Get to Know Kimberly Delude

Freddie the Fly author Kimberly Delude answers your questions:

1. Tell us about yourself! 

I worked in events and marketing before becoming a Speech Language Pathologist. I’ve been around the field my entire life though, since my mom was an SLP before she retired. I’ve always enjoyed writing, I wrote my first book in the first grade, and I enjoy being creative and working with kids. I love anything that has to do with sports, travel or chocolate.

2. What was your inspiration for writing the Freddie the Fly series?

I’ve always loved books, they can help you explore and discover, so when I was in graduate school I tried to find ones covering the topics my students needed. There were very few books on social topics at that time and most were textbooks. This led me to want to create something that captured the spirit of childhood but was also relatable to the problems that many kids were facing.

3. What can you tell us about the newest book in the series, Freddie the Fly: Bee On, Buzz Off?

Freddie is a lovable fly who is trying to navigate the tricky world of childhood. In Bee On Buzz Off he is struggling with sitting still and following directions; something that many kids have a hard time with. His inability to listen isn’t because he is trying to be bad or doesn’t want to know what is going on, but because there are so many other cool, or distracting, things happening around him at once. Freddie has to learn to tune out the distractions so that he can get the important information he needs.

4. If you could pull one lesson from this book to teach in the classroom, what would you choose? 

The message I’d want to impart is the importance of active listening. Active listening means that your brain is involved and focused on the speaker not just your eyes and ears. There can be serious consequences if one doesn’t pay attention or doesn’t follow directions in a certain order so honing this skill will help a child be successful.

5. How do you think your experiences as an SLP have helped you in writing Freddie?

Being an SLP has taught me how important it is to make things fun and that what one person might see as play is a very well crafted learning opportunity. Kids who are engaged in the learning take so much more away then those who feel they are just being overloaded with information. I wanted to create resources that were humorous, relatable and so engaging that kids were learning without even thinking about it.

 

Check out the Freddie the Fly Series!