Pali Bermudez

I've always believed that education goes far beyond academics. Throughout my career in psychology, communication, and emotional intelligence, I focused on helping people connect, grow, and communicate with empathy. But through my work with adults in educational programs, I also witnessed how many emotional struggles and communication patterns often traced back to unresolved childhood experiences.

Many adults never had the tools to understand or express their emotions when they were children, and the adults around them often didn't have those tools either. That realization showed me how important the early years truly are. I believe that if we can help children understand their emotions from the beginning, we're also helping shape more empathetic, emotionally healthy generations.

Becoming a mother gave that purpose an even deeper meaning. Writing children's books became a natural extension of everything I had been doing professionally, but through stories that families can share together.

It influences every story I write. My background in psychology reminds me that children don't process the world the way adults do. Their brains are still developing, so they experience and express emotions very differently. Sometimes adults expect children to understand situations or communicate their feelings the way adults would, but that's simply not how childhood works.

When I write, I try to meet children where they are, using simple language, relatable experiences, and illustrations that carry emotional meaning. I spend a lot of time simplifying ideas because children don't need complicated explanations. They need stories that make them feel understood.

At the same time, I hope adults reading alongside their children are invited to slow down and see the world through a child's eyes. My books are written for children, but they're also an opportunity for adults to better understand childhood with greater patience, empathy, and curiosity.

As someone who grew up in Colombia and now raises bilingual children in the United States, I understand that language is much more than communication. It's identity, culture, and connection.

I wanted families to be able to share the same stories regardless of which language they speak at home. Many bilingual families include parents, grandparents, and children who are most comfortable in different languages, and I wanted everyone to feel included in the reading experience.

I don't simply translate my books. I rewrite them so each version feels natural, emotional, and authentic in its own language. My goal is for children to experience the same emotions whether they're reading in English or Spanish.

Children experience incredibly big emotions, but they often don't have the words to explain them. If a child finishes one of my books feeling that their emotions are normal, that someone understands them, and that they are deeply loved even when life changes, then I've accomplished what I set out to do.

The series began with my daughter, Mila. When she learned she was going to become a big sister, she was excited but also had many questions and worries. I searched for books that reflected those mixed emotions and found very few that truly focused on the older sibling's experience.

I decided to write the story I wished we had. Since then, Bunny Tails has grown into a series that explores childhood milestones through gentle, emotionally honest stories.

Almost every emotion in the book came from real conversations with my daughter. She wondered if we would still have time for her, if we would still play together, and whether our love would change after the baby arrived. Those are very common fears, but children don't always express them openly.

Writing this book allowed me to reassure not only my daughter, but hopefully many other children experiencing the same transition.

The biggest challenge is saying something meaningful using very simple language. Young children don't need complicated explanations. They need honesty, reassurance, and characters they can relate to.

The greatest joy comes from hearing parents tell me their children recognized themselves in the story or started conversations they hadn't been able to have before.

I spend a great deal of time simplifying, not simplifying the emotions, but simplifying the words. Young readers deserve stories that respect their emotional intelligence without overwhelming them.

I believe picture books can be simple on the surface while carrying meaningful conversations underneath for both children and adults.

They're essential. My books are designed to become conversation starters rather than ending with the final page. Whether it's during bedtime, in a classroom, or during storytime at a library, I hope adults use the stories to ask questions, listen carefully, and create a safe space where children feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.

Sometimes the most important part of a story begins after it's finished. Reflection prompts help transform reading into a conversation. There are no right or wrong answers. They're simply invitations for children to express themselves while helping adults better understand what's happening in their hearts and minds.

Growing up in Cartagena shaped my understanding of family far more than it shaped the setting of my books. My stories don't necessarily include specifically Colombian traditions or places. Instead, they reflect the way I was raised, the importance of closeness, affection, spending time together, inviting children to participate in everyday life, and creating a home where they feel valued and included.

Those are the values my husband and I try to live by in our own home, and they naturally find their way into every story I write.

My upcoming Bunny Tails book explores this even more deeply. It tells the story of a family welcoming a new baby while living far away from the support system they grew up with. In many Latin American cultures, raising children happens within a "tribe" of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends. When you're raising children abroad, that experience can look very different.

In the story, the grandmother becomes an important part of the family's journey, much like my own mom has become for us. I wanted to acknowledge that children experience those family transitions too. They notice who's there, who's far away, and how love can still be present across distance.

Belonging, to me, is not a place. It's a feeling. It's the feeling of knowing that you are loved, accepted, and valued exactly as you are. It's knowing you don't have to change who you are to deserve love or to have a place in someone's heart.

That's the feeling I try to create in all of my stories. Childhood is full of transitions that can make children question where they fit, whether it's becoming a big sibling, moving, welcoming a new family member, or simply navigating big emotions. I hope my books remind children that even when life changes, their place in their family never does.

I also hope they remind adults how powerful it is to create that sense of belonging every day through love, listening, patience, and connection. Because when children truly feel they belong, they gain the confidence to become exactly who they were meant to be.

Every book begins with an idea that usually comes from a real-life moment or an emotion I want to explore. Once the story is clear in my mind, I wait for a quiet moment, usually when the house is still, and I write the entire first draft in about an hour. That creative part flows very naturally for me.

The real work begins afterward. Editing is by far the hardest part of the process. I spend a lot of time trimming, simplifying, and choosing every word carefully so the story reflects the way young children actually think, speak, and understand the world. My goal is never to overexplain. Children don't need complicated language. They need stories that meet them where they are.

That's also why the illustrations are such an essential part of the storytelling. In a picture book, the words and the artwork work together to tell the complete story. I collaborate closely with my illustrators, going back and forth until every expression, gesture, and small detail reflects the emotion we want children to experience. Those visual details often say just as much as the words on the page.

Readers can look forward to several exciting projects. While the Bunny Tails series continues to grow, I'm also publishing stand alone stories in anthologies with Latin American publishers. Each story explores a different childhood experience, but they all share the same heart: helping young readers discover kindness, empathy, resilience, and meaningful life lessons through storytelling.

I'm especially excited about the next Bunny Tails book, The Day I Became a Big Sister, which will be released in the next month or so. It's the sequel to Mila's Big Wish and tells the story entirely through Mila's eyes. This time, readers experience the day they actually become big siblings. They follow Mila as her parents leave for the hospital, wonder what is happening while they're away, anticipate meeting the new baby, and finally experience the unforgettable moment when she meets her little sibling for the very first time. It's a story about helping children prepare for one of the biggest days of their lives with confidence, excitement, and reassurance.

Whether it's a Bunny Tails adventure or one of my stand alone stories, my hope is always the same: to create stories that help children feel understood and encourage families to connect through meaningful conversations.

Joining AllAuthor has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with readers and become part of a community of authors who are passionate about storytelling. As an independent author, it's incredibly meaningful to have platforms that help readers discover books they might not have found otherwise.

Writing can sometimes feel like a solitary journey, so being part of a community that celebrates books, supports authors, and encourages meaningful connections with readers has been a rewarding experience. I'm grateful to be part of it and excited to continue sharing my stories with families around the world.