The Tale of Kale
The Tale of Kale is a children’s book based on a real story and a real kid (my son Andy). It is meant to be a colourful and happy way to encourage good eating habits, and develop excitement for trying new things. This children’s picture book is for every parent who wants to get their kids eating a bigger variety of ingredients and meals.
Why did I write this?
Years ago, my daughter Joey Storm wrote a story about my youngest son, Andy Storm, trying kale in its various forms until finally finding one he liked … it took a LOT of trying. It’s called the Tale of Kale.
It’s a timeless story of trial and error with healthy food that all parents will recognize, and I knew that it was something I would eventually develop and publish, in my “free” time. I’ve never considered myself to be a children’s book author – but just because I hadn’t written a kids book, and couldn’t illustrate wasn’t going to stop me from telling the story, in fact, like with so many other projects, it only inspired and challenged me more!
I’m in the business of meaningful marketing, so I decided it made perfect sense as a Borden Communications special project. The Tale of Kale is the kind of marketing our kids and kale need. Whether we like it or not, our kids are constantly being sold “food products” with colourful packaging and ads on TV. We need to show them how to get excited about whole, unprocessed, healthy, and delicious foods.
The Tale of Kale is self-published. Self-publishing the book gave me the speed and control that I wanted for such a personal project that had been sitting on my server for so long. Seeing something from start to finish is one of the most satisfying aspects of our collective work, and I didn’t want to miss anything! Everyone on my team played a role in bringing my son’s character to life and telling the story, and I lucked out by finding the perfect illustrator (thanks, Wengsi!), actually, she found me online and asked to work with me (and she had never illustrated before).
The Tale of Kale is a universal experience. I know that other parents will identify with the challenge of feeding their kids healthier choices. Educators will love the lesson of trying new things and having an open mind. And I have a feeling that young readers will celebrate Andy’s stubborn will, mischievous grin, and, maybe, his love of kale.
Where can you buy copies?
Individual copies (available globally) on Amazon.
If you are in Toronto, and want to buy directly from me, message here.
For corporate orders, 25+ copies, message here.
You can read my full press release here.
