MULDROW – Cherokee Nation citizen Cobie Grace Graham recently released her first children’s book, “I Thought I Was a Bad Kid,” focusing on fostering empathy and understanding for children who are misjudged in the classroom.
The Christian Faith Publishing children’s book is a fictional story that revolves around Trudy Buckman, a young boy who was labeled a “bad kid” before he starts third grade. The story follows Trudy’s third-grade year and includes reflections from him as an adult.
Cobie Grace Graham, Cherokee citizen, has come from a long line of educators and has been motivated by her family’s dedication to young people’s education.
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Graham’s inspiration behind the book came from God during her first year of teaching. She said she began to see many students who thought of themselves as bad, and she wanted to change their perceptions about themselves and the teachers they encountered.
“I come into contact with students every day in my own classroom who have this perception of themselves,” Graham said. “It could come from past experiences, from their home life or trauma related events. What I say to these students and what I would say to all students who see themselves as bad kids is this, ‘you are not a bad kid. In fact, you are a great kid with so many talents and strengths. The choices you make are sometimes bad choices, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make better ones.’ I also always be sure to tell them how much I believe in them and love them. Sometimes, we as teachers might be the only ones who tell them that.”
Although Graham’s experiences were different from the character in the book, she said it was eye opening to take on the perspective of how it feels to be a student who does not feel understood or feel misjudged.
Among all the drafts, editing, illustrations and proofreading, the project took about two years from start to finish, even though it took Graham only 10 minutes to write the book.
“My favorite part was getting to bring the book to life with the illustrations through the help of my team at Christian Faith Publishing,” Graham said. “I also had the privilege of working with two wonderful publishing specialists. Everyone on the whole team was always so helpful and really made the experience fun for me.”
Graham hopes the book will influence young people to see that they do not have to take on negative perceptions that some people try to put on them.
“I hope the book will inspire them to see that if they are making some bad choices, it is not too late to change,” Graham said. “That it is never too late for them to turn their lives around for the better. I also hope this book encourages them that there are some teachers out there who love them and see the good in them.”
To order “I Thought I Was a Bad Kid,” visit https://www.amazon.com/Thought-Was-Bad-Kid/dp/B0F9ZWTG28.