Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Natasha Tripplett (Planted with Love: Growing into a Family)!
Meet the Author: Natasha Tripplett
Natasha Tripplett lives in Northern California, where she writes from a treehouse perched in a sycamore tree. Natasha is a Jamaican Jewish American author who is passionate about cultural representation in children’s literature. She bubbles with excitement over antiques, chocolate, coffee on the front porch, and cozy movie nights in front of the fireplace with her husband and four children. You can visit her at natashabooks.com.
About the Book: Planted with Love: Growing into a Family
A heartfelt picture book about one child’s experience in foster care that reminds all kids that—just like a garden—love from the right source will help them bloom.
Lamar has lived in seven homes in three years and has never stayed anywhere long enough to put down roots. As he watches his new foster mom tend to her garden each day, he soon joins her with cautious curiosity. Together, they plant, they weed, they water . . . until one day Lamar’s anger and feelings of uncertainty lead him to destroy the garden.
But through his foster mother’s love and care, Lamar discovers that just like her garden, he is wanted, he is loved, he has been planted, and he will bloom.
Written by a licensed social worker, Planted with Love illustrates that a loving home and a loving adult can provide a safe place for any child to grow and thrive.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I wrote this book to give a voice to anyone who has felt displaced or like they were not important. Everyone can relate to those feelings at one point or another, but as a former adoption and foster care counselor, I met with many children and families navigating how to develop trusting relationships. The kids had to learn to attach and depend on the adults, and the adults had to learn how to parent children who had experienced grief and trauma. My hope is that those who are providing care for traumatized children can meet their needs not focus on the unwanted behaviors. The actions of kids, even the ones we’d label as “bad,” are to tell us adults that they need to feel loved, important, seen and comforted. We can’t overlook that and simply punish them.
YABC: Is your main character like you?
My main character embodies some of the feelings that I had as a child, but we don’t share the same experiences. I was in foster care as a baby, but I only had one placement before I was adopted. Later, in my adoptive home, I had a foster sister who came to our family after being in 7 other foster homes. The story is fiction, but she ended up staying with us throughout my whole childhood and was eventually able to bloom into the woman she is today. Some of the circumstances that the main character experiences reflect her circumstances. And then I also drew upon my experiences with the work that I did as a counselor.
YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?
When my editor tells me it is finished! LOL! The truth is that it usually takes more eyes on a project to get it ready for publication. My efforts alone can only take it so far. I rely on my critique group, my agent and my editor to help me point out problem areas.
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
As a child, I experienced a lot of scary feelings that I did not have the words to express. I started writing poetry and using figurative language to explore my thoughts and feelings. This proved to be a therapeutic endeavor for me. I decided at a young age that I wanted to be a writer. I used to read all the time. I rode my bike to the library and checked out stacks and stacks of books. It was an escape from my reality. Writing is the same. As a writer, I can go back and change the things of my childhood and write the things that I wish were true for me.
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
Finding your ‘voice’ as a writer is a process. It takes practice and intention. I am fortunate that I get to be around children of different ages. I have four children and have always worked with kids. This exposes me to the things that kids are going through and what is important to them. My voice naturally tends to be lyrical, but I try to weave in things that children of different ages care about and may do or say, too.
YABC: What type of scene do you love to write the most?
I love to write about families. I love to explore how different families do things, especially if I can add a cultural element from my own experience. I also just love choosing words that convey feelings and engage the senses. I think those elements bring a scene to life.
YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
In Planted with Love, there are only two human characters. I felt confident in writing both of them. Much of the story takes place in a garden and I wanted the garden to feel like a third character. Some of this is conveyed in the art, but the details that I chose to highlight and the words I chose to use were intentional. So I guess, writing the garden as a character was the most challenging.
YABC: If your character could meet a character from another book, who would it be?
My character is named Lamar, and he has big feelings that at times consume him. I wish that I could introduce him to Max (from Where the Wild Things Are). I think that they would be able to relate to each other and form a friendship full of adventure. Together they would be loud, destructive, find ways to laugh a lot, and tame some wild beasts.
YABC: What is your favorite reading space?
My favorite place to read is in my writing studio. It is actually a treehouse. My children used to play in it, but since they have outgrown it, I now use it to write. I have a comfy couch, electric fireplace, and some blankets that make it the perfect spot to curl up with an adventure.
YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?
I will be celebrating the launch of Planted with Love with my family and friends. I am going to take the opportunity to plant some flowers and spend time with those who are close to me. Rakestraw Books in Danville, California will also be hosting a book launch party on March 15. I can’t wait to share Planted with Love with my community.
YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?
I enjoy reading, gardening, decorating with antiques, repurposing old doors and furniture, traveling to new places and meeting new people, spending time with my family, and relaxing on a boat.
YABC: What’s your least favorite word or expression and why?
I can’t stand the word “moist.” It grosses me out. I feel like I can sense the mold and fungus growing when I hear that word.
YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?
I love going to a candlelight service at Christmas. I am often moved to tears singing traditional Christmas songs in church. Something about it touches my soul. I think I really feel a connection to God in those moments. Then, when you add the candles, it puts me over the edge. I also really enjoy listening to children’s choirs sing Christmas songs. Their little voices stir my heart.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I have another book coming out in the fall of this year. It is called Downtown Doors. The story follows a little boy and his mom on their familiar walk through the city. It emphasizes the themes of housing insecurities, food insecurities, and hope.
Title: Planted with Love: Growing into a Family
Author: Natasha Tripplett
Illustrator: Adriana Predoi
Release Date: 3/11/25
Imprint: WaterBrook
Genre: Children’s Picture Book/ Fiction
Age Range: 3-8
