CAZENOVIA — On April 20, Cazenovia resident C.J. Gillett launched a Kickstarter campaign to independently publish his second children’s book, “Cicada Bibada and the Healing Springs.”
Inspired by Gillett‘s travels to Japan, the story centers on a hardworking bug with an important job.
Every morning, Cicada Bibada wakes up early to sing the weather to his neighbors and prepare them for the day ahead. If the weather is bad, he stays up all night to make sure his weather reports are up-to-date. When he loses his voice, the weather bug embarks on an epic journey to find his voice and be there for his neighbors. Along the way, he discovers the importance of being there for himself.
Written for ages 3-8, the illustrated book aims to spark conversations about the importance of balancing hard work and self-care.
Gillett connected with the book’s illustrator, Maria Hecher, via Upwork.com, a website that allows users to hire people from all over the world for all types of jobs.
The author recalled that after receiving a lot of interest in the position, he ultimately chose Hecher because of her passion for the project.
“I remember during my selection process, she messaged me about how she had a dream about the main character and how she had all these ideas bubbling out,” Gillett said. “In addition, at the time, it was her first full children’s book. I thought we’d work perfectly together because we both didn’t know what we were getting into. [We were] both inexperienced but full of heart. I thought to myself, this is the perfect recipe for creativity. We can break all the rules in children’s literature because we aren’t experienced enough to know what the rules are. Who else doesn’t know the rules? The kids who read our books! So to me, it was the perfect scenario.”
Born and raised in New York City, Gillett is of Belizean heritage.
When he isn’t writing, he works as a physical therapist.
He and his fiancé, Sara Silverman — a 2010 graduate of Cazenovia High School — moved to the area in early January of 2021.
“We decided to come back to New York because the pandemic taught us how important it is to be close to family,” Gillett said. “We lost a couple of family members over the past year, and we wish we could have been closer so we could have visited them more.”
Gillett, who describes himself as having a “bit of an overactive imagination,” has been writing stories for as long as he can remember.
He published his first children’s book, “The Cat in the Coconut Hat,” on Nov. 27, 2020.
“I’m continually drawn to children’s literature because I feel like kids are at a critical age where impressions are important,” he said. “Talking about the importance of health and wellness is so much more effective when started young. We can equip children with the emotional tools they need to survive in this world. So that when life gets hard later in life, they already have some experience and know what to do. The other reason I write children’s literature is that it’s so much fun. Children are so imaginative, and to be able to write a children’s book, you have to be able to think like them. It’s exhilarating to step into the realm of a child and imagine things that couldn’t exist in the real world. Additionally, there’s nothing like seeing a kid’s face light up when they read your story and look at the illustrations.”
“The Cat in the Coconut Hat” is the first book in a series that explores the diverse cultures of Belize and the Caribbean through the eyes of a sly yet cautious cat.
Illustrated by Juan Sebastian Amadeo and written in a combination of Creole and English, the book explores complex themes of cultural discovery through the use of witty dialogue in the native tongue. Other themes include poverty, diversity, self-sacrifice, self-awareness, and courage.
“I think it’s crucial to incorporate diversity in literature because the world we live in is diverse,” Gillett said. “In addition, when children learn more about other cultures at an early age, it can help to buffer against the development of hurtful biases later on in life. When you read a story from the perspective of another culture, you can recognize the similarities you may share with others. I think communities are a lot stronger with greater acceptance of differences, which can only come from respect and understanding. Kids develop respect and understanding from experiencing ideas, behaviors and traditions that are unlike their own. When we teach kids to accept these differences earlier in life, we equip them with the tools they need to become open-minded and accepting adults.”
The author said the idea for “The Cat in the Coconut Hat” started forming years ago, but it did not begin to take shape on the page until a few months before the pandemic.
Once the pandemic hit, Gillett started dedicating more time to the story as a way to stay connected to his family, who he couldn’t physically be with due to his job at a hospital.
“I started working on my next book [during this time] as well,” he said. “Working on these books during my time outside of the hospital really helped me process my feelings and take my mind off of all the stress at work. ‘The Cat in the Coconut Hat’ made me feel closer to my family, being that it’s filled with my Caribbean heritage. Meanwhile, ‘Cicada Bibada and the Healing Springs’ really spoke to my work-life balance. For the last year, we’ve all been working really hard in the hospital to keep patients safe and provide quality care, sometimes at the risk of our own mental and physical health.”
“Cicada Bibada and the Healing Springs” is currently available for pre-order via Kickstarter only.
To support the book’s publication, search for the title on Kickstarter.
In exchange for pledging $5 of more to the project, backers will gain access to a variety of rewards, including signed paperback copies of the book, a self-care package, an artist bundle, stickers, and more.
According to Gillett, supporters can also donate copies of the book to a school or a library to help spread the book’s message and encourage children to learn about other cultures.
The Kickstarter campaign ends May 18, 2021, at 8 a.m.
After the campaign ends, the book will be available for pre-order on Gillett’s website at booksbycjgillett.com. The author also plans to contact local bookstores about stocking his books and/or offering book signings.
For more information on Gillett and his work, visit booksbycjgillett.com.
