Bryce Pomplun is a children's author with a passion for teaching, sports, and adventures. He is the author of the book series Veli's Adventures, which follows a group of stuffed animals as they explore different fun activities.
Bryce has always had a passion for teaching. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical and health education and enjoys watching those “light bulb” moments when children learn a new concept. His goal is to help children learn to read and understand the world around them.
Bryce currently resides in his hometown in Wisconsin, where he works on his books, coaches volleyball at the local high school, and works with his family on their 3rd generation family business.
In this Q&A we explore Bryce's Veli's Adventures series.
1. What inspired you to write the Veli's Adventures book series?
My inspiration comes from my time in the classroom. As a former teacher, I really enjoy helping children learn, and what better way to do this than through books! I noticed through teaching that some students struggle to distinguish between a virtual world and reality. That is one of the reasons I set the scenes with real-life photographs.
2. What did you enjoy the most about the process of putting together these books?
The most enjoyable part of the process is taking the pictures. This is where I can be very creative and silly. Writing the stories is a close second, for I get to use my imagination quite a bit. I'm truly still a kid at heart.
3. What do you want to tell readers with your stories?
My goal is for children to learn something new. In the book, Veli's Adventures: The Adventure of Baking Cookies, for example, my goal is to show the step-by-step process needed to turn ingredients into cookies. That way readers can see the baking process as the book progresses. Each one of my stories has a theme, and I hope each child has the opportunity to learn something from them.
4. What kind of feedback did you get from children so far?
I've recently read my books to kindergarten classes, and they really engaged with them. They enjoyed having the main characters be stuffed animals. I received various comments like “I have a stuffed animal just like that!” and “Wow, I didn’t know that popcorn grew like corn!”
One of my favorite moments was when a young child asked me “How are the animals moving? Are they moving on their own?” It was neat to see them using their imagination during the reading.
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