Uriah Smith is a 10-year-old author with a passion for storytelling. His debut book, The Boy Who Hated Books, showcases his creativity and love for reading. Uriah's imaginative tales inspire young readers to explore new worlds through books.
1. What gave you the idea to write "The Boy Who Hated Books"? Was there a moment when you thought, "This would make a cool story"?
I got the idea because sometimes I didn’t really like reading books, and I thought, "What if there was a boy who really hated books?" Then I thought about what could happen to make him like books. It seemed like a cool idea for a story, so I started writing the story with my mom.
2. Character Connection: Is there something about the boy in your story that reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How did you come up with his personality?
Yeah, Jaden is a little bit like me when I didn’t like reading. I made him kind of stubborn at first, but then he learns that books aren’t so bad. I wanted him to be funny too, so kids would like him even though he was stubborn and doesn’t like books at first.
3. What’s your favorite part of the book? Is there a scene that you had the most fun writing?
My favorite part is when he started reading books to his little sister. It made me think about all the fun stories I shared with my family.
4. What do you hope other kids learn or feel when they read your book? Is there a message you want to share?
I hope other kids learn that books can be really fun and not boring like they might think. I want them to feel excited to pick up a book and see where it takes them. The message is that books are awesome if you give them a chance.
5. What was it like to write a whole book? Did you write a little bit every day, or did you write the story all at once?
Writing the book was fun but also hard sometimes. I didn’t write it all at once, and I didn’t writ it all by myself. I wrote a little bit every day during the summer break. It was something I did with my mom as a summer project and we decided to turn our story into a book.
6. Did you have any ideas for how the pictures in your book should look? How important are the illustrations to telling your story?
It’s a chapter book so I don’t have too many pictures. Illustrations are really important because they help show what’s happening in the story, especially for kids who like pictures as much as words. The pictures that are in the book help tell the story
7. Now that you’ve written "The Boy Who Hated Books," do you think you might write another book? What would it be about?
I think I might write another book with my brothers and sister. Maybe it could be about a girl who loves books and helps her friends learn to like them too. Or maybe something totally different, like a story about a kid who can fly. I’m still thinking about it!
8. What would you say to other kids who want to write a book like you did? Any tips or advice for them?
I would say just do it! Even if it seems hard, keep writing a little bit every day. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect at first—you can always fix it later. And write about something you actually like, because that makes it easier to finish.
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