Welcome, Mom’s Choice readers! Today we were able to get with Judy Bibbins, author of the Mom’s Choice Award-winning book I Have a Gentle Giant. Her book was written to introduce children to the idea of truly unconditional love and friendship, which are big concepts for little ones, Judy wanted to present them in a way that felt more like a friend, a confidant, and protector. She also wanted the illustrations to be whimsical and fun so the book would be a favorite bedtime story or for early readers to enjoy on their own, pulling in the help of illustrator Chris Janelle to make that happen. One of her priorities as a writer is accessibility—whether that means accessibility to the concept of faith or the use of Dyslexi font to provide accessibility to the written word. Read on to see how this author brings all these pieces together in a delightful story for ages 0-7.

MCA: Thanks so much for joining us, Judy! To get the interview started, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a New England girl, through and through. I grew up in a small town with very traditional middle-class values of hard work, looking out for our neighbors, going to church on Sundays and spending as much time with family and friends as possible. My maternal grandfather was first-generation American from Sweden and my father’s side was among the first settlers in the 1600s. That heritage created a love of Scandinavian and Celtic folklore and, while I am a woman of faith, I think there is room for a bit of fantasy and magic in life and all of that is part of who I am and makes its way into my stories.

MCA: What inspired you to become an author, and how does your personal background influence your writing?

I’ve always had a pretty active imagination and loved storytelling. I used to write scripts that my friends and I could perform in elementary school. When I went back to college in my 30s, one of my classes was a Narrative course and I found my voice and a passion for storytelling. It took me a few years to harness that and actually get it into books, but the dream had been incubating for a long time. I finally realized that I wanted to tell stories that held the same values I grew up with, values that I think society has de-emphasized. I think we need to bring back the importance and prominence of those values.

MCA: Was there a specific occurrence that moved you to write Gentle Giant?

Becoming a grandmother was the inspiration I needed to finally get my stories into print. Gentle Giant was very much written for my granddaughter. It got me thinking about, “How do you start to teach a child about faith?” It’s a big concept, one that many adults have a hard time grasping. I hoped this would be less intimidating and start conversations. My faith has been a foundation and support throughout some of the hardest times in my life, and also a source of great joy. Regardless of what someone’s faith practice is, I think it’s an important gift to give our children some type of spiritual footing.

MCA: Can you share your creative process—how you generate ideas and bring them to life on the page?

For me, inspiration and ideas are everywhere if we are open to it. They come to me while gardening or walking the dog, but frequently they pop into my head in the middle of the night or while I’m out running errands. I have little notebooks and scraps of paper everywhere with scribbled ideas or scenes or phrases that I want to incorporate. It’s messy and a little overwhelming, but eventually I just grab hold of one and see where it leads.

MCA: What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Mostly, I just want parents to be reading with their children, giving them a love of reading. That’s why I used the Open Dyslexi font in this book. I want my stories to be accessible to all children, and I want parents with dyslexia to still be able to read them to their children.

MCA: Maximum accessibility to readers—so important. Could you tell us what you find most rewarding—and most challenging—about the writing process?

I think the most rewarding aspect of writing is seeing the story in my head come to life on a page. When someone reads a book I’ve written and they can share in the adventure, it’s like we took the adventure together. It’s beautiful to be a part of that! I still work full-time, however, so I find it challenging to be disciplined in making the time to write consistently.

MCA: Would you explain how your book contributes to promoting family-friendly values or enhancing the lives of your readers?

In our ultra-digital society, I want to give parents and children an opportunity to slow down and embrace stories that show kindness and compassion, friendship and love. I hope that my books will allow the reader to breathe in a simpler form of entertainment and find joy in books. Some of my favorite memories as a child were being read to and, as a mom, I loved reading with my son. I want others to know that joy.

MCA: Can you share any memorable moments or feedback from readers that have touched you or reinforced the impact of your work?

I think my favorite moment was when my daughter-in-law told me that my granddaughter asks her to “read Grandma’s book!” every night. There is no better reward than that. And another child exclaimed, “I want a Gentle Giant!” after hearing the story the first time, which opened the conversation that we can all have a Gentle Giant.

MCA: What lovely and unforgettable moments! Tell us, what advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting their writing journey?

I would tell them to just write. Jot down ideas, words, phrases, thoughts, anything that you think could be used. Don’t trust yourself to remember it later, because you won’t. Write whatever feels good in your heart and soul; don’t think about anyone reading it at first. When you write for yourself, it will be more authentic. And then, when you do have someone read it, listen to the feedback. It will make you a better writer.

MCA: As an author, what are your future plans or goals?

In the immediate future, I have a couple more children’s books planned. I am hoping to have the first one out by the fall of this year, and the next one by Spring of 2026. They will be for a slightly older audience than I Have a Gentle Giant but will still incorporate the beautiful artwork of my illustrator, Chris Janelle. He made my vision really come to life and was so fun to work with.

MCA: We certainly hope you meet all your goals — and we’ll be looking out for your next books. Thanks again for joining us today!