Jon-Erik Lappano: Be Irrational in Your Persistence
In this interview, author Jon-Erik Lappano discusses how the uniqueness of each of his children helped inspire his new picture book, The Language of Birds.
Jon-Erik Lappano is a person who stays up too late working on things, including writing books for children. His debut picture book, Tokyo Digs a Garden, illustrated by Kellen Hatanaka, won the Governor General’s Literary Award and was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. His second book, Maggie’s Treasure, inspired by his daughters, was an International Youth Library White Raven award winner, and his other books, Song for the Snow and Martin and the River, each received wide critical acclaim. Jon-Erik lives in Stratford, Ontario, with his family and a growing assortment of pets. Follow him on Instagram and Bluesky.
In this interview, Jon-Erik discusses how the uniqueness of each of his children helped inspire his new picture book, The Language of Birds, his advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Jon-Erik Lappano
Literary agent: Emily Van Beek / Estelle Laure, Folio Jr.
Book title: The Language of Birds
Publisher: Random House Studio
Release date: December 16, 2025
Genre/category: Picture Book
Previous titles: Tokyo Digs a Garden, Maggie’s Treasure, Song for the Snow, Martin and the River
Elevator pitch: The Language of Birds is a story about a quiet, socially anxious girl named Mira who has always had a special connection with birds, but who finds people to be a more confusing kind of animal. When a new boy named Jad comes to school, Mira notices that he connects with trees the way she does birds, and with a little help from her feathered friends, they begin to form a friendship.
What prompted you to write this book?
The seed of the idea for this book came from observing the differences in our three children, in the unique and beautiful ways that each of them interact with the world around them, with other people, and with the natural world. There are so many ways of communication that we learn growing up—not all of them human—and there are forms of connection that transcend words. Some young hearts and minds develop as quieter, or more introspective, and perhaps more open to engaging in those hidden languages in nature that many of us haven’t attuned to, focused more on aligning to social norms as we grow. With this story, I wanted to speak to those people who might see and experience the world in a different sort of way. Mira is unabashedly herself, and by embracing her different nature, by watching and listening with care, creativity and attention, she finds a meaningful connection.
Birds have also always been fascinating to me, and watching the wild birds outside our window is a favorite family pastime. Birds are such beautiful indicators of a thriving and healthy ecosystem; they are guides and helpers and sources of inspiration. One of our daughters used to coo with surprising skill to the pigeons and doves in the city parks as a baby. Another was desperate to learn the language of birds, and spent hours sitting outside under our feeders, speaking in screeches and chirps to the starlings, hoping to befriend them. She once even caught a wild bluejay in her hands that had flown into our house, which inspired one of the scenes in the book.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Going from the initial idea to the first draft happened in one exhilarating late-night writing session. However, from that first draft to pitching took about a month, going through a few rounds of early stage editing and revising. I have my wonderful literary agents, Emily Van Beek and Estelle Laure, to thank for taking that mess of a first draft and giving feedback that helped me find the heart of the story. Once we pitched it, we were thrilled to get an offer from Random House Studio, and from there it took about two and a half years to publish, which I have found to be the usual timeline for picture books. Illustrators need to take time, too, especially the talented ones. I was absolutely thrilled when we learned that Zach Manbeck would illustrate this story. His art is absolutely luminous and just perfect for the story.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The publishing process for this book was seamless and smooth—it was a joy to work with Random House Studio and to collaborate with Zach on this title. No real surprises, just a supportive, imaginative team who has been lovely to engage with, from the editorial process, to publicity, to opening friendly emails of excitement and encouragement along the way!
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I am learning more and more to trust in my voice as a writer, while embracing the feedback of early readers and editors I trust. This is my fifth published work, and by far it was the most collaborative. The initial draft wasn’t really working, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. Giving it over to my agents for feedback was a pivotal moment. Their insightful feedback helped me simplify the story while zeroing in on the relationship between Mira, Jad, and the birds, and everything just clicked into place.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers—young and old—will see themselves reflected in this story, and that they gain a reminder to embrace their differences. I also hope they let their gaze linger a little while longer on the birds outside their window, wondering what lessons they might have to teach them.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Here is a lesson I’m trying to share with myself these days. Persist. Be irrational in your persistence. Rejection, in its various forms, is a guaranteed companion along the writer’s journey. (A somewhat harsh companion I don’t remember inviting, by the way.) Drafts will dwindle in desktop purgatory. Manuscripts will melt into mediocrity. Ideas will hit the page and then hit a wall. But persist. Be stubborn in your persistence. Keep writing. And rewriting. And rewriting. Oh, and I guess, at some point, try to get a good night’s sleep.
