We Need Everyone is your first children’s book. Why did you want to write this particular story for young people?

This book is based off of an activity that I have been sharing with kids and communities for years! I love that there is a step-by-step part, an asking for help part and a celebrating gifts part!

I wanted to write this book because too many talented folks don’t realize how special their gifts really are and I hope this book can help. It also reflects the way that I try to work in community building by including each person, finding what their gift is and then creating opportunities that fit their skills and also help the world!

It’s a gorgeous book with a really powerful message of inclusion. How did you go about plotting out the story?

Funny that you ask, I didn’t plot it very well! My business partner and manager Angie actually told me years ago that this was going to be my first book, but I thought it was too simple. When we wrote the manuscript, it came from a video of me talking to the camera, imagining I was talking to children about their gifts. Then that video got typed up and bam! We Need Everyone was born.

One of the things I love most is how you empower young people to see and believe in their own particular gifts. Some of these gifts might be art, sports, or being a good friend. In what ways can a book spread this kind of message in ways that other mediums might not?

This book can spread the message in a few very powerful ways. It spreads the word visually with the stunning images by Tiff Bartel and the energy and love that you can feel when you look at them. It spreads the word in our actions, when kids see their friends and family taking the three steps and then coming out at the end of it with a realization of their gifts.  

Finally, gifts being represented by stars is culturally very significant for me as a First Nations Ininew (Swampy Cree) person. We have a creation story that says we all come from the stars.

The illustrations by Tiff Bartel are so positive and striking. How did the two of you work together to decide what and who to illustrate?

It was a very seamless process. HighWater Press suggested Tiff and we had a couple of meetings to plan out some kind of a dream. When Tiff came back with her initial sketches, very few changes needed to be done because she nailed it right away. It didn’t feel like work at all because Tiff is so talented.

What are you working on next, Michael? Any plans for a sequel?   

I am excited that We Need Everyone is out now. There is an audio book and a teachers’ guide coming soon as well. Those will hopefully enhance the experience of this book. If the reception is really strong with this book, then I can be convinced to write a sequel or even a series! As for future books? I probably have ten ideas in my head that may translate to books, television, graphic novels or perhaps another creative storytelling format, stay tuned!

Sample pages from We Need Everyone

Samples shared with permission of the author and publisher.