Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Valerie Ellis!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Valerie Ellis
Valerie Ellis is an author, speaker, and founder of Our Everyday Parables, an online resource with book reviews and ideas for families pursuing faith and compassion. She lives in Houston, Texas, where she stays involved with The MomCo, SCBWI, and a variety of local nonprofits. In addition to writing and reading kids’ books, Valerie enjoys hiking, live music, and adventuring with her husband, Josh, and their two boys. Residence: Greater Houston, Texas Home away from home: Colorado Springs, Colorado (husband’s family/they spend a lot of time there).
About the Book: Wild Faith Devotional for Kids
A stunning devotional for young people, featuring 52 amazing animals that will have kids marveling at how awesome God is as they discover more about the journey of wild faith God invites them to experience!
God created the world. Every aspect displays God’s strength and love. And though Creation can never fully express the wonders of the Lord, sometimes examples from nature can make God’s truth come alive to us.
That’s why the Wild Faith Devotional for Kids gathers well-known animals like flamingos, snakes, dogs, and cats along with lesser-known creatures like the capybara, glass frog, and rock-climbing goby to help kids celebrate God’s creativity, seek God with all their hearts, and rest in God’s great love for them.
Packed with spiritual truths and scientific knowledge, all 52 devotions include:
• engaging illustrations and striking photography
• Bible verses and short prayers
• interactive “Make It Stick” and “Live It Out” sections
• fun facts highlighting quirky or unbelievable details
The Wild Faith Devotional is perfect for creature- and Bible-loving kids ready to go deeper in faith!
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Valerie: The idea for this book didn’t come all at once, but it started with my love for the natural world and the way God reveals Himself in creation. I guess you could say I never outgrew that animal-loving phase most kids experience! I’m in my happy place when I can observe animals doing their thing, and there is no shortage of amazing creatures to study in our world.
But this wouldn’t be a book if I didn’t also love finding connections between seemingly unrelated things. Some might consider it a bit nerdy, but I get super excited about a really good analogy. And it’s even better if that analogy can help me understand faith or relationships in a deeper way. I think kids love surprising connections too. It’s so fun to have that “aha” moment!
And of course, Jesus is my biggest “why.” He has seen me through so much, and it’s a huge honor to convey His kindness and love to kids and teens. I hope they see how valuable they are in God’s eyes, get inspired to make a difference, and find more strength and peace for this wild journey of life.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
Valerie: I did a lot of in-depth research on both the scientific side and the spiritual side.
As I’m sure you know, when it comes to animals, not everything you read is true, especially online. There are a lot of myths that circulate as facts, even on seemingly scientific sites. To make sure sources were reputable, I often went straight to scientific journals to see how scientists doing firsthand research described certain animal features or behaviors. It was fascinating to learn about which kinds of frogs lay their eggs in peccary wallows and the angle of a golden eagle’s wing when it soars. Those tiny details didn’t often make it into the book but having that level of knowledge allowed me to communicate the big picture more accurately.
Of course, new discoveries are constantly being made. Sometimes, an animal wasn’t included in the book because the research is emerging or scientists disagree about how to interpret results. The more I learned, the more I realized: there’s still so much we don’t know.
It was important to me to make sure Bible verses and spiritual concepts were solid as well. Even though each devotion centers on just a few Bible verses, I studied a lot more than that to understand the text as accurately as possible. Historical context and how a verse fits into a passage and the overall Bible can really change how we grasp and apply it—and how we explain it kids. I enjoyed studying related parts of the Bible, as well as commentaries and Bible studies, to come alongside young people with biblical encouragement.
Wild Faith Devotional for Kids has a ton of animal facts and spiritual takeaways, but there’s so much more for young people to discover. I hope the book inspires kids to do their own research, diving into both science and scripture to learn, grow, and enjoy God and all the incredible things He made.
YABC: Which were your favorite animals to write about?
Valerie: That is such a hard question. There are so many fascinating things to learn about comb jellies, wolverines, sociable weavers, axolotls, capybaras, and even sheep! But I think I had the most fun when I was writing a message that I thought would really resonate with kids—something maybe I wished I had absorbed when I was younger.
I really enjoyed writing about the glass frog’s see-through skin—you can see the heart and intestines and everything—and I explain how that can remind us that God sees our hearts completely and loves us fully. And then there’s the brown pelican, doing a high-speed dive from as much as 60 feet to catch a fish, but not always on the first try. That amazing bird reminds us that just because we were made to do something doesn’t mean we won’t need practice. We can rely on God to help us as we grow, and we can discover so many good things God has planned for us to do…even if we can’t do them yet.
YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?
Valerie: I love to mix popcorn with trail mix and dark chocolate. But I don’t like to eat with my hands while typing, so I eat trail mix with a spoon.
YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?
Valerie: My husband and kids bring me so much joy. It can be easy to take family for granted because you’re with them all the time. Plus, there are so many things to distract us! So, I try to be intentional about looking into their eyes and really treasuring them in everyday moments.
And as you might guess, because of my love for animals, I also find joy when I spot a bird in my yard or around town. I especially love woodpeckers and egrets.
YABC: What is your favorite writing space or routine?
Valerie: This may sound weird, but I do some of my best writing in the car with the windows down while waiting for my kids to come out of school or soccer or piano. I mean, a beautiful lakeside spot fills my heart with joy, but when I’m just trying to get 20 minutes of drafting or editing done while sitting in a boring old parking lot, I can really focus. I think it takes the pressure off too. I don’t feel like something magical has to happen like I do when I’ve chosen the perfect spot!
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
This is such a good question. I don’t think I’ve been asked this in an interview before, and two things come to mind.
While researching Wild Faith Devotional for Kids, I learned a lot about endangered species, some of which we could lose in our lifetime. I’m grateful for all the people and organizations working in animal conservation. The success stories give me hope that we will find ways to preserve more of God’s wonderful creation.
Before becoming an author, I worked as a fourth-grade teacher and then a nonprofit grant writer. I’m still involved with organizations like The Bridge Crisis Center in Pasadena, Texas, which helps women and children facing abuse, and the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries in Houston, which helps faith-based human service organizations collaborate to serve more people in need of food and housing. Of course, as an author, I’m happy to continue using my teaching background to interact with kids in schools. I remain passionate about literacy, and my author visits often focus on helping kids overcome common obstacles to writing.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
This is my third book to release in the past 24 months, so I haven’t had much time for new writing! But I do have ideas for other devotionals. I would also love to write a picture book someday!
Title: Wild Faith Devotional for Kids
Author: Valerie Ellis
Illustrator: Jen Bricking
Release Date: 10/7/2025
Publisher: PRH Christian Publishing Group/WaterBrook
Genre: Juvenile Non-Fiction
Age Range: 7 and up
~ Giveaway Details ~
Two (2) winners will receive a copy of Wild Faith Devotional for Kids (Valerie Ellis) ~US Only!
I like that animals are represented instead of using humans… this makes it more connectable.