Trisha Fox is the author of the new children's chapter book Jonathan and the Fear: Sam Learns to Face His Fears. She also has written the book Jonathan Discovers What's Inside Him. She lives in Switzerland.
Q: What inspired you to create Jonathan and the Fear: Sam Learns to Face His Fears?
A: I kept thinking about what children can do when fear does not simply disappear. Children are often told that they just need to be brave or should not be afraid, but feelings cannot be switched off at the press of a button.
In the story, Jonathan takes Sam’s fear seriously. He helps Sam imagine how he would prefer to experience the situation, connect with that feeling, and discover the next fitting step. It was important to me to show that a child does not have to be completely free from fear in order to move forward.
Q: Can you say more about the dynamic between Jonathan and Sam?
A: Jonathan and Sam are close friends who take each other seriously. Jonathan is not Sam’s teacher, and he does not solve the problem for him. He listens, stays by his side and helps Sam rediscover his own strength.
Their friendship is built on trust, honesty and mutual support. Sam is allowed to feel afraid without being portrayed as weak.
Q: How did you create the illustrations for the book?
A: The illustrations were created with the support of artificial intelligence. I planned every scene myself, developed detailed image descriptions, and selected the results that worked best.
Many of the images were revised and corrected several times so that the characters, their clothing, their facial expressions and the world of Awen Coille would remain as consistent as possible.
The characters’ emotions were especially important to me, because children can often understand what is happening simply by looking at the pictures.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?
A: I hope children understand that fear is a feeling, but it does not define who they are or what they are capable of.
They can first acknowledge what they are feeling. Then they can imagine how they would prefer to experience the situation, connect with that feeling, and find one small next step.
I also hope the book gives parents a natural way to begin conversations with children about fear and inner strength.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am currently working on the third Jonathan book, Jonathan at Summer Camp. In this story, Jonathan attends a summer camp on an island in his fictional world for the first time.
The book will be longer and much more adventurous than the first two. It combines suspense, friendship, teamwork, and courage with new characters, special challenges, and a bigger storyline.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Jonathan is not meant to teach children that they should simply think positively. Difficult feelings, setbacks and challenging situations deserve to be taken seriously.
The stories are intended to show children that they still have possibilities. They can choose a new inner direction, discover their own strengths, and gradually respond to a situation differently. Jonathan is not a perfect hero. He is a child who observes, learns and sometimes needs help himself.
Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to share more about Jonathan and his world.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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