Tami Charles is the author, with her son, high school student Christopher Charles, of the new children's picture book That Beautiful Mind. Tami's many other books include All Because You Matter.
Q: How did the two of you end up working together on That Beautiful Mind, and what was your writing process like?
Tami: Chris has been the muse for quite a few of my projects. With All Because You Matter, he was featured on the cover. As the years passed, he saw the impact this book had on children and families, how they sparked important conversations about respect and belonging.
He wanted to create something similar and asked if we could write something together. Together, we decided to write a picture book that reflected his own experience growing up with ADHD.
We spent the summer of 2024 studying picture books, reviewing old poetry assignments from English class, remixing them, and landed on That Beautiful Mind.
Chris: I thought it was going to be easy, but I forgot my mom used to be a teacher. So of course it felt like boot camp. I didn’t realize how much work went into writing a picture book. It was worth it, though.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
Tami: That Beautiful Mind captures the heart of what we wanted to say: there is no single “right” way for a child to learn. Some minds move quickly. Some wander. Some hyperfocus, daydream, create, question, or need movement in order to process.
Those differences aren't deficiencies or something to be “fixed.” Support is key. There are so many beautiful ways to think, learn, imagine, and experience the world.
Chris: To me, the title means you don’t have to wish your mind worked like someone else’s. The way you learn best is what part of what makes you who you are.
Q: What do you think Nikkolas Smith’s illustrations add to the book?
Chris: I was already a huge fan of Nikkolas, especially his Black Panther drawings. I wanted the main character to be the superhero of his own story. I wanted movement, color, and imagination.
Nikkolas captured all of that perfectly. He made the character feel powerful and cool, and I think kids are going to notice these things every time they read the book. He put a lot of thought and research into this project and it means a lot to me that he’d go the extra mile like that.
Q: What impact did it have on you to write the book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
Chris: Writing the book has helped me see (even more) that words have power. Something that I’ve experienced could actually help other kids. I hope kids who think or learn differently read it and feel they don't need to be embarrassed about the way their minds work. It's part of who they are.
Tami: Witnessing this journey as Christopher’s mom is wild. Like…that’s my kid! And strangely enough, my co-worker! And he’s written something that will help other children feel seen.
I spent 14 years as a teacher, and I've seen how easily children can begin to believe that different means “less than”—especially when the way they learn doesn't fit neatly into what is expected of them.
I hope children leave this book feeling seen, proud, and capable. And I hope the adults reading alongside them are reminded to look beyond what a child may struggle with and recognize the creativity, curiosity, strengths, and possibilities that are there, too.
Q: What are you working on now?
Chris: Surviving high school! 😂
Tami: I’m always writing! I have several picture books and novels in different stages at the moment. Hopefully, Chris will want to write another book with his mama in the near future.
Q: Anything else we should know?
Tami: October is ADHD Awareness Month, which makes the timing of That Beautiful Mind especially important. We hope our book will be part of a larger conversation about moving beyond the stigma that’s often associated with ADHD. Let’s recognize the creativity, curiosity, and unique strengths that can come with a neurodivergent mind.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Tami Charles.
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