Mr. Kobi Yamada is the New York Times best-selling author of the What Do You Do With… series, Maybe, and his most recently released book, Trying. He is the president and CEO of Compendium, a company that aims to create opportunities to spread goodness and make the world a little brighter.
Last November 10, Mr. Yamada interacted with the Grades 4 to 6 students in a Zoom webinar. He read aloud his book, What Do You Do With An Idea, and shared his thoughts about being an author, his motivation in life, and his advice to young writers. When asked about his inspiration for writing the What Do You Do With… series, Mr. Yamada said that ideas, problems, and chances are things that we either learn from or run away from. He wrote the book to inspire people to believe in their ideas, to face their problems, and to take chances, especially when society holds them back.
Mr. Yamada also advised beginner writers on the importance of reading. He said, “There are a lot of literature that could inspire people and shape them into the writer they can become. Reading helps a person develop a wide range of vocabulary that would eventually materialize in his or her writing. If the writer feels stuck, my advice is to dive into stories and read more things that can inspire and motivate.”
He highlighted the value of writing down one’s thoughts and ideas even if they are not that great yet. He said that the experiences one goes through, even if they may be problems, setbacks, and challenges, are things that can help a person in life. “Have that adventurous heart, be willing to try and try again because as you continue on your journey, more things can inspire you,” he added.
Mr. Yamada also reminded the students to believe in themselves and not to compare themselves with people who are already successful at what they do. He believes that everything is possible, and one just has to work harder for it.
The activity Author Zoom In with Mr. Kobi Yamada was part of the Grade School’s “Literacy from Home” celebration of Literacy Month organized by the Grade School Learning Resource Center and the Reading and Language Departments.
Xavier School would like to thank Mr. Kobi Yamada for his generous sharing of time, the Reading and Language teachers who helped prepare for the event, and the student participants whose interesting questions made the event a success.
The Author Zoom In event may be viewed below:
