[dropcap]R[/dropcap]aising awareness about the issue of bullying is the focus of a new novel penned by a Texas-based author.
Jill Snyder, whose family hails from the Kyle area, recently wrote a book “Same But Different.” The book follows two main characters, Throckmorton the elf and his sidekick skeletal cat.
The book discusses themes of anti-bullying and tolerance. Snyder says she was bullied herself as a kid and wants to be able to teach and show other kids, especially her grandchildren, that everyone is the same on the inside.
“My basic premise of these stories is if you can just be more interested in other cultures or people that look different, you will learn so much about your self and the world,” Snyder said.
Not only does Snyder draw from personal experience with bullying, but also from her extensive travel as a passionate scuba diver. Snyder has lived all over the United States and has traveled to far corners of the world ranging from the Middle East to Russia to Papua, New Guinea.
“From the travel I’ve gotten a better view of people in the world and their cultures. I wanted to know what they were all about and I think that’s what I want kids to do too,” Snyder said. “I think the world would be a better place if kids stopped listening to us adults and were just tolerant and curious and got off their computers.”
Snyder is a self-described big kid. She loves to dress eccentrically in Katy Perry bright colors and Cat in the Hat stripes. With 13 grandchildren Snyder entertains them by telling stories, playing games and even building fairy houses together in the forest.
“I’m just a big kid, I don’t want to grow up, and I think fun is fun,” Snyder said. “I’m known as crazy nanna.”
Snyder loves making up stories to tell her grandchildren, but as a retired registered nurse, she never thought she would be writing her own children’s books. However, thanks to the encouragement from her friends and family she started putting her stories to paper.
“It’s unfortunate that in our human species that first impressions are made by sight, so I’m trying to teach them not to judge that first impression ... So the first five books I’ve written are about common things kids may face.”Jill Snyder, author of “Same But Different”
Snyder writes these stories to share life lessons with her grandchildren and now she’ll share them with other children too.
“If there’s some new kid at school and I don’t care if their glasses are taped together or if they’re wearing crazy clothes or if they have pimples on their face, I want you to go over and sit with them during lunch and get to know them,” Snyder often tells her grandchildren.
In her first book, Snyder found inspiration for the main character while perusing a thrift shop. She found the silly-looking elf on a shelf with a lazy eye and short little legs. She felt sad for the small elf and so she gave it a home and made up stories of his adventures for her grandchildren.
In her other books, all of the animal characters are inspired by things children might be bullied about including their weight, acne or face marks, being clumsy, and even wearing a hijab.
“It’s unfortunate that in our human species that first impressions are made by sight, so I’m trying to teach them not to judge that first impression,” Snyder said. “So the first five books I’ve written are about common things kids may face.”
Josh Welch, a college student from Stephen F Austin University who volunteered to do the artwork, created the illustrations for the children’s book. Snyder says the illustrations are wonderful and represent the characters well.
“Honestly my whole intention with these stories was that if I could get these so that it could maybe inspire one kid to get to know another kid then my life has been worth living,” Snyder said.
