TEEN AUTHOR TELLS TALE OF NAVIGATING OBSTACLES
Children’s author publishes first book before beginning university
While most teens would be worrying about whether to post that selfie to social media, Vancouverite Jessica Haight was wondering whether she should publish her first novel.
The 18-year-old decided the time was right to release her tale of a young guinea pig, and Big Adventures Come in Small Packages was the result.
Haight took a break from postpublishing promotions and precollege prep to chat with Postmedia News about her story, guinea pigs and animal adoption. Q You’re quite young to have already written a book. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
A Yes, I have always wanted to be a writer and have been creating stories for as long as I can remember. Big Adventures Come in Small Packages is my first published work. I’m just so grateful to my family and everyone who encouraged me and supported me when I decided to publish this book. Q What is the book about? A Big Adventures Come in Small Packages is told from the perspective of a determined young guinea pig named Cinnamon Roll. It follows the journey of Cinnamon being adopted, adapting to her new life, and the adventures that follow. Q What was the inspiration for this story?
A At 15, I decided to challenge myself to write a children’s novel because I felt that my age would enable me to connect to a young audience. I posted the story to Wattpad, an online reading and writing community. I began to receive positive feedback and eventually reached up to 4,000 reads on my novel. The encouragement I received inspired me to work toward publishing the book. Q Who is this book for? A This novel is targeted to children between the ages of about seven and 11, as well as
any animal lover. As my Grade 12 English teacher, Ms. Lawson, described it, “Big Adventures is a must for the new reader who feels a warm connection to animals, family and friends.” Q The main character of this book is Cinnamon Roll, a guinea pig. They’re kind of the unsung heroes of the pet world. What made you choose this animal in particular?
A My family and I love animals, so I had the fortune of growing up with four guinea pigs. They are very friendly, social and, of course, adorable animals. I thought it would be unique to write from a guinea pig’s perspective, which would allow me
to weave in my knowledge of guinea pig behaviour and care. Q The book starts with Cinnamon Roll hoping to get adopted. Did you specifically want to highlight animals in need of adoption, or was this just the way the storyline went?
A I started the story with Cinnamon being adopted because I thought it would be an interesting place to begin her journey. The intent was for children to understand how being adopted is a significant change for a guinea pig. I hope that my story will encourage children to think about animals in need and give their pets as much love and attention as possible.
Q Not only did you write the book, you also illustrated it. Why was this important to you?
A I wanted to include illustrations in the book as a way of engaging the young reader and helping them build a stronger bond with the guinea pigs. In addition, I love drawing, and creating the illustrations enabled me to better define and express the characters. Q What do you hope readers take away from the book?
A First of all, I hope the book will bring its readers enjoyment, spark their imaginations, and that they will find it to be warm and playful. I would also like to provide the opportunity for children to look at the world through the eyes of a pet and gain an appreciation for their lives. I hope that children can relate to the storyline of the book. In the book, Cinnamon faces new challenges, which she successfully navigates. This may be relatable for any child who may be starting a new school, class or team or when making new friends. Q You’ve written your first book. So, what’s next? A I will be working through Wildflower Books to place Big Adventures Come in Small Packages in book stores. Currently, the book is available in KidsBooks and 32 Books in North Vancouver and is also available on Amazon. Information about my book can be found at bigadventurescomeinsmallpackages. ca. This fall I will be starting my first year at McGill University. I will be studying arts and intend to continue with my writing.