Children’s Author Month: Kobi Yamada

July 2024

I first came across the book pictured above at a display at Barnes & Noble book store a few years ago (probably circa 2016, when it was published). Not only was it a central display in the store, it was also on sale for something like $5.00. I was intrigued by the premise, my children were the target ages, and so I bought it. It never became one of their favorite books, yet they never minded when I chose it for bedtime reading.  

“What Do You Do with a Problem?” is about facing your problems, tackling them head-on, and making friends with them, or at least accepting that they are there. Running from problems, ignoring them, or avoiding them does not work and only makes the problem grow bigger. Once you’re willing to acknowledge it’s there, and take a closer look at it, then it actually shrinks back down to a manageable size. You learn that it was important to take a closer look it and then you’re able to resolve it and move on. 

The author, Kobi Yamada, wrote two other books in this series with the same illustrator, Mae Besom, called “What Do You Do with an Idea?” and “What Do You Do with a Chance?”. Mae Besom designed the pictures using cool colors to show the problem and dilemma faced by the main character. Then, she adds warm colors for the final pages depicting the story’s resolution.  

In addition, Kobi Yamada is the President of the company that published these books. I can spend a long time browsing Compendium’s website. Suffice it to say that they create and curate items, including books, journals, and greeting cards, to encourage and inspire. In fact, that’s their “why” – “We believe we all have the power to inspire.” Believing that I have the power to inspire is why I started this blog, along with a compelling need to do so via writing.  Writing is my preferred method of creativity; what’s yours?