PVLF 2026

Interview with David Howlett, Author of “Try Your Best, Patrick”

David’s Patrick uses humor and heart to explore self-worth, perseverance, and confidence—encouraging children to embrace their uniqueness and keep trying, no matter what.
on Oct 22, 2025

Frontlist: Patrick is a “normal” chicken on the surface, yet his journey touches on self-doubt, comparison, and perseverance. When you first conceived this story, what inspired you to explore these universal themes through a simple, animal protagonist?

David: I knew right at the beginning Patrick was going to be an animal, as I wanted to focus more on the message of the story, and not whether they were a boy or girl which I felt may have alienated some young readers. I chose a chicken as it’s not your typical cute and furry creature like a mouse nor fierce and strong, like a lion for example. He’s just a normal, everyday bird, and I also thought a chicken climbing trees might be funny!

Frontlist: Parental guidance is subtle but pivotal in Patrick’s journey. How do you envision parents or caregivers using this book to open conversations about encouragement, support, and unconditional love?

David: I’ve got two wonderful children, Max and Emily, and at the time of writing Patrick, they were 10 and 7. In this age of technology, with access to far more of the world than I had at that age, they were experiencing similar self-doubts when comparing themselves to not just other school friends, but videos, stories and TV shows from all around the world for example. As an adult, it can be easier to realise that we all have different strengths and talents, but as a youngster, it can be difficult to understand that it doesn’t matter if you’re not the fastest runner, or the best at math’s etc. I think Patrick gives parents and caregivers the opportunity to highlight and clarify these differences and explain further that any child isn’t going to excel at absolutely everything, but that’s perfectly normal. It shouldn’t stop them trying their best though, and celebrating others achievements with them.

Frontlist: Your story resonates with readers, “whether they are four or forty.” How do you see this book speaking not just to children but also to adults who may struggle with similar feelings?

David: Good question. Although it was obviously written as a children’s book, people of any age can have these experiences of low self-esteem at times, (me included), and I hope that when reading the book, they would take comfort that others have similar feelings. It’s not necessarily a topic that gets written about in adult books, so being able to get a message out which might help either a child or adult to see they’re not alone, was important to me. Take the publishing of Patrick for instance. I don’t mind saying I wasn’t in a great head space at the time, but I’d booked a children’s picture book writing workshop, so felt I had to go. Sat next to me was Sanya Podar, and that chance meeting started this whole adventure. I’m so proud that Daffodil Lane Books chose Patrick to be one of their first titles as the passion Sanya and her team have for creating not just books, but stories with meanings that aren’t preachy, and in an ethical way, is inspiring. Urvashi’s awesome illustrations brought the story to life in a way that I couldn’t have imagined, and that gave me such a confidence boost at a time when I really needed it.

Frontlist: You began writing for your own children and built stories from your personal experiences and observations. How has your own journey of parenting influenced the themes of resilience, self-worth, and perseverance in Patrick?

David: My parents, and I remember my Dad in particular, were very much into teaching both my brother and me how to do things, and letting us learn by making mistakes. The feeling of pride I got from being shown how to do something and getting a ‘well done’ afterwards stuck with me, and I tried to be the same with my children. It’s very tempting to want to do everything for your child, but I made a conscious effort to take a partial step back sometimes, and offer them guidance, as their sense of achievement when they made a model for a school project for example, was so good to see. Over the years though, they’ve watched me try and fail at various things many times, but the important thing for me, was for them to see me get up, dust myself off, and try again.

Frontlist: The narrative repeatedly emphasizes “trying one’s best” while facing failure or uncertainty. How do you see this approach shaping a child’s understanding of patience and personal growth?

David: That’s a tricky one as we live in a time where everything is available right now, whether it’s a TV show or ordering an item online, and it’s easy to want to give up if instant results are achieved. I’ve had many conversations with my children about how skills and talents take months or years to master, and how yes, you can be born with a natural apptitude, but it still needs hours and hours of practice to be really good at it.

Frontlist: In today’s digital age, children are often exposed to curated notions of achievement. How does Patrick serve as a counterpoint, encouraging readers to embrace their own pace and unique abilities?

David: Again, a tricky one in this day and age as I think we are all aware of internet content creators who appear to have great fame and fortune, without us really knowing what they did to achieve it! For me, Patrick shows us that it’s ok to embrace the every day normal, as achievements can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Frontlist: Growing up and writing in the countryside of England, surrounded by family and nature, how have your own childhood experiences shaped your understanding of self-worth, curiosity, and the joy of learning—elements that appear so strongly in Patrick?

David: I thoroughly enjoyed growing up in the countryside and look back, as I’m sure many adults do, recalling endless sunshine in the school holidays. I’m sure it rained quite a bit, it was England after all, but it was wonderful time before mobile phones, the internet, and a million TV channels. It meant I got to go out with friends, build dens, play games, and climb trees! There was a lot of trial and error involved in many things we did, there was no You-Tube to tell us how to do it, and I think that helped shape me into who I am today; someone who likes to try to new things, isn’t afraid to fail, and someone who understands that we’re all different.

Frontlist: How do you see picture books like this contributing to broader conversations around mental health awareness in children, especially on a day like World Mental Health Day?

David: Whilst I thoroughly enjoy escapism, and tales of fantasy and magic etc, stories which celebrate the everyday struggles which we may not want to bring up are very important, and will hopefully encourage young or older readers to if not talk about it, realise that issues like self-doubt and low self esteem are more common than they may think.