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This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Amplify Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.
Book Information
I am NOT Sophie!
Written by Robyn Hodess Illustrated by Terry Kole Ages: 0-3 | 14 Pages Publisher: Mascot Kids! (2025) | ISBN: 979-8891383838 Publisher’s Book Summary: Sophie is a little girl with a BIG imagination! Every day, she wakes up and decides to be a different animal. On Sunday, she pounces and roars through the house like a tiger. On Monday, she stomps and trumpets like a mighty elephant. Throughout the week, she is a slithering snake, a bouncy monkey, and even a scary alligator! By the end of the week, Sophie discovers that being herself is the best adventure of all. Filled with playful illustrations and a heartwarming message about self-acceptance, I am NOT Sophie! encourages young readers to embrace their own unique magic—because sometimes, being YOU is the most wonderful thing of all! Author Interview
Like Sophie, I loved make-believe when I was a child. Did you have a wild imagination as a
child? YES! When I was about Sophie’s age and in kindergarten, there was a set of monkey bars in the schoolyard. My friend and I would climb to the top and pretend we were monkeys. We were monkeys for the entire year! So, I can truly relate to my “Sophie.” What or who inspired you to write I AM NOT Sophie? By trade, I’m an artist. Writing had never been a big part of my creative process. But it all began about 25 years ago with a dream. I was a young mom of three at the time. My daughters were 7, 5, and 1, and I was sound asleep. Around midnight, I woke up with the idea for I Am NOT Sophie! I jumped out of bed, wrote it down, and went back to sleep. Watching my girls grow up playing make-believe and pretending to be anything they wanted on any given day I’m sure influenced that dream. The illustrations are lively and fun. Did you personally choose Terry Kole as your illustrator? Did you give a lot of input in the artwork, or did you allow her creative freedom? Yes, I chose Terry. We both belong to the Women’s Artist Network, a group of women artists based in Rhode Island. One day, I noticed a children’s illustrator among our members and reached out to her. As an artist myself, I had envisioned Sophie for many years and knew exactly how I wanted her to look. But since I’m an abstract painter and not a children’s illustrator, I couldn’t bring those visuals to life on my own. Terry was happy to help me realize the vision. We met many times in person and online to discuss ideas. I even shared photos of my daughter Sophie at around four years old for inspiration. We worked closely on everything—from how the character Sophie should appear to how the book should feel. I wanted her to be relatable to both children and parents. I also wanted the make-believe elements to be easy for kids to recreate at home. I made suggestions, and Terry added ideas I hadn’t considered, which ultimately made the book stronger. But the artwork is all hers. Why did you choose to write stories for young readers? I’ve always loved children’s books. I read to my girls every night, and often during the day, too. When this story came to me, I felt it would be a wonderful addition to what’s already out there. Most picture books are cute, fun, and enjoyable, but I believe stories can do more. It’s important to teach something through storytelling. Sophie is easy to read, memorize, and act out. But it also teaches children about imagination, acceptance, animal sounds and movements, colors, and the days of the week. You might not catch all of that on the first read, but with each rereading, more becomes apparent. Every day of the week is mentioned. Each page is a different color. I also made sure Sophie dresses up using things easily found at home. This makes it easier for children to interact with the book instead of just listening passively. I appreciate how this story encourages readers to embrace imagination. Are there any other messages you hope to convey? Absolutely. Each page in the book is beautifully illustrated in Sophie’s world, using vibrant hues to help with color recognition. The story follows Sophie from Sunday through Saturday, with each day bringing a new animal and a new chance for imaginative play. It’s a playful and effective way to build early literacy and cognitive skills. Beyond imagination and acceptance, I want children to see themselves in this book. They can pretend using whatever they have around—egg cartons, pool noodles, feather boas, brown shoes, a sock for an elephant nose, a T-shirt with tape to become a tiger. Children can take part in the story by using what they already have, which makes the experience much more personal and empowering. And perhaps most importantly, this book sends a message to parents, caregivers, and educators: Unconditional acceptance is the soil where confidence grows. Sophie’s mother never pushed her to “just be Sophie.” Instead, she accepted every imaginative version of her child. And in doing so, helped Sophie come to her own identity. In a world that often pressures kids to conform, I Am NOT Sophie offers a tender resistance. It invites us to slow down, listen, play, and believe in a child’s inner world. It’s a celebration of imagination, a tribute to loving parenting, and a gentle primer in identity, days, and colors. What is your favorite way to celebrate after completing a book? Since this is my first book, I don’t have a set tradition. But I can say that the journey has been incredibly rewarding. This book was conceived 25 years ago and finally brought to life. Sharing it with a new generation has been the best celebration. Now I’m watching my friends’ grandchildren embrace the story. My grandniece, who is three, walks around the house saying, “I’m not Rooney, I’m Sophie!” My best friend’s granddaughter has memorized the book and reads it over and over. That’s my celebration. That joy, that connection—it’s what made every second of the process worth it. Giveaway
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