I hope you’ve had a chance to read my new book, The Too Tall Giraffe. 

I want to share a little author secret from writing the book.

In the first six or seven drafts of the book, I had a set of names for the characters. As I went through and got a little more clarity, I decided to change some of the names. 

The name Savannah was always the main characters name, I always liked the name and it fit with the book. Her brother’s name, Forrest, was not his original name. That came later on when I realized I had subconsciously used mostly nature-oriented names for the good characters in the book and less nature-oriented, regular kid names for the characters who were bullies.

When I realized I did this, I knew I needed to make a change. The brother needed a new name and I chose Forrest, obviously. The book has Savannah, Forrest, Dr. Leaf, and Mrs. Branch; all very nature-oriented, relating to the lives that giraffes live. That was one of the things I did, very intentionally, to identify the different types of characters in the book. 

But that doesn’t mean that these characters are stuck in their names. Henry and Addison had a chance to change. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens to them. 

Let me know what you think about the names and maybe you have some different names for these characters in the books. I’d love to hear your ideas. 

If you want to learn more about The Too Tall Giraffe, you can head over to TheTooTallGiraffe.com. 

Photo taken at White Post Farms in Melville, NY