming home to be with my daughter full time. I was an elementary school librarian. That's where I spent my last two years in public education. And I just want my heart for children, but also my heart is to write the stories that God places there. And so all the words, all the stories that I'm telling, I feel like the author of life is the one who's given me this direction. And, you know, I won't tell stories that children of our age can pick up and can, you know, see the light of God, whether more directly or indirectly. Books are a form of conversation starters. It's a place for families to talk, to bond. And so I knew I wanted to write a picture book, and I had had this, okay, picture books, definitely something I feel like I'm being called to do, but I wasn't sure exactly what, and my daughter was born. She recently just turned a year, and when she was born, we called her a hungry hippo because she just wanted to eat all the time, and it was a joke. She was a hungry hippo. And that's kind of where I got this idea of a hippo wanting to eat and it really kind of just all came together because something that I've talked before a little on my platform and another interview that I was on with five, five minute parenting podcasts, we talked about the importance of what you consume in your mind and your heart, it shapes who you are. So it's really important that there are books that help kids go back to things that matter. And that's a little bit of things that I believe in, wanting something for my daughter, being a little hungry newborn, that kind of launched Hadley the Hippo.

Valerie - I was going to ask, as you're known as the unicorn writer. So I was like, Why did we go to a hippo? So I'm glad you brought that out to let us know a little bit about your daughter, as well as to provide inspiration in this project.

Kayla - Yes, and the term unicorn, my YA debut young adult novel fantasy novel, it's titled The Goodness of Unicorns. So you do see unicorns in some of my stuff, but the term actually came from a coworker of mine calling me the nickname Unicorn. I just thought it was cute. I liked it. So I just kind of adopted it.

Valerie - Yeah, I was given a nickname of Frank, again, Frankenstein, which is not quite as cute as unicorn. So, I have the scars to show it for that name. That's a story for another time. But what do you hope to communicate through this book to kiddos?

Kayla- So I really won't, you know, it's written in a way for littles to help, you know, when they're learning their colors and there's some stretch words in there. My brother was actually reading it, and one of the words I use, the term verdant, when we're talking about green, and he's like, What age is this for? But you know, I really want kids to have an opportunity to, this is the most fun read aloud, like, out loud, just as super fun. There's some repetition. And I want kids to take away that, you know, Hadley, whatever she eats, she changes colors. So she is what she eats. And so it's important that we're not only fueling our bodies with like food, but what we consume, what we're watching, what we're listening to on the radio, what we're reading. It matters and it shapes how we feel, who we are. And so there are reasons why mom, dad, grandma, they have rules about we don't watch these things, and we don't, know, I don't think this book is for us, or if that's for when you're older, you know, there's, we don't have rules just to be mean. There are reasons why. And to help, Understand there's a why you

know I want to fill my heart with good things and things that help me You know shine the light of Jesus and be more like Jesus We want this foundation so we can start raising our little disciples for being able to discern as they grow up and they're seeing they're having more independence and more autonomy. We want to give that foundation. Okay, so this is why we're doing it. This is what we want to do. Now, as you're having more choices in the world, you're seeing all these things in the world, what are you going to eat, so to speak? Because you know that phrase, you are what you eat.

Valerie - I have teenagers in my home, and it's been sweet moments of walking. They want to explore different types of music, and we'll be in the car and we'll be listening to like a secular radio station, and they're like enjoying the beat, and I'm like, are they talking about? And they're like, well, what are they talking about? Like, do you really want me to tell you?

It was a neat thing with my oldest; we did a lot of driving together because of his small group at church and the distance it is from home. And so we had a lot of good conversations in the car about what we ingest and what we listen to, what we watch. And with media so available to our kids, it's really important to communicate that at a young age that what we watch, what we listen to, what we ingest, both with food and all the other ways, is also going to affect how we speak to others, how we interact with the world around us. And it's important to be cautious with that, to guard your heart. I think it was Psalms 4:23, there we go. I'll get it to guard your heart. Cause from it comes a wellspring of life. And so, definitely need to do that. But I love how playful Hadley is, so it's not really heavy-handed in its message, but it is just fun and book kids will want to return to again and again as they're exploring colors and looking for other foods to eat.

Kayla - Yeah, and then you know, as they you know, it's as you're rereading and the kids are getting a little bit older. There's a space to have those conversations, like, well, why do you think she's changing colors like once they get you know, they've mastered the colors. Let's take it a step further. I'm all about conversations and books, and let's come together and talk, and yeah, so I'm really excited to see how God uses Hadly with kids and families and those who read the book.

Valerie - I love that, and there is just that opportunity for lots of conversations, not just through healthy eating, but also, you know, words and music and TV and all those things that our kids are exposed to. So I love how Hadley takes us on that little journey. Okay, let's tell us a little bit about where your writing journey began.

Kayla -So I've actually been writing stories since I was in elementary school. And I've said it so many times, I wish I still had this little book. And you know, it might be in some of my mom's boxes in her attic. I'm not sure. But my first book, I think I was in second grade, I wrote and illustrated a book called The Lonely Guinea Pig. It was about a little guinea pig who wanted a friend, and then a little boy came and adopted her.

And I use electrical tape to make a spine. Anyway, I've been, I've just been writing. That's the first one that I like to remember, the story that I remember writing. But my mom said that, and my sister would like to come up with books, and we would pretend like we'd make up our own stories while we're flipping the pages. So I think, I think a story, being a storyteller, it's always been a part of who I am. And I think it was early after college, went back to, because college was just so time-consuming. I took a break from writing for fun. I did take one fiction writing course. And that was a lot of fun, but it was different being in a structured environment. And it wasn't until after college that I was like, you know, I want to start making time. To just write, to start telling these stories. Because I still had stories on my heart and in the background, but I just kind of pushed them to the side, and I just had that pull like, it's time, God wants you to start making this a priority. And so that's when I started to start listening to what I was being told to do, basically.

Valerie - Sometimes we listen well at the beginning, and sometimes it takes a little time. Good thing God is persistent and faithful. Too fun. Now you said you were a teacher. Now, you kind of said to me, was it the writing bug that caught you early, but what made you lean towards teaching rather than exploring writing more?

Kayla - We did a project in eighth grade, part of eighth-grade social studies. Had to pick a career and research it. And I think I was, I've always loved children. Even as a child myself, I was always geared towards other children younger than me. And I just wanted to be a teacher. Wanted to teach. I think there's a fear in our society of, if you pursue that, you're not going to be able to provide for yourself, to provide for your family. It was, you know, teaching is something that I do think for, you know, that was part of what I was meant to do when I did it. But there was also a, I, could I be successful in a sense of providing for my family, and

you know, it's you can't you can't be a writer. That's not a career. And I know there's a lot of debate with that, probably even, you know, what's defined as success and all of that. But yeah, I was just pulled to, and I did write, but it was more nonfiction. And I did a dual degree in education and history. And so I did a lot of historical research and writing that way, and I do have a YA manuscript or like writing in progress that ties in some of that historical research that I did. But now this is going on down a completely different rabbit hole based on the question. But I think going back to your question, I think even though it's kind of like one thing or the other, maybe, but also I think teaching was something I was also called to do. And if I were not in the classroom, if I were not blessed with the children that I was with each year, I think my own story would be different. And the stories I share today wouldn't be what they are.

Valerie - I can see that I have several teacher friends, and they make the comment that every year they basically have to create a family, and that those kids impact them just as much as they hope to impact the kids in their room. And it is a special relationship that, you know, I can still remember teachers for my second grade class and my fourth grade class that said, you know, things about my writing or said, you know, found my joy in, in the construction paper picture books that we made, and that kind of thing. So its teachers are very powerful. And I do believe that God can call us to walk humbly, love justice, and follow him more than anything else. So we can do any job that's put in front of us as long as we are just following him. And I love that he's giving you that avenue to explore both him and the children as you're growing in your ability to tell stories, too. Now, Kayleigh, what is your favorite book?

Kayla - Okay, so I've actually got a list based on the target audience of what I would consider favorite books for middle grade. I really love The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill,

yet there is this sense that they use magic in this book as a disclaimer. They do use the term magic, but it's beautiful in the sense that it's talking about love and love multiplying instead of lessening as more people come into your life, like your family and their found family. I really enjoy it, but I also can't put it above Matilda, Roald Dahl. It's a classic. It was one that I read with my sixth graders. I would read that book with them, without a doubt.

I would have kids going, I don't read, I don't like reading. We would read that, we would do read-alouds, we would do our literature circles, we would do that book.

They all loved that book,

and they were excited to read more. I am a 100 % proponent of read-alouds for all ages. Like you're never too old for read-alouds. That's why audiobooks are so popular. So those are middle grade. And this is talking about favorite books. These are all in the fiction category. And then a children's book. There are so many good children's books. Jennifer Bosma, I Know the Plans is spectacular. Karen Ferguson's series. I love that one. She's got it's Guess How Much God Loves You, which is the first one in the end. She's got another, she's got three now, three, they're just so good. And then, you know, and then because my little girl is so little, still reading Good Night Moon almost every single night. She loves that book. And there's just, I could go on and on about so many books, and it's just like pick one book. It's so hard.

Valerie - It's a challenge, and you're not the only author I've interviewed who struggles with picking just one book because I think books have that power that we will have in different categories, different favorite books, or in different seasons of our lives. Books will affect us in different ways. And what is it? My favorite little board books when my kids were little were the Sandra Boyden books, but not the hippopotamus and what is it? Just all these really just awkward, strange, bizarre little books, and or Moo Moo Baa Baa. And, you know, it's just, just really goofy. Cause I mean, I'm sitting here having to read it a hundred times. And so I might as well have something I'm enjoying too. Well, Kayla, what's been the most impactful book in your life other than the Bible?

Kayla - Other than the Bible, I think... It's also one of those, talking about like, depending on what season in life, I can go through, and I can name, well, these are some of the most important books when I was a child. Like childhood, I'm gonna name the American Girl,

Josefina series. That, without a doubt, ignited my interest in history. And I specifically studied the 15th-century colonization of Spain to Mexico. So I read that without a doubt, there is a correlation there. Books are impactful. And again, in middle school, I can think of several, including dealing with dragons. That's what it was like, a fantasy. There's this whole world with dragons and all this and princesses, and I love it. And I can close my eyes and I can picture my mom reading to us at night, which I think was so impactful for me becoming a reader and a lifelong learner. And I think that's played a role in the connection I have with my siblings and my parents today. And so, I mean, like you said, the Bible is, that's gonna lead you, you know, shape your life, that is, you know. And when I'm asked

questions, I don't know why I

always default to fiction. I do read nonfiction, and there's lots of good nonfiction, but I do default to thinking of books towards the fiction side. So, to not answer while trying to answer your question, there are several books that at different points in my life have impacted me and helped shape who I am, so it's hard to pick just one. But I will say The Wolf Queen by Tabitha Caplinger. As just a handful of years ago, I read it for the first time. I have read it again since, because I love it. And highly recommend Tabitha's books. I read this book, and it's one of those books that changes your heart for the better. Like you feel without it being preachy, you felt God's love and his light in this story, and I went I want to write like that. I want to be a writer like Tabitha, and so we'll go. I've gone through that, and I will pick The Wolf Queen by Tabitha Caplinger as my answer.

Valerie - I love it. I love that there was a journey to get there and that there are so many books to talk about. This is one of the things that I love talking about, books, and yeah, I couldn't pick one. So it is a very unfair question, but especially when I take the Bible out of there, but we have to do what we have to do. But what can we expect next from you, Kayla?

Kayla - I always say, I'm gonna slow down and I don't know how to do that. So yeah, I've got a young adult pirate fantasy that's coming out soon. Later this year, fingers crossed, if

everything goes smoothly. And I'm also working on the sequel to The Goodness of Unicorns. That'll also be coming out soon, shortly after the pirate book. And then I'm also working on a middle-grade project. So there's a lot in the works. The best way for people to stay up to date is by connecting with me through Instagram. And my handle is the unicorn writer, like you write. Because sometimes when I say it, people think rider like riding horses, but it's theunicornwriter93, and that's how you can see what's going on

Valerie - I'll make sure to have that Instagram tag in our show notes so people can find you easily. Do you also have a website you'd want people to check out?

Kayla - I do, that is www.theunicornwriter.com.

Valerie - Seems to be a theme. Too fun. Well, thank you so much for joining me today, Kayla.

Kayla - Thank you so much, Valerie. I've had an absolute blast talking with you.

Valerie - It's been a joy. And thank you for joining Kayla and me on this episode of the Bookworthy Podcast. Check the show notes for any books or links that we discussed, and let us know in the comments what's the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still talk about. Be sure to like and subscribe to discover more great books together.

Happy reading.