Michelyve Petit is the author of the new children’s board book Bam, the Tiny Brave Elephant. She is a certified speech-language pathologist, and she is based in the Washington, D.C., area.
Q: What inspired you to write Bam, the Tiny Brave Elephant, and how did you create your character Bam?
A: It’s been a long time coming. I wrote stories as a teen, essays as an English major, and even an unofficial articulation story as a graduate clinician.
My husband reignited my passion for writing, and I started with the character’s name. I wanted the main character’s name to include early-developing sounds, so I chose bilabials—sounds that are made by pressing both lips together, like /p/, /b/, and /m/.
I also wanted the name to follow a CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) pattern, giving children who struggle with final consonants plenty of opportunities to practice an early sound in the last position of a word. And that’s how Bam was born!
I chose elephants because they’re majestic, big and mighty, and native to India. Bam, though small and cute in stature, would be grand in character.
Q: Did you need to do any research to write the book, and if so, did you learn anything that especially surprised you?
A: Yes! I wanted to make sure the setting was geographically accurate, so I explored various cities in India and ultimately chose Tamil Nadu because it matched what I envisioned. I enjoyed studying maps and thought my readers might too, so I included one on the inside cover.
I learned a few things while creating Bam, like the fact that red foxes re native to India. I also discovered that finding rhyming words while maintaining readability and flow can be a labor of love. But that’s the beauty of drafts and revisions, when it gets frustrating, walk away and return with a fresh pair of eyes.
Q: Can you tell us more about how your work as a speech-language pathologist factored into the writing of the book?
A: Speech-language pathologists are often masters of many trades and are incredibly resourceful. An integral part of our work is that we create, modify, and adapt resources and this can include books that are tailored to a child's communication level.
Since my time as a graduate clinician, I've been developing materials for my patients and clients. As I gained more experience working with children, I discovered that anchoring my sessions in literacy significantly simplified therapy planning.
Stories open up a world of opportunities to use language, respond to it, interact with materials, act out narratives, learn social-emotional lessons, and much more. Creating this book felt like a natural extension of the work I was already doing, and in many ways, it has amplified its impact.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: Bam doesn’t view his small size as a limitation but as a gift. He’s exactly the size he’s meant to be, and one day, this will become his superpower.
In my work with children who have various disorders, I’ve seen students underestimate their abilities because of a diagnosis or difference. I hope this short story serves as a reminder that our differences not only make us unique and enrich the tapestry of humanity, but they are also what make us exceptional—our differences are our very own superpowers.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: A few projects! I am collaborating with several schools and early learning centers to host speech and language story time events featuring Bam! These events utilize digital materials to bring the story to life while demonstrating techniques for eliciting language during shared book reading. We are currently booking for October and November!
Additionally, my next book is in the proofreading stage and follows a worrisome owl from Botswana, Africa.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Thank you to every single person who has supported this book! Each book sold feels like a success. A very special thank you to my mom, dad, and family. I’m deeply grateful and thank God for a supportive and encouraging husband, family, and group of friends.
If you or someone you know could benefit from speech therapy and are looking for a literacy-based speech-language pathologist in the D.C., Maryland, or Virginia area, please don’t hesitate to reach out through our website at ccgspeech.com!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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