Phuong Truong Begins a Vibrant New Early Chapter Book Series with Every Little Bit Olive Tran

Having already penned a fabulous and acclaimed picture book in Everyone is Welcome, author Phuong Truong has now begun a new early chapter book series, starting with today's featured title, Every Little Bit Olive Tran (Second Story Press). 

In this exciting new title, Olive Tran is turning ten, and is thriving with her new independence in being able to walk to school and the shops, and she's thrilled about it. But everything isn't as happy as she thought. In fact, she is unsettled to find out that her neighbour has been pushed and her brother's friends have been harassed for being Asian. She even finds that her best friend might be steering clear of her birthday. 

Even with all of these unfair and awful things happening, Olive won't let these events take her joy, and she decides to have fun at her party no matter what. And, she doubles down on being kind to those around her, which is more important now than ever.

We're thrilled to share this Kid's Club BFYP interview with the author of this vibrant new series!

Open Book:

Is there a message you hope kids might take away from reading your book? 

Phuong Truong:

So many things! I hope that the kids who read Every Little Bit Olive Tran become more aware of things that are happening around them. I’d love for them to trust their gut and do what feels right. Most of all, I’d like them to treat everyone with kindness.

OB:

Is there a character in your book that you relate to? If so, in what ways are you similar to your character and in what ways are you different?

PT:

I think those who know me would recognize me in Olive—slightly sarcastic, slightly cheeky. But as a mother of three kids, I also relate very much to her mom.

OB:

What do you need in order to write – in terms of space, food, rituals, writing instruments?

PT: 

Time and discipline. Working full-time and being a mom makes it sometimes difficult to find the time to write. But when I do find some time, I need to make sure that I sit myself down in front of my computer and get to work.

OB:

Do you feel like there are any misconceptions about writing for young people? What do you wish people knew about what you do?

PT:

I think there’s been a real change in our willingness to introduce tough topics to children. Kids can handle difficult things with the right approach. Also, writing kids’ books is not easy! The book still needs all the same elements that are in an adult book but using fewer words.

OB:

What defines a great book for young readers, in your opinion? Tell us about one or two books you consider to be truly great kids books, whether you read them as a child or an adult. 

PT:

A great book for any age should evoke strong emotion, be it laughter or sadness or anything in between. It should provoke thought or spark the imagination. I haven’t read it since I was a child, but one of my teachers gave me a copy of The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts, and it was the first I had heard of telekinesis. I was mesmerized!

OB:

What are you working on now?

PT:

This is the first book in the series, so there will be more of Olive Tran to come!

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Phuong Truong grew up in Ottawa and dreamed of being a rock star, a lawyer, or an author. She happily achieved one of these goals with her picture book Everyone is Welcome and her chapter book Every Little Bit Olive Tran, the first of the Olive Tran series. She works in book publishing and lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.