Nyla Johnson’s new book is teaching kindergartners not to be afraid.
We have got to give it up for our young writers; Aiden M. Taylor wrote a book to uplift children during the pandemic when he was 11 years old, Omari McQueen published his first cookbook when he was 12 years old, and Nia Reese became a best-selling author at only 8 years old! Nyla Johnson is our newest young author; the fifth grader at Hugger Elementary in Rochester, Michigan wrote a book to help incoming kindergartners.
When Johnson’s not in class, she’s an author and businesswoman, a journey she started at the age of 7. She runs a dog-walking business where she assists her neighbors and other locals with their furry friends. She also penned her first book of The Nyla Chronicles series, “Nyla’s First Day of Kindergarten,” where she talks about the transition from daycare to primary school, meeting new friends, and getting to know her new teacher. Although she had a smooth transition, she knows there are many young kids who are afraid.
Johnson said she wrote this book because she “wanted to make people feel comfortable about their first day of kindergarten.” She’s been asked every year since Kindergarten to share her book with the students in school! When Nyla isn’t reading or writing, she’s just like any other kid; she enjoys her hoverboard, rolling skating, and hanging out with her friends outside!
Nyla’s mother, Tenita Johnson, spoke on her daughter’s creativity, saying, “Nyla has always been creative. She is the person who will write on the walls if you allow her to do so. She draws on her bunk bed. She draws in her notebook. She draws on top of her notebook. She is always doodling, drawing, sketching or writing.” Aside from also being an author, Tenita Johnson is a speaker, book coach, and the founder/CEO of So It Is Written Publishing. According to her, her daughter’s children’s book will help kids who are afraid to go to kindergarten, who don’t know what to expect, who don’t know how to make new friends, or what the first day of school is going to look like.
Johnson’s biggest tip for aspiring authors is: “Never give up. And no matter what happens or how it seems today, life does go on and it will be better tomorrow.”
The book is now available in over 200 Meijer stores across five states. You can find her book at your local Meijer if you live in the Midwest region, or shop online here.
You go, Nyla!
Photo: Amazon