Feeding Little Lambs the Seed of Faith
Interview with Christian children's author Helen Haidle. Originally published in my November 1997 "Meet the Author" column in the now defunct Christian Library Journal.
“Mom, when do I get to see a green pastor?” asked Helen Haidle’s six-year-old son.
“There’s no such thing.”
"Yes, there is. It's in the Bible."
At first, Helen didn't know what her oldest child was talking about. Finally, she realized he meant green pastures from the Twenty-Third Psalm. So, Helen and her husband, David, tried to teach their children, ages three, four, and six, the meaning of this psalm. However, the kids didn't understand many of the words. The parents searched for a children's book on the Twenty-Third Psalm but found none.
Then they discovered Phillip Keller’s book, A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm. By translating it to their children's level, the Haidles helped them understand this beloved psalm. Next, they taught it to their third- through fifth-grade Sunday school classes. They kept saying during those years, “Somebody really ought to do a book for kids on the Twenty-Third Psalm.”
In 1987, they sensed that the Lord was giving them an “assignment.” They were the ones to write and illustrate that book, and He Is My Shepherd appeared in 1989.
This book won the 1989 C.S. Lewis Silver Medallion Award. Helen's tenth book, The Candymaker’s Gift, was a 1997 Gold Medallion Award finalist, and What Would Jesus Do? a 1998 Gold Medallion Award finalist. Her devotional, What Would Jesus Do Today? was a 1999 Gold Medallion Award finalist.
Five of her books have also appeared on the Christian Booksellers Association best-seller list. Three of her books, What Would Jesus Do, The Candymaker’s Gift, and The Real 12 Days of Christmas have been on both the 1997 and 1998 Top 100 Best-Sellers List. Over one million of Helen's books have been sold. She will write ten new books for Zondervan Publishing House in the next two years.
However, Helen Haidle (surname rhymes with cradle) never planned to be a writer. Seeking to meet the spiritual needs of children, she and her husband ventured into a faith-building journey—learning to produce children's books that bless.
Learning the Craft
After graduating from Valparaiso University in Indiana with a bachelor of arts in theology, Helen worked as a Christian-education director for six years in large churches. During this time, she married David. They settled in the Portland, Oregon, area. Helen stayed at home after the children were born, and David pursued a fine-arts career, creating 5x6, 9x7, and even 11x11-foot paintings. Then, in the mid-80s, his fine-arts outlets dried up.
"We felt like the Lord was directing us to do children's books, which was a real struggle for us. Me to learn to write, and David to learn to illustrate," said Helen.
They spent a year struggling to create He Is My Shepherd, and the Lord confirmed in numerous ways that this was the work he called them to.
"We were to feed his lambs," explained Helen. "Those were the words I had in my head." When she got discouraged, she would remind herself that God called many people to do things they felt they couldn't do, such as Moses and Gideon.
Learning to write didn't come easily to Helen. She still finds it hard work and does numerous rewrites. Sing Me to Sleep was reworked three to four times, changing the tune and the angle of the story. She rewrote The Candymaker’s Gift fifty or sixty times. She rewrites until she captures the essence of her message in the fewest words while maintaining clarity and a vocabulary level a young child can understand.
Helen and David have worked on nine book projects as a team. This teamwork arrangement gives her a unique approach to writing that few authors enjoy. With an in-house illustrator, she can suggest illustration ideas and copyfit her text around the pictures. David also offers ideas and critiques on her text. Helen misses this interaction when other artists illustrate her books.
Working together has its challenges, too. Criticism sometimes leads to hurt feelings. So, they have had to learn to forgive each other regularly.
Needs to Books
All of the Haidles' book ideas have originated from recognized needs. For example, they discovered that children needed a book on the Twenty-Third Psalm and another book to help them understand and share the gospel with others. The Candymaker's Gift fulfilled this latter need.
In 1993, the Haidles began to hand out candy canes to their Sunday school students. Helen found the story of the candy cane on the box—how the candy represents Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection. She thought, This is a wonderful way for children to remember something because it is so visual.
The following year, they taught the candy-cane symbolism to the Sunday school children, then handed each child two candy canes, one to eat and one to share with a friend. Many of the children shared the candy-cane story with others. One girl shared it with the school bully!
Helen told her husband the following January, “One of the best things I have ever done in my Sunday school work has been to teach children the meaning of the candy cane and to encourage them to share it.”
David agreed, then added, “Somebody should write a book about the candy cane.”
They looked at each other. "Lord, are you giving us this idea? Are we supposed to do this?"
They wrote and illustrated the book without a contract, while three publishers looked at it. During the nine months they worked on it, they lived solely on savings and quarterly royalty checks. (Because their books were their only source of income, the Haidles had to learn to live simply: growing and canning their food, shopping at the Goodwill and garage sales, and cutting their own hair.) They completely relied on the Lord to provide for the family's needs.
"We knew that when God guides, He provides," said Helen. “We just wanted to be obedient to His call.” Finally, Honor Books published The Candymaker’s Gift in October 1996.
Having this book selected from 550 children’s books in the CBA market to be one of five 1997 Gold Medallion finalists thrilled the Haidles. Yet, it isn’t sales or recognition that motivates them to create books; they seek to touch hearts.
Writing God’s Assignment
"God has put a strong desire in our hearts to write things that will bless children and parents." Helen views this as her assignment from the Lord. When she approaches a new project, she asks him, "You show us what to do, because I don't want to do anything unless you're telling me to do it. Then I want to do it out of faith even though it looks impossible." Considering their books as seeds, they pray that the Lord will use them to plant, grow, and encourage the faith of children.
A woman once told Helen that she and her daughters have been reading He Is My Shepherd for years at bedtime because the girls didn’t want to get nightmares when they sleep.
Through the Haidles’ willingness to obey the Lord’s call, these girls, and many others, have found peace in green pastures.
To those who wish to write for children, Helen offers this advice: First, read books about writing for children; second, attend writers' conferences; third, have perseverance.
"It has taken me seven years to really get into the publishing market. You can't do it quickly. It takes time, a lot of work, and a lot of practice. There are no shortcuts. Above all, be faithful to the assignment the Lord gives you. He has a great plan!"