Join us as we learn more about Nicole’s creative process, inspirations, and the importance of storytelling for young readers.
More than anything, I want kids to know that books can take you anywhere. That a celebration of books and reading does not need to take place in a classroom or a library or a bookstore.
Nicole Magistro
Nicole Magistro is an accomplished author and entrepreneur whose book Read Island has won numerous awards, including a Kiddable Content Award for Best Children’s Storybook. In this interview, we’ll delve into Nicole’s journey as a writer and what inspires her to create!
What inspired you to become a children’s book author, and when did you first start writing for kids?
Picture books are absolutely one of my favorite types of books to read, even as an adult. However, when I had my son, I started to realize the value and joy in reading certain books over and over again. I wanted to try to re-create that for other kids and their caregivers. As a longtime bookstore owner, I had interacted as a storytime leader, and knew what made a great read aloud. Here was another element I wanted to include in my first picture book! And then there is my passion for literacy, books, and all things about words. I couldn’t ignore this passion and so I incorporated it into my first book as the major theme.
I’ve been writing children’s picture books since 2021
What are some of the challenges you face when writing children’s books, and how do you overcome them?
There are so many challenges to distilling a big idea down to about 300 words! Every writer encounters their own stumbling blocks, and for me, it is often to really focus in on the story and the setting, eliminating those details that don’t help propel the character forward. At the beginning I always have so much I want to include, and the revision process helps me to weed the extraneous things out. I am so grateful for my critique partners and early readers, who help me ask questions and inspire changes in each book.
You are both an author and a mother, what book did you most look forward to sharing with your offspring?
Well, my son is now 11 and parts of his early childhood are certainly a blur! I received a worn box of books from my parents shortly after he was was born. Inside were some books I remembered very fondly from my childhood, especially the Berenstein Bears series, and those books that you get in happy meals! Wow, my household wasn’t a serious literary haven, but my parents always read to me. Probably the ones I was most excited to read to my son, and that I had to wait to read to him until he was old enough, were from the Dr. Seuss library. What’s interesting is that now those are not at the top of my list for reading to kids. I think Andrea Beatty’s STEM series has taken their place!
What message do you hope to convey through your stories, and what do you want children to take away from reading your books?
More than anything, I want kids to know that books can take you anywhere. That a celebration of books and reading does not need to take place in a classroom or a library or a bookstore. Rather, every time you open a book you can be taken on an adventure. That’s what books did for me as a kid and still do today.
There are many animals and mythical creatures depicted in your book like salmon, grizzly bears, elk, foxes, mermaids, gryphons and more! Do you have a favourite animal or mythical creature? If so why?
Well, fox is probably my favorite because he accompanies the main character throughout the entire journey. Spirit bear is a close second.
Would you have any advice for parents who hope to inspire a love of reading in their children?
Make sure to have books in your home, fill up a library bag and refill it and refill it and refill it. Let children pick out their own books at the bookstore, even from a very young age. There is no such thing as a bad book!
Research shows that just having physical access to books in the home improves Literacy outcomes later in life.
Take the time to sit and explore and enjoy a book together. You may not see the benefits right away, but you will build a routine and a structure that kids hold onto throughout their entire lives, and into adulthood. It’s a long game!
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