I recently heard about an Etsy Shop that creates custom hand-made stuffed animals based on drawings. Naturally, I knew we needed a plush Addy for our author’s visits!
I set a goal for sales, and as soon as I hit that goal, I ordered an Addy.
Since the artist is in the Ukraine, it will take a few weeks to make and ship. Stay tuned!!!
Written by Stephanie Chandra.
When I was little, picky eating was never on my radar, so when my own little one transitioned from an adventurous eater to a picky one (somewhere around 3 or 4 years old), I found myself in unfamiliar territory.
What happened? We had introduced ALL THE FOODS. She ate different cuisines from around the world, weird sauces that occasionally caused mild allergic reactions, chopped salads like every other New Yorker, everything.
Abruptly, it seemed, she only wanted a handful of foods and nothing else. Not even pizza. Tricks to sell cookbooks in which you hide the foods you want them to eat in things they will eat were popular at the time. We tried them. I learned a lesson. You can’t hide a speck of pepper from a person who is highly sensitive to taste, textures and smells of food. They will notice it, and they will be bothered by it.
They can’t eat it, and you get frustrated. You keep trying. You order the quesadilla from the kids’ menu because it sounds plain. They can’t eat it, and you get frustrated. You cringe as parents humblebrag posts of kids eating broccoli. You quietly acknowledge judgements as you order the chicken and fries or mac & cheese again (because for some reason people will assume you have only ever introduced these things), but you ignore them because your child has to eat, and you know what they will tolerate today. Someone will say something harsh and misunderstanding about forcing kids to eat the only things you put in front of them. You ignore that, too. You’ve done that, of course. It doesn’t work.
I learned another lesson about sensory sensitivity. In a similar way to how I must cover my ears at painfully loud sounds (infernal blow dryers!) that don’t seem to bother other people in the slightest (except my sister!), my child was equally sensitive to foods. A reframing: some things were too loud for her, too.
A breakthrough? Not really. I still didn’t know what to do to get her to eat more than just that handful of foods. Frustrations continued. But you know how the universe occasionally sends you answers in ambiguous or difficult to comprehend ways? Not this time. It was perfectly transparent: our new friend and neighbor down the hall in our building was a picky eating coach. (Enter Jacky!) Enlightenment! Expertise! Insight! Advice! She understood our plight as parents; she understood our child’s perspective on a deep level (through firsthand experience as a former picky eater herself). She knew exactly how much pressure a picky eater experiences, the silent self-criticism no one hears, the recurring disappointment when expectations aren’t met again and again. She knew exactly the unintentional mistakes, unnecessary stress and misguided efforts being made by a picky eater’s loving friends and family who truly have the best intentions in mind.
She knew that a picky eater will try new things when she is ready. And that there is a way to support this, but it isn’t so obvious to those of us who haven’t experienced the other side directly.
She knew the path out of picky eating frustrations. (There is one!) And she wrote this beautiful story to share it with all picky eaters and the people who love them.
Get it, gift it, donate it to someone you know who is struggling, or to a classroom, to help classmates better understand their friend who will only eat butter pasta. And maybe not tease them for it. ;)
Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/172723362X
I wrote this book because 6-year old Jacky needed it. She needed it to not feel alone or left out or crazy or wrong for how she ate.
I wrote this book to help even just one kid feel better about his/her situation at the dinner table.
I wrote this book to help parents just like mine who are trying their absolute best with what they know.
I wrote this book to show myself that I can do hard things.
I am proud and excited and NERVOUS to share it with the world, but I know that even if it helps one parent and one child, it was worth it.
🐜 🐜 🐜 🐜 🐜
Cover update!! Eddie (my illustrator) and I realized this illustration would show much more about what the book is about, as well as the emotions Addy has. She's the star and has her big moment. So here she is in the spotlight! 🤩
Eddie and I had a great meeting today finalizing all details and we are submitting the final proof on Friday. That same day, we're opening up pre-orders for family and friends! Thank you to everyone who has been waiting so patiently for this big day, we can't wait!! 🙌🌽
As we’re finalizing the last few pages of Addy Wants to Fit In, I can’t help but look back on how far it’s come! I wanted to share some of the illustration progression with you.
As for writing, I took a class in Austin at The Writing Barn in January of 2017. It was an intensive 6-week class that I started with a very general idea of a children’s book I wanted to write about picky eating. But finished the program with a very concrete draft that got 8 peer-reviews and a detailed review from the instructor. Throughout the next 6 months I got a few more reviews and made some more tweaks until I completed it at the end the summer of 2017.
I knew Eddie Martinez, illustrator, from the school I worked at in Austin. He was the art teacher and was interested in getting into illustrating. We agreed that since we were both new to this, we’d be patient with each other and work together to get this dream accomplished.
Some of the first sketches Eddie showed me I was so impressed with! He wasn’t sure he wanted the ants to look so he did some discovery… note the manilla folder! Scroll down to see some of the progression.
E. Martinez, 2017
E. Martinez, 2017
In early 2018, I broke down the text so he knew where the words would go, and he made a full start to finish book with sketches of each scene.
E. Martinez, 2018
This next one is when he got clearer on the shapes of their bodies (although the shape of their heads will change!) He decided on how they’d each have 4 legs and 2 arms. He added in this adorable ladybug sidekick, too!
E. Martinez, 2018
These next few were almost final drafts, just missing color!
E. Martinez, 2018
E. Martinez, 2018
And then… the color begins!
E. Martinez, 2018
E. Martinez, 2018
And finally, we start adding text!
E. Martinez, 2018 - A page from Addy Wants to Fit In by Jacky Lamenzo
Pre-orders are coming very soon — be sure to join our email list if you want to be the first to know when we launch! I am so appreciative of your support and Eddie’s endless hard work! Addy Wants to Fit In is coming SOON!