Lynne Roberto Shares How Her Childhood Imagination and Real-Life Emotions Shape Stories That Help Children Grow
Photo: Lynne Roberto, blending childhood imagination and emotional truth to create timeless, comforting stories for young readers and their families.
Heartfelt Stories That Teach, Comfort, and Spark Joy in Young Readers
Lynne Roberto reflects on her creative upbringing, emotional inspirations, and how her characters help children navigate loss, fear, and friendship through magical, deeply empathetic storytelling rooted in real-life experiences.
Lynne Roberto writes with the kind of heart that sees children not just as readers, but as whole people—full of emotions, questions, and dreams. Her beloved books, including Grandma Forgets: But I Remember and the Jack the Bear series, combine warmth, imagination, and emotional honesty in ways that resonate deeply with children and families alike.
At the core of Roberto’s storytelling is a gift for turning empathy into magic. Her characters—Jack, Scarlet, George, Oliver—may be toys, but they’re also gentle guides through life’s complexities. Whether facing grief, insecurity, or fear, each character reflects a child’s emotional reality and shows how friendship and courage can light the way. “Friendship, courage, and joy endure,” Roberto reminds us, “even in the face of loss and uncertainty.”
Lynne Roberto writes with extraordinary empathy, turning childhood wonder into stories that uplift, comfort, and guide children through life’s emotional journeys.
This belief in the power of imagination and resilience began early. Raised by creative parents who were toymakers, Roberto was encouraged to dream boldly. “I was hardly ever told ‘No,’” she remembers. “I was usually told, ‘Let’s figure out how to do that.’” Her childhood was filled with story-rich play, where dolls traveled the world and stuffed animals had full lives when no one was watching. It’s this lens—where the ordinary becomes magical—that she brings to her books.
In Grandma Forgets: But I Remember, Roberto gives voice to Mia, a child learning to love her grandmother through the haze of memory loss. Inspired by her own experiences as a caregiver, Roberto wanted to create a space where children could understand that love remains, even when memories fade. “I wanted this story to ease the way for children,” she says, “so they understand that memory loss doesn’t mean that love is lost.”
That same emotional insight drives the Jack the Bear series. Jack is based on a real stuffed bear Roberto bought after her mother passed away—an object of comfort that soon became a character full of strength and heart. Scarlet, George, and Oliver each represent different struggles children face: shyness, fear of being different, the pain of loss. These stories are deeply personal for Roberto, drawn from her own childhood and parenting experiences. “I wanted to express that it’s okay to be afraid, to ask for help, and to rely on those you trust.”
Roberto’s creativity is also deeply visual. A lifelong photographer and painter, she draws on decades of her own photos to imagine scenes and settings. Whether it’s dolphins inspiring Oliver’s journey or dreamlike sequences drawn from childhood play, her visual sensibility enhances the storytelling with vivid, emotionally resonant worlds. “It’s easy for me to think of a situation and then people it with toys,” she says. “Then I can use Photoshop to bring to life what I see in my head.”
One of her most moving stories, Saving Oliver: The Elephant Who Went to Sea, was inspired by finding a stuffed elephant floating near her boat. From this real-life discovery came a powerful story of loss, survival, and hope. “Even when the worst happens,” Roberto says, “I wanted kids to understand that they can be happy again.”
For Roberto, balancing emotional depth with magic is essential. She doesn’t shy away from life’s hard truths, but she delivers them with humor, kindness, and imagination. “Children need to learn there can be a solution to problems,” she says, “and not be afraid to look for them.”
Her standalone book A Gremlin Lives Here came straight from the real-life chaos of parenting—it was simply her own kids turned into fictional gremlins. But the Jack the Bear series grew organically from children asking for more. “The kids wanted to keep the story going,” she recalls, “and so it did.”
The most meaningful moments come from readers themselves. One parent told Roberto that her child, despite receiving many birthday gifts, only wanted to snuggle up with her great-grandmother and read Jack the Bear. Another story came from an audiobook narrator, whose granddaughter demanded to know what happened to Jack after just one chapter.
Those responses are exactly why Lynne Roberto writes. Her mission is clear: to create stories that help children feel seen, loved, and brave—reminding them that no matter the challenge, they are never alone.
Source: Novelist Post Interview with Lynne Roberto
