1. Who are you and what do you do?
I am Nadine Johnson, a children’s book author. I write, illustrate and publish children’s books through my company Nadine Johnson Books, an imprint of 123 Mango Tree, LLC. I was born on the island of Jamaica, but I immigrated to the United States at the age of eight. I’m also a middle grade math teacher and an early literacy advocate.

3. What is your earliest memory of wanting to be an artist?
I was in the third grade when I created my first book. A woman came to our class and helped us write and illustrate our own books. I believe the seed to become a writer was planted at that time because almost forty years later, I still have that book.

5. How do you work and approach your subject?
My first children’s book, “Last Night I Dreamt I Was a Doctor,” came to me in a dream. I wrote the entire book when I awoke and published it about a year later. Most of my stories come through my son and from the people I meet. A random conversation with a customer led me to write my first middle grade novel, “I Write Rhymes.” Therefore, my stories come from living and paying attention to what is said and what needs to be brought to light.

7. What are the best responses you have had to your work?
I started publishing my books at a time when it was extremely difficult to find books with an African American boy on the cover. To this day, my customers alway comment on how much they love seeing books that feature African American children, especially boys. Many elementary teachers love the “positivity.” that the books cultivate and they purchased them to share with their students. My latest middle grade novel, I Write Rhymes, was a finalist for the 2022 Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Book Prize, which solidified the cultural importance of the novel.

However, the most impactful comment came from a grandmother who bought the picture book I Am. The following year, I attended the same event and she came back to my table. She said she read the book to her grandson and had him recite the “I am” affirmations every morning while she drove him to school. She said his behavior drastically improved and he stopped getting into trouble. That’s when I understood the power of writing and that it was my purpose.

9. What advice would you give to other writers?
It is important to write for the love of it and not necessary to make money. The industry is very difficult and there are many gatekeepers that can hold your gift hostage if you play their game. Create your own lane and don’t get caught up in writing according to the trends. Make sure that your content matters and you are writing from the soul.