Join me for my second Author Talk! I had the pleasure of presenting at a local Collegiate Prep Elementary, focusing on storytelling, creativity, and content publication. These by the way, are things any kid can do! Every child is a storyteller.

Join me as I give my first Author Talk! I had the pleasure of presenting a STEM Academy workshop focusing on storytelling, creativity, and content publication. These by the way, are things any kid can do! Every child is a storyteller.

There's something amazing about presenting to a group of young minds. Young minds are open to new ideas, they think in different ways, and they embrace conversations about...space, time travel, aliens, and other other-worldly adventures. At this stage in life, every young mind is a storyteller just waiting for the right moment or encouragement to share their story with the world.

There’s something amazing about presenting to a group of young minds. Young minds are open to new ideas, they think in different ways, and they embrace conversations about…space, time travel, aliens, and other other-worldly adventures. At this stage in life, every young mind is a storyteller just waiting for the right moment or encouragement to share their story with the world.

That’s the purpose of my author talks. I focus on key themes like storytelling, creativity, bullying, and cultural appreciation. Here’s some of my past talks:

• Every Child is a Storyteller ­
• Easily Express Your Creativity ­
• How to Deal with Bullying ­
• Be Proud of Who You Are

If you’re interested in having me present to a group of local youth, I would love to participate in any way that supports their growth and professional development. I promise to make it an enjoyable experience for all. I even have handouts and exercises to get every chid immersed in the discussion and activity. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Author, Hiroshi Sosa-Nakata

Bullying sucks. It doesn't make anyone feel good about themselves and it can really hurt. Unfortunately, some kids feel the need to make others feel bad for some reason. I personally don't understand that reason.

Why Kids Bully

I’ve seen friends bullied for what they wear, who they are friends with, what grades they got on a test, or even what version of phone they have. I’ve even seen kids get bullied for things they can’t control, like their name, their heritage, the languages they speak, the size of their nose, their hair, the shape of their eyes, and more.

Well, my name is Hiroshi Pedro Sosa-Nakata and I’ve been bullied for some of the things I’ve mentioned above. The funny thing is though, that these things are things I’m proud of and a bully will never understand that.

Be Proud of Who You Are

My mom is Japanese, my dad is Mexican-American, I was named in honor of an uncle that died, the clothes I wear are what I can afford, the phone I have is an older version that my parents don’t use anymore, and the shape and size of my facial features are what I was born with. I’m proud of every single one of those things. They might be reasons to get made fun of, but for me, they’re things I should be proud of.

I don’t look like everyone else. I don’t sound like everyone else. My name is different than everyone else’s. I am proud to have family in Mexico, Japan, and the USA. The things that make me different are the very things that make me unique.

And, I am unique. One of a kind in fact! I’d rather be that than the same as everyone else. The things that make us unique are not reasons to be made fun of. They’re things we should be celebrating.

How Would You Respond

But, like I said, I’ve been bullied too. Instead of doing nothing though, I decided to tell my story and the stories of other people who are…well…different, just like me. I decided to put my ideas onto paper and the images in my head into drawings. I set out to use my creativity and imagination to create stories that celebrate these differences. I decided to write a book!

I’m super excited to publish my very first book this summer! It’s called, I Saved the World and I’m Only in 4th Grade! It features characters that are each different in some way that would usually make them be bullied in school. In my book though, they’re the main characters!

Dealing With Bullies

If you’re bullied in any way, you have to make sure you reach out to someone you can trust. That might be a friend, classmate, teacher, or parent (especially a parent). In my case it really helped me to write down my experiences with bullying, turn them into reports, and submit them to the principal’s office at school. Below is a video that I created to help anyone deal with bullies.

You Are Not Alone

Remember, that you are not alone. Everyone has been bullied in some way and the key is simply knowing how to respond if it happens to you or someone you know. Here’s some great resources in case you find yourself in such a situation:

• Stop Bullying
• Kids Against Bullying
• Stomp Out Bullying
• No Bully

Lastly, just remember that bullying may hurt initially. I did for me, but I also found comfort and strength in sharing my experience. Don’t be afraid to speak up, ask for help, or even share your own story. Who knows, it might make a great topic for a book. Wink. Wink.

Throughout this series you'll read about epic stories related to friendship, teamwork, empathy, diversity, and self confidence. What more could any kid ask for?

About Book 1

Warning: This book contains an epic adventure that places three fourth-graders in extreme danger. Hiro, Bryan, and Zahra are best friends who happen to save the world. But what did they discover on the nature trail and why are pickles so important to the future of the human race?

Steps for Saving the World:
1.Invite best friends
2.Pack lunch (with pickles)
3.Charge smartphone
4.Save the world
5.Don’t tell anyone!

Key Theme

Throughout this series you’ll read about epic stories related to friendship, teamwork, empathy, diversity, and self confidence. What more could any kid ask for?

I am inspired by classmates who have been bullied. We are each different in some way. I am different. I think that differences are what make each of us unique, though, and things we should be proud of. Unfortunately, some kids make fun of others for such differences. My books are meant to help celebrate the wonderful ways in which every kid should be proud of who they are, where they come from, and the contribution they make to the world around them.

I am lucky enough to have parents that celebrate the many ways that I am unique. My mom is Japanese, and my dad is Mexican-American, and they have struggled to ensure I am proud of all aspects of my culture. They continue to send me to Mexico and Japan to spend time with grandparents during summer breaks, even though my dad says it costs way too much to do so. The result is that they have created someone who is confident, proud, and capable of accomplishing anything I put my mind to. 

So can you! 

– Author Hiroshi Sosa-Nakata

What better way to launch a brand new children's book than to give main characters their own personalized promo? That's exactly the approach we took with I Saved the World and I'm Only in 4th Grade! Earth's Greatest Pickle.

Movies have trailers. Games have trailers. Of course that means new trailers should be created in preparation for the launch of Hiroshi Sosa-Nakata's new book, "I Saved the World and I'm Only in 4th Grade! Earth's Greatest Pickle." It should be worth noting that is trailers with an "s."

Meet Hiro: https://youtu.be/-9b33gOAetQ

Meet Zahra: https://youtu.be/LSLwcFx1Fbk

Meet Bryan: https://youtu.be/H5TbViVysX4

Meet Felicia: https://youtu.be/3Kr_i50wbP8

Meet Franklink: https://youtu.be/UJ5YB2La9hQ

Meet Amber: https://youtu.be/XHojfd7AAX4

Meet Alex: https://youtu.be/omE7Xl4AlEY

Meet Ms. Rose: https://youtu.be/UTOtA1j7MxQ

Meet Officer Ger: https://youtu.be/DmP5KdH0LRQ